Intelligence and Data Analyst Development Programme

Department

Analysis

Location(s)

London

Hours of Work

36 hours a week. Full time, office-based

Salary

£40,428 rising to £43,705 after one year

Job description

This programme is expected to attract significant interest and may close within a short time frame, so early applications are encouraged.

Flexible working: throughout most of the five-and-a-half-year programme, you’ll be able to benefit from flexitime and compressed hours, subject to business need. However, during the initial four-month training period, you will need to follow fixed full-time hours (36 hours per week, Monday to Friday). Remote, hybrid or home working are not possible in this role.

About us

MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you’ll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

The programme

Joining the Intelligence and Data Analyst Development Programme (IDADP) means committing to a five-and-a-half-year structured pathway designed to build the skills, experience and confidence needed to become a fully trained Intelligence and Data Analyst (IDA).

Why does it take five-and-a-half years? Because IDAs play a vital role in protecting the UK. Working with colleagues across MI5, partner agencies and UK allies, they turn complex, incomplete information into insight that shapes investigative decisions. IDAs work with a wide range of data and tools to uncover hard-to-spot patterns, connect activity that appears unrelated, and help investigative teams understand threats, risks and opportunities.

To do this well, IDAs need a strong foundation in analytical tradecraft, sound judgement, growing technical capability and the ability to collaborate effectively in a fast-moving investigative environment. These are not skills you can develop overnight, which is why we’ve created a rigorous programme that builds capability through structured training, guided practice and varied postings. It’s a steep learning curve, but you’ll have dedicated support from managers, development partners and your programme cohort throughout.

We run several development programmes, each leading to different long-term careers. Consider carefully which programme best suits your strengths and interests, as you cannot transfer between pathways once recruited.

Your five and a half-year development pathway

This pathway reflects the structure most people follow, though exact postings may vary depending on business need. While the programme usually includes three postings, some may be extended, meaning you complete two longer placements instead. As MI5’s analytical capability evolves, your pathway may adapt too, but every stage will be designed to build your skills and support your long‑term development. Because postings are aligned to business need, they’re assigned for you rather than chosen, ensuring you gain the right experience at the right time.

Stage 1: intensive analytical training for four months

You’ll begin with a full-time, office-based training period where you’ll learn how to work with multiple types of data, apply structured analytical techniques, use advanced tools, and approach open-ended problems. Training combines classroom learning, hands-on practice and collaborative exercises with your cohort. To help you get the most from this essential training, annual leave cannot be taken during this period.

Stage 2: your first analytical posting for two to two-and-a-half years

After training, you’ll join an analysis delivery team for a posting lasting between two and two-and-a-half years. Here, you’ll refine investigative requirements, work with complex datasets and produce intelligence products that support investigations. As your confidence grows, you’ll operate with increasing autonomy, present findings clearly and collaborate with partners across MI5.

Stage 3: your next postings (for the remainder of your pathway)

You’ll then complete one or two further postings. These may be within other analysis delivery teams working directly on investigations, or within a non-delivery area of analysis, such as training or tradecraft development to help improve our capabilities. These posts will broaden your experience and strengthen your understanding of how analytical capability develops across MI5.

Across these postings, you’ll deepen your technical expertise, including coding and querying, and learn to adapt as analytical tools, technologies and threats evolve. You’ll also contribute to the wider analytical community by sharing knowledge, supporting