NCSC Compute Foundations Senior Researcher

Department 
Cyber
Location(s) 
Cheltenham, London, Manchester
Contract Type 
Permanent
Salary 
You’ll receive a starting salary of £44,044. For roles based in London, you’ll receive an additional £6,250 London Allowance.

Job description 
This role attracts a skills payment, which will be evaluated during the interview. The criteria for the skills assessment will be provided when you are invited to the interview. The assessed skill level will determine eligibility for specialist pay starting from £15,007.

About us

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity, and partnerships to identify, analyse, and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners, MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks, and espionage.

At GCHQ, you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, is the UK Government’s lead authority on cyber security. The organisation is at the heart of the Government’s cyber security strategy and aims to make the UK the safest place to live and work online. 

The role

The NCSC is recruiting a Senior Researcher for the Computer Foundations team to focus on processing technologies vital to society, with the goal of creating new security models and architectures. The role calls for a solid foundation in computer architectures, hardware, firmware, and security principles, with a particular focus on building trust across the technology stack. The initial project involves analysing roots of trust; evaluating their benefits, limitations, and system integration. While knowledge of microprocessor architectures, cryptography, and hardware security is beneficial, ongoing training is provided. The role also allows for contributions to government policy, guidance, and international collaboration.

The position offers flexibility, with opportunities to influence responsibilities and potentially manage staff as the team expands. Flexibility in working hours, including part-time or compressed hours, is available; however limited homeworking is permitted due to the role requirements. This role supports professional growth in a dynamic environment focused on national security.

This is a practical, technical role that may involve hardware or software security analysis, system configuration and testing, product evaluation, or software development. 

There will be external engagement with industry, academia, partners, and user groups to learn, understand, and collaborate on developing solutions. 

We build NCSC’s expert knowledge in our specialist areas and apply it to create meaningful impact. This is achieved through various routes, including publishing authoritative guidance, working with key vendors to improve products the UK relies on, and consulting on critical projects – from the NHS to senior Ministers and UKIC. We also occasionally support the development of national legislation.

A core capability of NCSC is its ability to engage publicly, and many of the team’s most significant impacts are made in collaboration with partners outside the Intelligence Community.

In this role, you’ll lead research across a portfolio of technologies, applying security expertise to both established and emerging areas that support NCSC’s strategic goals. Complex challenges are part of the job, and analytical thinking, problem‑solving, and clear communication, whether to technical or non‑technical audiences, are key.

You’ll help maintain high research standards, push the boundaries of hardware security, and contribute to future proofing NCSC’s positions. Your work will result in impactful outputs like papers and blogs, and presentations that meet real-world needs to maximise influence.

Around 30% of the role can be dedicated to a personal research project; an opportunity to build technical skills and explore topics of interest that align with the team’s goals. Supporting the development of others is also part of the culture, with knowledge-sharing, coaching, and collaboration helping to strengthen the team’s collective expertise. This position offers a unique chance to contribute to the development of secure, resilient platforms that underpin critical infrastructure and enterprise systems.

There are opportunities to attend conferences, take courses, and visit vendors, all aimed at deepening expertise and influencing key stakeholders through research. The team also benefits from close ties with major global providers, enabling access to cutting-edge insights and opportunities for collaboration.

Work is both collaborative and independent, with space to apply specialist skills to focused projects and conduct research across a range of technologies.

About you

We’re looking for a skilled and motivated researcher with a history of delivering impactful results, whether from industry, academia, or another government department. You may have worked as a Researcher, Engineer, Consultant, or Architect, and bring both expertise and enthusiasm to solving complex security challenges.

This role offers the chance to work across a broad spectrum of technical disciplines, from designing secure system architectures and analysing hardware and software vulnerabilities, to implementing cryptographic protocols and device security features. The work often involves securing commodity Information Technology (IT) platforms, including end-user devices, operating systems, virtualisation environments, networking appliances, and cloud services as well as enhancing trust across the technology supply chain. Expertise in secure coding (using languages such as C/C ++, Python, and Rust), and an understanding of high-speed communication interfaces like PCIe and CXL, is highly valued. The team also values evaluating and applying advanced security approaches, such as confidential computing, secure enclaves, and robust key management practices.

