About the Role
We're MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Our mission is to protect the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber attacks. Working across the globe and in close partnership with MI5 and GCHQ, we help the Government to counter these threats through the provision of secret intelligence. You'll provide vital support to this work, within a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.
Responsibilities
•Leading a team of engineers
•Provide technical leadership across this area
•Helping engineering teams deploy, operate and maintain software effectively across established platforms
•Driving improvements in how software is deployed, operated, and maintained on established platforms
•Lead the adoption and effective use of Kubernetes and containerised environments
•Embedding Site Reliability Engineering principles across both services and teams
•Enhancing CI/CD pipelines, automation, and release processes, using AI safely to boost deployment efficiency and operational productivity
•Identifying and reducing bottlenecks between software development and production
•Improve overall reliability, observability, and operational performance
•Guide fellow engineers and promote effective DevOps practices
Requirements
•Self-motivated, with high standards and a commitment to delivering high-quality results
•Experience using AI within engineering processes, reviewing AI output, and guiding AI to produce software and deployments that meet corporate standards
•Skilled at integrating AI capabilities into production systems, including familiarity with emerging standards such as the Model Context Protocol (MCP)
•A relevant degree or equivalent experience in industry
•A passion for writing code, improving processes, and communicating with technical and non-technical colleagues alike
•Constantly looking to improve yourself and learn new things, thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
•Experience leading a team of engineers, including setting a clear direction and providing guidance to junior engineers
•Must be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality
•Should only apply when in the UK
Conditions
•£77,242 plus a recruitment and retention allowance of £6,251
•Opportunity to qualify for additional allowances and a skills-related payment under the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability (GDDPC) Framework - formerly known as DDaT
•Support for full time, part time, compressed, job share and other flexible working patterns
•Due to the sensitive nature of the work, this role is fully office-based with no option for remote or home working
•Access to a broad mix of learning opportunities, including in-house and online training, technical deep dives and development pathways shaped around your interests and the needs of the organisation, including support to strengthen capability across modern AI techniques, Cloud technologies and wider analytical or engineering practices
•Support via the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework
•Opportunities to work with external professional bodies and training providers offering routes to specialist accreditation, advanced AI training and broader professional recognition
•Mentoring, peer support and a collaborative community that shares knowledge openly
•Opportunities to rotate across different teams, explore emerging technologies and contribute to shaping how MI6 evolves its AI and data science capability