Key areas of focus include:

Secure system architectures: investigating trust mechanisms, defining best practice in hardware, firmware, and software to deliver end-to-end trust assurance. Applying knowledge of secure boot processes to protect and verify system integrity in both Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments.
Hardware and software security: analysing processors, accelerators, embedded systems, and alternative compute technologies to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, while applying secure coding and vulnerability research techniques.
Cryptographic protocols and device features: implementing and evaluating security solutions such as confidential computing, secure enclaves, digital signatures, certificate chains, and secure key lifecycle management.
Commodity IT platforms and supply chain security: securing operating systems, cloud services, virtualisation environments, and end-user devices, while enhancing trust and assurance throughout the technology supply chain.
You don’t need expertise in every area mentioned, we’re looking for people with talent, drive, and a willingness to learn. We’ll support your growth with a development package tailored to your preferred learning style, whether that’s through industry-recognised courses and qualifications, attending conferences, or taking on challenging project work. You’ll join a highly skilled team where knowledge-sharing, mentoring, and collaboration are at the heart of how we work.

Success in this role draws on both technical expertise and the ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary community. Collaboration is key, with opportunities to contribute your own knowledge while learning from colleagues across a wide range of fields.

Key skills and experience include:

Knowledge of computing architectures and models, gained through academic study or industry experience.
Ability to apply deep technical knowledge and scientific rigour to complex technical problems.
Awareness of the real-world impact of technical changes, with experience designing solutions that reduce harm.
Excellent communication skills, with a collaborative approach to building productive partnerships across industry, academia, government, and international organisations.

GCHQ Competencies

As part of the selection process, NCSC will assess you using competencies aligned with those used across the UK Intelligence Community. These are closely based on the Civil Service Behaviours, so if you’re familiar with those, you’re already on the right track.

At Level 3, we’ll be looking at how you demonstrate the following:

Continuously Developing (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Developing Self and Others)
Communicating and Influencing (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Communicating and Influencing)
Working Collaboratively (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Working Together)
Making Effective Decisions (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Making Effective Decisions)
Delivering Outcomes (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Delivering at Pace)
Further information on Civil Service Behaviours is available.

Rewards and benefits

At NCSC and GCHQ, we are proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment, which is designed to encourage open minds and attitudes. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential. With comprehensive training and development opportunities tailored to your needs and the requirements of your work, we’ll enable you to flourish in your role and perform to the very best of your abilities.

You’ll receive a starting salary of £44,044

For roles based in London, you’ll receive an additional £6,250 London Allowance.

This role attracts a skills payment, which will be evaluated during the interview. The criteria for the skills assessment will be provided when you are invited to the interview. The assessed skill level will determine eligibility for specialist pay starting from £15,007.

Other benefits include:

25 days’ annual leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays
Flexible working environment
Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
An interest-free season ticket loan
A cycle to work scheme
Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
Paid parental and adoption leave.
An excellent pension scheme - Civil Service pension

Equal opportunities

At GCHQ diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce–such as women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website.

We’re Disability Confident

GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident scheme. As a Disability Confident Leader, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so. (This is known as the Offer of an Interview.) To secure an interview for this role, candidates must meet the minimum criteria listed below, which will be assessed at application sift stage. These criteria, presented in order of application process, are:

Knowledge of computing architectures and models in computing systems, gained through academic study or industry experience. - Assessed at application sift
Evidence of applying deep technical knowledge and scientific rigour to a variety of complex technical problems. - Assessed at application sift
There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Please see our website for information on the reasonable adjustments we can offer.

What to expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

Online Application
Application sift
Interview
If successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer of employment.
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process, including vetting, so we advise you to continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before you apply

To work at NCSC, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.

Please note: we have a strict drugs policy. Once you start your application, you must not take any recreational drugs, and you’ll need to declare any previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

We recommend setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid including identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you manage your application more securely.

The role is based in London, Manchester or Cheltenham, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application with anyone other than your partner or close family member.

The closing date for this role is: 10/11/25 at 23:55

Right to withdraw statement

Please be aware that we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date for this role once a certain number of applications have been received. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience.