Are you an experienced DSP or Embedded Systems engineer looking to influence the future of cyber capability at a national level? We are seeking a Principal Cyber DSP and Embedded Engineer to provide technical leadership across a diverse portfolio of complex and mission-critical cyber programmes. Working within multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and technical specialists, you will play a leading role in the development of advanced signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions that deliver real operational impact. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to tackle challenging technical problems, shape the direction of future capabilities and influence the application of emerging technologies across cyber and national security domains. As a recognised technical authority, you will contribute to technical strategy and roadmaps, guide architectural decisions, and drive innovation across both software and hardware disciplines. You will work closely with customers, stakeholders and delivery teams to ensure solutions are robust, high-performing and aligned to operational needs. Alongside your technical contribution, you will help develop engineering capability within the organisation by coaching colleagues, sharing knowledge and promoting engineering best practice. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with deep technical expertise, strong leadership skills and a passion for solving complex problems in a collaborative environment. Whether your background is in signal processing, embedded software, FPGA development or systems engineering, you'll have the opportunity to shape innovative solutions that make a meaningful contribution to UK defence and security. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do Lead the development and delivery of advanced digital signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions across complex cyber programmes. Act as a recognised technical authority, providing expert advice and technical leadership across projects, teams and stakeholders. Shape technical strategies, roadmaps and capability plans to ensure engineering activities align with future customer and organisational needs. Drive innovation across software and hardware domains, influencing system architectures and technology choices. Solve complex technical challenges by working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and specialists. Develop high-performance solutions using DSP, embedded software, FPGA and related technologies to improve operational effectiveness. Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to customers, stakeholders and senior decision-makers. Mentor and coach engineers, helping to develop future technical leaders and strengthen organisational capability. Champion engineering excellence through the adoption of improved tools, methods, standards and best practices. Identify opportunities to improve delivery performance, technical quality and organisational effectiveness. Person specification What we're looking for Significant expertise in at least two of the following areas: Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Embedded systems development (MCUs, RTOS or Embedded Linux) C/C++ software development FPGA development using VHDL Software and hardware integration and debugging Strong analytical, problem-solving and systems engineering skills. Experience delivering DSP and embedded solutions within a complex engineering, science or technology environment. Experience leading technical delivery, influencing technical direction and establishing engineering standards or approaches. Experience working on complex and non-routine technical challenges, bringing together information from multiple sources to develop effective solutions. Experience leading or contributing within multidisciplinary teams and supporting successful project delivery. Experience coaching, mentoring and developing less experienced engineers. Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence both technical and non-technical audiences. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Leadership Benefits Alongside your salary of £51,568, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
Are you an experienced DSP or Embedded Systems engineer looking to influence the future of cyber capability at a national level? We are seeking a Principal Cyber DSP and Embedded Engineer to provide technical leadership across a diverse portfolio of complex and mission-critical cyber programmes. Working within multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and technical specialists, you will play a leading role in the development of advanced signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions that deliver real operational impact. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to tackle challenging technical problems, shape the direction of future capabilities and influence the application of emerging technologies across cyber and national security domains. As a recognised technical authority, you will contribute to technical strategy and roadmaps, guide architectural decisions, and drive innovation across both software and hardware disciplines. You will work closely with customers, stakeholders and delivery teams to ensure solutions are robust, high-performing and aligned to operational needs. Alongside your technical contribution, you will help develop engineering capability within the organisation by coaching colleagues, sharing knowledge and promoting engineering best practice. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with deep technical expertise, strong leadership skills and a passion for solving complex problems in a collaborative environment. Whether your background is in signal processing, embedded software, FPGA development or systems engineering, you'll have the opportunity to shape innovative solutions that make a meaningful contribution to UK defence and security. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do Lead the development and delivery of advanced digital signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions across complex cyber programmes. Act as a recognised technical authority, providing expert advice and technical leadership across projects, teams and stakeholders. Shape technical strategies, roadmaps and capability plans to ensure engineering activities align with future customer and organisational needs. Drive innovation across software and hardware domains, influencing system architectures and technology choices. Solve complex technical challenges by working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and specialists. Develop high-performance solutions using DSP, embedded software, FPGA and related technologies to improve operational effectiveness. Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to customers, stakeholders and senior decision-makers. Mentor and coach engineers, helping to develop future technical leaders and strengthen organisational capability. Champion engineering excellence through the adoption of improved tools, methods, standards and best practices. Identify opportunities to improve delivery performance, technical quality and organisational effectiveness. Person specification What we're looking for Significant expertise in at least two of the following areas: Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Embedded systems development (MCUs, RTOS or Embedded Linux) C/C++ software development FPGA development using VHDL Software and hardware integration and debugging Strong analytical, problem-solving and systems engineering skills. Experience delivering DSP and embedded solutions within a complex engineering, science or technology environment. Experience leading technical delivery, influencing technical direction and establishing engineering standards or approaches. Experience working on complex and non-routine technical challenges, bringing together information from multiple sources to develop effective solutions. Experience leading or contributing within multidisciplinary teams and supporting successful project delivery. Experience coaching, mentoring and developing less experienced engineers. Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence both technical and non-technical audiences. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Leadership Benefits Alongside your salary of £51,568, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 1st November 2026 At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. Job summary Are you passionate about understanding how software and systems really work? Do you enjoy taking apart complex technologies, uncovering vulnerabilities and solving challenging technical problems that others cannot? Why join us? Dstl is seeking a Senior Cyber Vulnerability Researcher to join a specialist team delivering world-class vulnerability research, reverse engineering and technical analysis in support of national security and defence outcomes. In this role, you will apply advanced technical skills to analyse software, firmware and embedded systems, identifying vulnerabilities, assessing risks and providing expert advice that directly informs critical decision-making. Working alongside experts from a range of scientific, engineering and cyber disciplines, you will investigate complex technologies, develop innovative research techniques and contribute to some of the most challenging technical problems in the cyber domain. You will combine deep technical expertise with strong analytical thinking to understand system behaviour, identify weaknesses and develop evidence-based assessments that stand up to rigorous scrutiny. As a senior member of the team, you will also help shape future capability, providing technical leadership, mentoring colleagues and sharing knowledge to strengthen the organisation's cyber research expertise. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of cyber vulnerability research while contributing to work of national importance. Job description What you'll do; Conduct software reverse engineering, vulnerability research and technical assessments across software, hardware and embedded systems. Apply static and dynamic analysis techniques to understand system functionality and identify vulnerabilities. Investigate emerging technologies, products and capabilities to understand technical risks, opportunities and potential mitigations. Provide authoritative technical advice and evidence-based assessments to customers and stakeholders. Develop and enhance tools, techniques and methodologies to improve vulnerability research capability and efficiency. Lead technical work packages and coordinate complex research activities, ensuring high-quality outputs are delivered to agreed standards and timescales. Produce clear technical reports, briefings and documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences. Work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations to solve complex technical challenges. Mentor and support the development of less experienced engineers and researchers, helping to build organisational capability. Person specification What we're looking for; A degree in a STEM subject such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent experience. Experience using reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra or IDA. Practical experience applying static and dynamic analysis techniques. Knowledge of at least one assembly language such as ARM or x86. Strong programming skills in C and/or C++. A sound understanding of common software vulnerabilities and experience identifying them. Experience solving complex technical problems and making robust technical assessments from incomplete or disparate information. Experience leading or contributing to multidisciplinary teams delivering challenging technical outcomes. Experience coaching, mentoring and supporting the development of others. Excellent analytical, communication and problem-solving skills. Please review the job description for more detailed information by clicking apply. Open to UK nationals only. This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 1st November 2026 At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. Job summary Are you passionate about understanding how software and systems really work? Do you enjoy taking apart complex technologies, uncovering vulnerabilities and solving challenging technical problems that others cannot? Why join us? Dstl is seeking a Senior Cyber Vulnerability Researcher to join a specialist team delivering world-class vulnerability research, reverse engineering and technical analysis in support of national security and defence outcomes. In this role, you will apply advanced technical skills to analyse software, firmware and embedded systems, identifying vulnerabilities, assessing risks and providing expert advice that directly informs critical decision-making. Working alongside experts from a range of scientific, engineering and cyber disciplines, you will investigate complex technologies, develop innovative research techniques and contribute to some of the most challenging technical problems in the cyber domain. You will combine deep technical expertise with strong analytical thinking to understand system behaviour, identify weaknesses and develop evidence-based assessments that stand up to rigorous scrutiny. As a senior member of the team, you will also help shape future capability, providing technical leadership, mentoring colleagues and sharing knowledge to strengthen the organisation's cyber research expertise. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of cyber vulnerability research while contributing to work of national importance. Job description What you'll do; Conduct software reverse engineering, vulnerability research and technical assessments across software, hardware and embedded systems. Apply static and dynamic analysis techniques to understand system functionality and identify vulnerabilities. Investigate emerging technologies, products and capabilities to understand technical risks, opportunities and potential mitigations. Provide authoritative technical advice and evidence-based assessments to customers and stakeholders. Develop and enhance tools, techniques and methodologies to improve vulnerability research capability and efficiency. Lead technical work packages and coordinate complex research activities, ensuring high-quality outputs are delivered to agreed standards and timescales. Produce clear technical reports, briefings and documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences. Work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations to solve complex technical challenges. Mentor and support the development of less experienced engineers and researchers, helping to build organisational capability. Person specification What we're looking for; A degree in a STEM subject such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent experience. Experience using reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra or IDA. Practical experience applying static and dynamic analysis techniques. Knowledge of at least one assembly language such as ARM or x86. Strong programming skills in C and/or C++. A sound understanding of common software vulnerabilities and experience identifying them. Experience solving complex technical problems and making robust technical assessments from incomplete or disparate information. Experience leading or contributing to multidisciplinary teams delivering challenging technical outcomes. Experience coaching, mentoring and supporting the development of others. Excellent analytical, communication and problem-solving skills. Please review the job description for more detailed information by clicking apply. Open to UK nationals only. This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 1st November 2026 At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. Job summary Join a highly skilled cyber and engineering team at Dstl, where you will apply your technical expertise to understand, analyse and exploit complex communications, networks and digital systems. Working at the forefront of cyber and data analysis, you will investigate how devices, protocols and network technologies operate, helping to generate insights that support critical national security and defence outcomes. Why join us? This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with a naturally inquisitive mindset who enjoys solving difficult technical problems and uncovering how systems work beneath the surface. You will analyse a broad range of communication technologies, from traditional networks and wireless protocols through to embedded systems and specialised data interfaces. As a senior member of the team, you will contribute to the development of innovative analytical techniques, mentor less experienced colleagues and influence technical direction through high-quality analysis and clear communication. You will work alongside experts from a range of disciplines, collaborating to address complex challenges and deliver impactful outcomes for government and defence stakeholders. The role offers the opportunity to apply software, networking, data analysis and systems engineering skills within a unique environment where curiosity, innovation and technical excellence are highly valued. Job description What you'll do; Analyse communications, networks, devices and digital systems to generate technical intelligence and actionable insights. Investigate communication protocols and understand how they operate across different network architectures and platforms. Examine data from a variety of sources, including network captures, wireless communications, embedded device interfaces and system data stores. Develop and apply analytical tools, scripts and bespoke techniques to solve complex technical challenges. Identify system behaviours, vulnerabilities and opportunities to improve understanding of technologies and their operation. Produce clear, authoritative technical reports and communicate complex findings to a range of stakeholders. Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative solutions to challenging problems. Lead technical activities, support project delivery and contribute to shaping future analytical capabilities. Coach and mentor colleagues, sharing knowledge and promoting best practice across the team. Contribute to a positive culture of continuous improvement, innovation, safety and security. Person specification What we're looking for; A degree in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics or Embedded Systems, or equivalent professional experience. Experience using at least one programming language such as Python, C or C++. A strong understanding of computer networking and an interest in analysing communication protocols. Experience working with Linux operating systems and command-line environments. Practical experience using data, packet or binary analysis tools such as Wireshark, Ghidra or 010 Editor. A basic understanding of electronics and hardware technologies. Experience solving complex technical problems by gathering, analysing and interpreting information from multiple sources. A demonstrable curiosity for understanding how technologies work, including communications, data storage and interactions between system components. Experience working within or leading multidisciplinary technical teams. The ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences. Experience coaching, mentoring or supporting the development of others Please review the job description for more detailed information by clicking apply. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. Open to UK nationals only. This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 1st November 2026 At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. Job summary Join a highly skilled cyber and engineering team at Dstl, where you will apply your technical expertise to understand, analyse and exploit complex communications, networks and digital systems. Working at the forefront of cyber and data analysis, you will investigate how devices, protocols and network technologies operate, helping to generate insights that support critical national security and defence outcomes. Why join us? This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with a naturally inquisitive mindset who enjoys solving difficult technical problems and uncovering how systems work beneath the surface. You will analyse a broad range of communication technologies, from traditional networks and wireless protocols through to embedded systems and specialised data interfaces. As a senior member of the team, you will contribute to the development of innovative analytical techniques, mentor less experienced colleagues and influence technical direction through high-quality analysis and clear communication. You will work alongside experts from a range of disciplines, collaborating to address complex challenges and deliver impactful outcomes for government and defence stakeholders. The role offers the opportunity to apply software, networking, data analysis and systems engineering skills within a unique environment where curiosity, innovation and technical excellence are highly valued. Job description What you'll do; Analyse communications, networks, devices and digital systems to generate technical intelligence and actionable insights. Investigate communication protocols and understand how they operate across different network architectures and platforms. Examine data from a variety of sources, including network captures, wireless communications, embedded device interfaces and system data stores. Develop and apply analytical tools, scripts and bespoke techniques to solve complex technical challenges. Identify system behaviours, vulnerabilities and opportunities to improve understanding of technologies and their operation. Produce clear, authoritative technical reports and communicate complex findings to a range of stakeholders. Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative solutions to challenging problems. Lead technical activities, support project delivery and contribute to shaping future analytical capabilities. Coach and mentor colleagues, sharing knowledge and promoting best practice across the team. Contribute to a positive culture of continuous improvement, innovation, safety and security. Person specification What we're looking for; A degree in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics or Embedded Systems, or equivalent professional experience. Experience using at least one programming language such as Python, C or C++. A strong understanding of computer networking and an interest in analysing communication protocols. Experience working with Linux operating systems and command-line environments. Practical experience using data, packet or binary analysis tools such as Wireshark, Ghidra or 010 Editor. A basic understanding of electronics and hardware technologies. Experience solving complex technical problems by gathering, analysing and interpreting information from multiple sources. A demonstrable curiosity for understanding how technologies work, including communications, data storage and interactions between system components. Experience working within or leading multidisciplinary technical teams. The ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences. Experience coaching, mentoring or supporting the development of others Please review the job description for more detailed information by clicking apply. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. Open to UK nationals only. This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Join Dstl and help develop advanced cyber and electronic capabilities that support the UK's national security interests. As a Senior Cyber Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Embedded Engineer, you will work on complex and technically challenging projects, designing and delivering innovative signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions that have a real-world operational impact. Why join us? Working within multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and technical specialists, you'll solve complex problems across software and hardware domains, influence technical direction, and help shape future capabilities. You'll have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to mission-critical programmes, and collaborate with partners across government, industry and academia. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy tackling difficult technical challenges, combining deep technical expertise with practical problem-solving and systems thinking. Alongside delivering innovative solutions, you'll help develop technical capability across the organisation through mentoring, technical leadership and knowledge sharing. You'll be supported to maintain and grow your professional expertise, explore emerging technologies and contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering practices, tools and ways of working. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and deliver advanced DSP, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions to support complex cyber and defence challenges. Develop and implement high-performance algorithms and real-time signal processing capabilities that improve operational effectiveness and system performance. Shape technical architectures and make significant contributions to software and hardware design decisions. Work across multidisciplinary teams to solve complex engineering problems and deliver technical outcomes to cost, quality and schedule requirements. Translate customer and stakeholder requirements into practical, robust and scalable technical solutions. Produce high-quality technical documentation, provide authoritative technical advice and support technical reviews. Support integration, testing and debugging activities across software and hardware environments. Share knowledge, mentor colleagues and contribute to developing engineering capability within the wider team. Drive continual improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance tools, processes and engineering approaches. Maintain high standards of security, safety and professional engineering practice throughout your work. Person specification What we're looking for; You should have experience in at least two of the following areas: Digital Signal Processing, including filtering, FFTs and real-time signal analysis. Embedded systems development using microcontrollers, RTOS or embedded Linux platforms. C/C++ software development for performance-critical applications. FPGA development using VHDL. Software-hardware integration, debugging and system optimisation. You will also be able to demonstrate: Experience delivering DSP and embedded engineering solutions within a professional engineering, science or technology environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work on complex and non-routine technical challenges. Experience engaging with customers and stakeholders to develop effective technical solutions. Excellent communication and collaboration skills. A relevant STEM degree, or equivalent qualifications and experience. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Join Dstl and help develop advanced cyber and electronic capabilities that support the UK's national security interests. As a Senior Cyber Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Embedded Engineer, you will work on complex and technically challenging projects, designing and delivering innovative signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions that have a real-world operational impact. Why join us? Working within multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and technical specialists, you'll solve complex problems across software and hardware domains, influence technical direction, and help shape future capabilities. You'll have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to mission-critical programmes, and collaborate with partners across government, industry and academia. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy tackling difficult technical challenges, combining deep technical expertise with practical problem-solving and systems thinking. Alongside delivering innovative solutions, you'll help develop technical capability across the organisation through mentoring, technical leadership and knowledge sharing. You'll be supported to maintain and grow your professional expertise, explore emerging technologies and contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering practices, tools and ways of working. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and deliver advanced DSP, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions to support complex cyber and defence challenges. Develop and implement high-performance algorithms and real-time signal processing capabilities that improve operational effectiveness and system performance. Shape technical architectures and make significant contributions to software and hardware design decisions. Work across multidisciplinary teams to solve complex engineering problems and deliver technical outcomes to cost, quality and schedule requirements. Translate customer and stakeholder requirements into practical, robust and scalable technical solutions. Produce high-quality technical documentation, provide authoritative technical advice and support technical reviews. Support integration, testing and debugging activities across software and hardware environments. Share knowledge, mentor colleagues and contribute to developing engineering capability within the wider team. Drive continual improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance tools, processes and engineering approaches. Maintain high standards of security, safety and professional engineering practice throughout your work. Person specification What we're looking for; You should have experience in at least two of the following areas: Digital Signal Processing, including filtering, FFTs and real-time signal analysis. Embedded systems development using microcontrollers, RTOS or embedded Linux platforms. C/C++ software development for performance-critical applications. FPGA development using VHDL. Software-hardware integration, debugging and system optimisation. You will also be able to demonstrate: Experience delivering DSP and embedded engineering solutions within a professional engineering, science or technology environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work on complex and non-routine technical challenges. Experience engaging with customers and stakeholders to develop effective technical solutions. Excellent communication and collaboration skills. A relevant STEM degree, or equivalent qualifications and experience. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary We are seeking an exceptional Principal Cyber Artificial Intelligence Specialist to play a leading role in shaping the future of AI-enabled capabilities for defence and national security. This is a rare opportunity to influence how advanced AI technologies are researched, developed, evaluated and deployed within some of the UK's most complex and high-impact environments. As a recognised technical authority, you will provide strategic leadership across multiple AI and cyber programmes, guiding decisions on emerging technologies and ensuring AI capabilities are safe, effective and fit for purpose. Working at the intersection of cyber security, artificial intelligence and national security, you will collaborate with senior stakeholders across government, industry and academia to solve challenging problems and deliver operational advantage. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to influence future technology strategy, drive innovation and build organisational capability through mentoring, technical leadership and community development. You will help shape policy, governance and assurance approaches while leading multidisciplinary teams tackling some of the most complex challenges facing defence today. The successful candidate will combine deep expertise in AI technologies with outstanding leadership, communication and strategic thinking skills. You will be comfortable operating in highly complex environments, providing evidence-based advice to senior decision-makers and creating clarity where there is uncertainty. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Provide technical leadership and strategic direction across AI-enabled cyber research, development and capability programmes. Identify, evaluate and exploit emerging AI technologies and methodologies to shape future capabilities. Lead the assessment, assurance and governance of complex AI systems, ensuring informed and evidence-based decisions are made. Act as a senior technical authority, providing expert advice to customers, stakeholders and delivery teams. Build and maintain strong partnerships across government, defence, industry and academia. Lead multidisciplinary teams to solve complex technical and operational challenges. Influence technology strategy, policy development and future research priorities. Mentor senior practitioners and enhance organisational capability through knowledge sharing and professional development. Promote innovation, technical excellence and the responsible adoption of AI within cyber and national security environments For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a relevant STEM discipline or equivalent professional experience. Extensive experience working with artificial intelligence technologies in development, evaluation, assurance or operational settings. Deep knowledge of AI concepts and technologies, including generative AI, large language models, foundation models and autonomous systems. Experience providing technical leadership across complex programmes, portfolios or strategic initiatives. Strong understanding of AI governance, assurance, risk management, safety and responsible AI principles. Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical issues to both technical and non-technical audiences. Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and support strategic decision-making through evidence-based advice. Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering outcomes in complex, high-consequence environments. Strong analytical and systems-thinking capability, combining technical depth with strategic insight. For more information the essential criteria, please see the job profile attached below. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £51,568, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary We are seeking an exceptional Principal Cyber Artificial Intelligence Specialist to play a leading role in shaping the future of AI-enabled capabilities for defence and national security. This is a rare opportunity to influence how advanced AI technologies are researched, developed, evaluated and deployed within some of the UK's most complex and high-impact environments. As a recognised technical authority, you will provide strategic leadership across multiple AI and cyber programmes, guiding decisions on emerging technologies and ensuring AI capabilities are safe, effective and fit for purpose. Working at the intersection of cyber security, artificial intelligence and national security, you will collaborate with senior stakeholders across government, industry and academia to solve challenging problems and deliver operational advantage. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to influence future technology strategy, drive innovation and build organisational capability through mentoring, technical leadership and community development. You will help shape policy, governance and assurance approaches while leading multidisciplinary teams tackling some of the most complex challenges facing defence today. The successful candidate will combine deep expertise in AI technologies with outstanding leadership, communication and strategic thinking skills. You will be comfortable operating in highly complex environments, providing evidence-based advice to senior decision-makers and creating clarity where there is uncertainty. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Provide technical leadership and strategic direction across AI-enabled cyber research, development and capability programmes. Identify, evaluate and exploit emerging AI technologies and methodologies to shape future capabilities. Lead the assessment, assurance and governance of complex AI systems, ensuring informed and evidence-based decisions are made. Act as a senior technical authority, providing expert advice to customers, stakeholders and delivery teams. Build and maintain strong partnerships across government, defence, industry and academia. Lead multidisciplinary teams to solve complex technical and operational challenges. Influence technology strategy, policy development and future research priorities. Mentor senior practitioners and enhance organisational capability through knowledge sharing and professional development. Promote innovation, technical excellence and the responsible adoption of AI within cyber and national security environments For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a relevant STEM discipline or equivalent professional experience. Extensive experience working with artificial intelligence technologies in development, evaluation, assurance or operational settings. Deep knowledge of AI concepts and technologies, including generative AI, large language models, foundation models and autonomous systems. Experience providing technical leadership across complex programmes, portfolios or strategic initiatives. Strong understanding of AI governance, assurance, risk management, safety and responsible AI principles. Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical issues to both technical and non-technical audiences. Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and support strategic decision-making through evidence-based advice. Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering outcomes in complex, high-consequence environments. Strong analytical and systems-thinking capability, combining technical depth with strategic insight. For more information the essential criteria, please see the job profile attached below. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £51,568, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Are you passionate about solving complex engineering challenges and shaping the future of cyber and defence capabilities? Dstl is looking for a Senior Systems Engineer to join a multidisciplinary team responsible for transforming cutting-edge research into operational capabilities that support national security and defence objectives. This is an exciting opportunity to work on complex, high-impact programmes, helping to define, design and assure systems that integrate people, process and technology into coherent, effective solutions. Why join us? As a Senior Systems Engineer, you will play a key role in translating complex stakeholder and customer needs into system architectures, requirements and technical solutions. You will work across a diverse range of projects, providing technical leadership, supporting strategic decision-making and ensuring that solutions are safe, secure, robust and fit for purpose. Working alongside scientists, engineers, project managers and external partners, you will apply systems engineering principles to complex cyber and technology challenges. You will help develop architectural models, influence engineering standards and enable effective integration across capabilities, ensuring solutions meet both current operational needs and future requirements. This role offers the opportunity to apply your systems thinking and engineering expertise in a unique environment where innovation, collaboration and technical excellence are critical to delivering capability that makes a real-world difference. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Translate complex customer and stakeholder needs into clear system architectures, requirements and engineering solutions. Apply systems engineering and systems thinking approaches to solve challenging technical and operational problems. Provide technical leadership on complex projects, ensuring solutions align with customer, business, safety and security requirements. Develop and maintain architectural models that support informed decision-making, integration and capability development. Support the development, assurance and delivery of cyber and defence capabilities across the system lifecycle. Promote the use of engineering standards, frameworks and open-system approaches to improve interoperability and consistency. Analyse complex technical information and communicate findings through high-quality documentation, reports and presentations. Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to deliver high-quality outcomes across multiple priorities. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a STEM discipline such as Systems Engineering, Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent professional experience. An understanding of Systems Engineering and/or Systems Thinking methodologies and their practical application. Knowledge of the development and assurance of complex technical systems or capabilities. An awareness of software engineering and how software integrates with hardware, embedded systems and wider system architectures. Experience solving complex, non-routine technical problems and making evidence-based engineering assessments. Experience applying systems engineering techniques within an engineering, technology or scientific environment. Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder engagement skills. The ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to a range of audiences. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Allowances: This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Are you passionate about solving complex engineering challenges and shaping the future of cyber and defence capabilities? Dstl is looking for a Senior Systems Engineer to join a multidisciplinary team responsible for transforming cutting-edge research into operational capabilities that support national security and defence objectives. This is an exciting opportunity to work on complex, high-impact programmes, helping to define, design and assure systems that integrate people, process and technology into coherent, effective solutions. Why join us? As a Senior Systems Engineer, you will play a key role in translating complex stakeholder and customer needs into system architectures, requirements and technical solutions. You will work across a diverse range of projects, providing technical leadership, supporting strategic decision-making and ensuring that solutions are safe, secure, robust and fit for purpose. Working alongside scientists, engineers, project managers and external partners, you will apply systems engineering principles to complex cyber and technology challenges. You will help develop architectural models, influence engineering standards and enable effective integration across capabilities, ensuring solutions meet both current operational needs and future requirements. This role offers the opportunity to apply your systems thinking and engineering expertise in a unique environment where innovation, collaboration and technical excellence are critical to delivering capability that makes a real-world difference. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Translate complex customer and stakeholder needs into clear system architectures, requirements and engineering solutions. Apply systems engineering and systems thinking approaches to solve challenging technical and operational problems. Provide technical leadership on complex projects, ensuring solutions align with customer, business, safety and security requirements. Develop and maintain architectural models that support informed decision-making, integration and capability development. Support the development, assurance and delivery of cyber and defence capabilities across the system lifecycle. Promote the use of engineering standards, frameworks and open-system approaches to improve interoperability and consistency. Analyse complex technical information and communicate findings through high-quality documentation, reports and presentations. Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to deliver high-quality outcomes across multiple priorities. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a STEM discipline such as Systems Engineering, Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent professional experience. An understanding of Systems Engineering and/or Systems Thinking methodologies and their practical application. Knowledge of the development and assurance of complex technical systems or capabilities. An awareness of software engineering and how software integrates with hardware, embedded systems and wider system architectures. Experience solving complex, non-routine technical problems and making evidence-based engineering assessments. Experience applying systems engineering techniques within an engineering, technology or scientific environment. Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder engagement skills. The ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to a range of audiences. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Allowances: This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Are you an experienced cyber security specialist with a passion for reverse engineering, vulnerability research and solving some of the UK's most complex technical challenges? We are seeking a Principal Cyber Vulnerability Researcher to provide technical leadership in the identification, analysis and exploitation of vulnerabilities across software, hardware and embedded systems. Working at the forefront of cyber research, you will lead high-impact investigations that help inform critical operational decisions, influence future capability development and strengthen national security. Why join us? This is a senior technical role where you will apply your expertise in reverse engineering, vulnerability assessment and software analysis to tackle challenging and often ambiguous problems. You will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, customers and partner organisations, providing authoritative technical advice and delivering robust, evidence-based outcomes. Alongside leading technical delivery, you will shape research approaches, develop innovative tools and methodologies, and play a key role in mentoring and developing less experienced engineers and researchers. If you thrive in a highly technical environment, enjoy solving complex problems and want to make a meaningful impact through cutting-edge cyber research, we would like to hear from you. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do Lead complex cyber vulnerability research activities across software, hardware and embedded systems. Conduct software reverse engineering using industry-standard tools and techniques. Identify, assess and exploit software vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. Provide authoritative technical advice and recommendations to a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders. Develop and improve vulnerability research tools, techniques and methodologies. Lead technical investigations and coordinate specialist activities to deliver high-quality outcomes. Produce clear technical reports, assessments and evidence-based recommendations. Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, government customers and external partners. Provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring to engineers and researchers. Support the growth of organisational capability through knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. Maintain high standards of security, safety and professional conduct in all aspects of work. Person specification What we're looking for Degree in a relevant STEM subject such as Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent relevant experience. Technical Knowledge and Skills Strong experience using reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra, IDA Pro or equivalent. Experience conducting static and dynamic software analysis. Knowledge of assembly languages, including x86 and/or ARM. Strong programming capability in C and/or C++. Experience identifying, assessing and exploiting software vulnerabilities. Ability to evaluate complex technical problems and communicate risk-based recommendations effectively. Experience selecting and applying vulnerability research methodologies to new and challenging problems. Ability to provide technical leadership within multidisciplinary teams. Experience Leading complex software reverse engineering and vulnerability research activities. Using advanced analysis tools and techniques to understand software behaviour and identify vulnerabilities. Producing authoritative technical assessments and recommendations. Leading teams to deliver complex technical outcomes. Coaching, mentoring and developing less experienced colleagues. Building strong collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholder groups. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Leadership Benefits Alongside your salary of £51,568, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Are you an experienced cyber security specialist with a passion for reverse engineering, vulnerability research and solving some of the UK's most complex technical challenges? We are seeking a Principal Cyber Vulnerability Researcher to provide technical leadership in the identification, analysis and exploitation of vulnerabilities across software, hardware and embedded systems. Working at the forefront of cyber research, you will lead high-impact investigations that help inform critical operational decisions, influence future capability development and strengthen national security. Why join us? This is a senior technical role where you will apply your expertise in reverse engineering, vulnerability assessment and software analysis to tackle challenging and often ambiguous problems. You will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, customers and partner organisations, providing authoritative technical advice and delivering robust, evidence-based outcomes. Alongside leading technical delivery, you will shape research approaches, develop innovative tools and methodologies, and play a key role in mentoring and developing less experienced engineers and researchers. If you thrive in a highly technical environment, enjoy solving complex problems and want to make a meaningful impact through cutting-edge cyber research, we would like to hear from you. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do Lead complex cyber vulnerability research activities across software, hardware and embedded systems. Conduct software reverse engineering using industry-standard tools and techniques. Identify, assess and exploit software vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. Provide authoritative technical advice and recommendations to a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders. Develop and improve vulnerability research tools, techniques and methodologies. Lead technical investigations and coordinate specialist activities to deliver high-quality outcomes. Produce clear technical reports, assessments and evidence-based recommendations. Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, government customers and external partners. Provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring to engineers and researchers. Support the growth of organisational capability through knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. Maintain high standards of security, safety and professional conduct in all aspects of work. Person specification What we're looking for Degree in a relevant STEM subject such as Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent relevant experience. Technical Knowledge and Skills Strong experience using reverse engineering tools such as Ghidra, IDA Pro or equivalent. Experience conducting static and dynamic software analysis. Knowledge of assembly languages, including x86 and/or ARM. Strong programming capability in C and/or C++. Experience identifying, assessing and exploiting software vulnerabilities. Ability to evaluate complex technical problems and communicate risk-based recommendations effectively. Experience selecting and applying vulnerability research methodologies to new and challenging problems. Ability to provide technical leadership within multidisciplinary teams. Experience Leading complex software reverse engineering and vulnerability research activities. Using advanced analysis tools and techniques to understand software behaviour and identify vulnerabilities. Producing authoritative technical assessments and recommendations. Leading teams to deliver complex technical outcomes. Coaching, mentoring and developing less experienced colleagues. Building strong collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholder groups. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Leadership Benefits Alongside your salary of £51,568, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Join Dstl and help develop advanced cyber and electronic capabilities that support the UK's national security interests. As a Senior Cyber Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Embedded Engineer, you will work on complex and technically challenging projects, designing and delivering innovative signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions that have a real-world operational impact. Why join us? Working within multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and technical specialists, you'll solve complex problems across software and hardware domains, influence technical direction, and help shape future capabilities. You'll have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to mission-critical programmes, and collaborate with partners across government, industry and academia. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy tackling difficult technical challenges, combining deep technical expertise with practical problem-solving and systems thinking. Alongside delivering innovative solutions, you'll help develop technical capability across the organisation through mentoring, technical leadership and knowledge sharing. You'll be supported to maintain and grow your professional expertise, explore emerging technologies and contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering practices, tools and ways of working. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and deliver advanced DSP, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions to support complex cyber and defence challenges. Develop and implement high-performance algorithms and real-time signal processing capabilities that improve operational effectiveness and system performance. Shape technical architectures and make significant contributions to software and hardware design decisions. Work across multidisciplinary teams to solve complex engineering problems and deliver technical outcomes to cost, quality and schedule requirements. Translate customer and stakeholder requirements into practical, robust and scalable technical solutions. Produce high-quality technical documentation, provide authoritative technical advice and support technical reviews. Support integration, testing and debugging activities across software and hardware environments. Share knowledge, mentor colleagues and contribute to developing engineering capability within the wider team. Drive continual improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance tools, processes and engineering approaches. Maintain high standards of security, safety and professional engineering practice throughout your work. Person specification What we're looking for; You should have experience in at least two of the following areas: Digital Signal Processing, including filtering, FFTs and real-time signal analysis. Embedded systems development using microcontrollers, RTOS or embedded Linux platforms. C/C++ software development for performance-critical applications. FPGA development using VHDL. Software-hardware integration, debugging and system optimisation. You will also be able to demonstrate: Experience delivering DSP and embedded engineering solutions within a professional engineering, science or technology environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work on complex and non-routine technical challenges. Experience engaging with customers and stakeholders to develop effective technical solutions. Excellent communication and collaboration skills. A relevant STEM degree, or equivalent qualifications and experience. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Join Dstl and help develop advanced cyber and electronic capabilities that support the UK's national security interests. As a Senior Cyber Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Embedded Engineer, you will work on complex and technically challenging projects, designing and delivering innovative signal processing, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions that have a real-world operational impact. Why join us? Working within multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists and technical specialists, you'll solve complex problems across software and hardware domains, influence technical direction, and help shape future capabilities. You'll have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to mission-critical programmes, and collaborate with partners across government, industry and academia. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy tackling difficult technical challenges, combining deep technical expertise with practical problem-solving and systems thinking. Alongside delivering innovative solutions, you'll help develop technical capability across the organisation through mentoring, technical leadership and knowledge sharing. You'll be supported to maintain and grow your professional expertise, explore emerging technologies and contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering practices, tools and ways of working. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and deliver advanced DSP, embedded software and FPGA-based solutions to support complex cyber and defence challenges. Develop and implement high-performance algorithms and real-time signal processing capabilities that improve operational effectiveness and system performance. Shape technical architectures and make significant contributions to software and hardware design decisions. Work across multidisciplinary teams to solve complex engineering problems and deliver technical outcomes to cost, quality and schedule requirements. Translate customer and stakeholder requirements into practical, robust and scalable technical solutions. Produce high-quality technical documentation, provide authoritative technical advice and support technical reviews. Support integration, testing and debugging activities across software and hardware environments. Share knowledge, mentor colleagues and contribute to developing engineering capability within the wider team. Drive continual improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance tools, processes and engineering approaches. Maintain high standards of security, safety and professional engineering practice throughout your work. Person specification What we're looking for; You should have experience in at least two of the following areas: Digital Signal Processing, including filtering, FFTs and real-time signal analysis. Embedded systems development using microcontrollers, RTOS or embedded Linux platforms. C/C++ software development for performance-critical applications. FPGA development using VHDL. Software-hardware integration, debugging and system optimisation. You will also be able to demonstrate: Experience delivering DSP and embedded engineering solutions within a professional engineering, science or technology environment. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work on complex and non-routine technical challenges. Experience engaging with customers and stakeholders to develop effective technical solutions. Excellent communication and collaboration skills. A relevant STEM degree, or equivalent qualifications and experience. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Do you enjoy developing innovative software solutions that tackle challenging real-world problems? Are you motivated by working with cutting-edge technologies that contribute directly to the UK's cyber capabilities? Dstl is looking for a Senior Cyber Software Engineer to join a highly skilled team developing software tools, prototypes and proof-of-concept capabilities that support cyber operations and technical research. Working in a collaborative engineering environment, you will apply your software development expertise to transform complex technical challenges into practical, operationally relevant solutions Why join us? You'll work with modern programming languages and development practices, designing and building software that supports advanced cyber research, vulnerability analysis and capability development. Alongside developing robust and resilient code, you'll contribute to solving complex technical problems involving communication systems, protocols and binary analysis. We are seeking talented engineers who combine strong technical ability with curiosity, adaptability and a passion for learning. You'll have the opportunity to work alongside experts from across science, engineering and cyber disciplines, access unique facilities and technologies, and contribute to capabilities that support the UK's current and future defence and national security needs. Whether your background is in software engineering, systems development or cyber technologies, this role offers the opportunity to apply your expertise in an environment where innovation, collaboration and technical excellence are at the heart of everything we do. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and maintain innovative software tools, prototypes and technical capabilities using a range of modern programming languages. Transform research outputs and technical concepts into operationally relevant software solutions. Develop secure and resilient software, applying safe coding principles throughout the development lifecycle. Identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities within software systems and applications. Work within Agile software development environments, contributing to rapid and effective delivery. Use modern software engineering tools and practices, including version control and collaborative development workflows. Apply knowledge of communication systems, protocols and binary analysis to solve complex technical challenges. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality technical outcomes and continuously improve engineering approaches. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent professional experience. Strong software development experience in Python. Experience developing applications in C, C++ or a comparable programming language. Experience developing software using Agile delivery methodologies. Experience using Git and collaborative version-control platforms such as GitHub or GitLab. Experience working with Linux environments, including Bash scripting. Experience solving complex software engineering problems and producing robust technical solutions. The ability to analyse technical information from multiple sources and make sound engineering judgements Please review the attached job description for more detailed information. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Allowances: This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Do you enjoy developing innovative software solutions that tackle challenging real-world problems? Are you motivated by working with cutting-edge technologies that contribute directly to the UK's cyber capabilities? Dstl is looking for a Senior Cyber Software Engineer to join a highly skilled team developing software tools, prototypes and proof-of-concept capabilities that support cyber operations and technical research. Working in a collaborative engineering environment, you will apply your software development expertise to transform complex technical challenges into practical, operationally relevant solutions Why join us? You'll work with modern programming languages and development practices, designing and building software that supports advanced cyber research, vulnerability analysis and capability development. Alongside developing robust and resilient code, you'll contribute to solving complex technical problems involving communication systems, protocols and binary analysis. We are seeking talented engineers who combine strong technical ability with curiosity, adaptability and a passion for learning. You'll have the opportunity to work alongside experts from across science, engineering and cyber disciplines, access unique facilities and technologies, and contribute to capabilities that support the UK's current and future defence and national security needs. Whether your background is in software engineering, systems development or cyber technologies, this role offers the opportunity to apply your expertise in an environment where innovation, collaboration and technical excellence are at the heart of everything we do. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and maintain innovative software tools, prototypes and technical capabilities using a range of modern programming languages. Transform research outputs and technical concepts into operationally relevant software solutions. Develop secure and resilient software, applying safe coding principles throughout the development lifecycle. Identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities within software systems and applications. Work within Agile software development environments, contributing to rapid and effective delivery. Use modern software engineering tools and practices, including version control and collaborative development workflows. Apply knowledge of communication systems, protocols and binary analysis to solve complex technical challenges. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality technical outcomes and continuously improve engineering approaches. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent professional experience. Strong software development experience in Python. Experience developing applications in C, C++ or a comparable programming language. Experience developing software using Agile delivery methodologies. Experience using Git and collaborative version-control platforms such as GitHub or GitLab. Experience working with Linux environments, including Bash scripting. Experience solving complex software engineering problems and producing robust technical solutions. The ability to analyse technical information from multiple sources and make sound engineering judgements Please review the attached job description for more detailed information. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Allowances: This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Are you excited by the potential of Artificial Intelligence to solve some of the most complex challenges facing national security and defence?Dstl is seeking a Senior Cyber Artificial Intelligence Specialist to join a multidisciplinary team at the forefront of AI innovation. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to research, develop and apply cutting-edge AI technologies within cyber programmes, helping transform emerging capabilities into practical solutions that deliver real-world impact. You will work on challenging technical problems, exploring the application of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), foundation models and autonomous systems to support operational effectiveness and decision-making. Working closely with scientists, engineers, cyber specialists and stakeholders, you will evaluate novel technologies, assess their strengths and limitations, and help shape their safe, responsible and effective use. As a senior technical specialist, you will play a key role in developing AI capability across the organisation. You will provide technical leadership, support the delivery of complex projects, advise customers and stakeholders, and mentor less experienced colleagues. This is an opportunity to apply your expertise in a unique environment where innovation, technical excellence and collaboration are essential to delivering outcomes of national importance. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Research, develop and apply AI technologies to solve complex cyber and defence challenges. Evaluate emerging AI capabilities, including generative AI, large language models, foundation models and autonomous systems. Assess the performance, effectiveness, risks and limitations of AI systems, producing evidence-based recommendations. Contribute to the assurance, testing and validation of AI-enabled capabilities. Develop innovative approaches, tools and methodologies that enhance AI capability and operational effectiveness. Provide authoritative technical advice and guidance to customers, stakeholders and project teams. Produce high-quality technical reports, assessments and briefings for both technical and non-technical audiences. Lead technical activities within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring delivery of high-quality outcomes. Support the development of organisational AI expertise through mentoring, coaching and knowledge sharing. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent professional experience. Strong knowledge of Artificial Intelligence technologies, including generative AI, large language models (LLMs), foundation models and autonomous systems. Strong Python programming skills and experience using AI development frameworks and tooling. Experience evaluating, testing or assuring AI systems using evidence-based and analytical approaches. Strong software engineering, problem-solving and technical leadership capabilities. Experience applying AI technologies to solve complex and non-routine technical challenges. Experience making robust technical assessments from diverse and incomplete sources of information. Experience leading and contributing effectively within multidisciplinary teams. Experience coaching, mentoring and developing colleagues. The ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to a wide range of audiences. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Allowances: This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time. About the job Job summary Are you excited by the potential of Artificial Intelligence to solve some of the most complex challenges facing national security and defence?Dstl is seeking a Senior Cyber Artificial Intelligence Specialist to join a multidisciplinary team at the forefront of AI innovation. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to research, develop and apply cutting-edge AI technologies within cyber programmes, helping transform emerging capabilities into practical solutions that deliver real-world impact. You will work on challenging technical problems, exploring the application of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), foundation models and autonomous systems to support operational effectiveness and decision-making. Working closely with scientists, engineers, cyber specialists and stakeholders, you will evaluate novel technologies, assess their strengths and limitations, and help shape their safe, responsible and effective use. As a senior technical specialist, you will play a key role in developing AI capability across the organisation. You will provide technical leadership, support the delivery of complex projects, advise customers and stakeholders, and mentor less experienced colleagues. This is an opportunity to apply your expertise in a unique environment where innovation, technical excellence and collaboration are essential to delivering outcomes of national importance. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Research, develop and apply AI technologies to solve complex cyber and defence challenges. Evaluate emerging AI capabilities, including generative AI, large language models, foundation models and autonomous systems. Assess the performance, effectiveness, risks and limitations of AI systems, producing evidence-based recommendations. Contribute to the assurance, testing and validation of AI-enabled capabilities. Develop innovative approaches, tools and methodologies that enhance AI capability and operational effectiveness. Provide authoritative technical advice and guidance to customers, stakeholders and project teams. Produce high-quality technical reports, assessments and briefings for both technical and non-technical audiences. Lead technical activities within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring delivery of high-quality outcomes. Support the development of organisational AI expertise through mentoring, coaching and knowledge sharing. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for A degree in a STEM discipline such as Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Physics or Mathematics, or equivalent professional experience. Strong knowledge of Artificial Intelligence technologies, including generative AI, large language models (LLMs), foundation models and autonomous systems. Strong Python programming skills and experience using AI development frameworks and tooling. Experience evaluating, testing or assuring AI systems using evidence-based and analytical approaches. Strong software engineering, problem-solving and technical leadership capabilities. Experience applying AI technologies to solve complex and non-routine technical challenges. Experience making robust technical assessments from diverse and incomplete sources of information. Experience leading and contributing effectively within multidisciplinary teams. Experience coaching, mentoring and developing colleagues. The ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to a wide range of audiences. Please review the attached job description for more detailed information Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Allowances: This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Are you passionate about applying Artificial Intelligence to solve some of the most complex cyber challenges facing the UK? We are looking for a Senior Cyber AI Specialist to join a multidisciplinary team delivering innovative AI solutions in support of national security. Working at the forefront of cyber research and development, you will apply advanced mathematical, analytical and software engineering techniques to develop novel AI capabilities, explore emerging technologies and provide technical leadership across a range of challenging projects. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies including large language models, deep learning and reinforcement learning, helping to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that deliver real-world impact. You will investigate emerging threats and opportunities within AI, evaluate the performance and robustness of models, and contribute to the development of trusted and assured AI capabilities. As a senior specialist, you will work closely with scientists, engineers and technical stakeholders across government, industry and academia. Alongside your technical contribution, you will help shape future research direction, support the development of colleagues and provide authoritative technical advice that influences decision-making and programme outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who combines strong technical expertise with curiosity, creativity and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to the UK's cyber and national security mission. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and evaluate innovative AI and machine learning solutions to address complex cyber challenges. Apply advanced Python software development skills to develop and assess AI techniques including deep learning, reinforcement learning and large language models. Investigate emerging AI technologies, threats and opportunities, identifying practical applications and future research areas. Analyse and interpret model behaviour, performance, explainability and limitations using mathematical and analytical approaches. Develop approaches to AI testing, evaluation, assurance and validation to support robust and trustworthy outcomes. Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality technical outputs and research outcomes. Communicate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences through reports, presentations and stakeholder engagement. Provide technical leadership, mentor colleagues and help grow AI capability across the organisation. Manage technical risks, contribute to strategic decision-making and support the successful delivery of projects and programmes. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for Strong understanding of AI and machine learning concepts, including neural networks, deep learning, reinforcement learning and large language models. Experience applying mathematical and analytical techniques to develop, evaluate or improve AI and machine learning solutions. Strong Python software development skills and experience working with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow. Experience solving complex technical challenges in engineering, science, technology or cyber-related environments. Experience leading or influencing technical work within multidisciplinary teams. Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Experience coaching, supporting or developing colleagues. For more information the essential criteria, please see the job profile attached below. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Nov 03, 2026
Full time
Are you passionate about applying Artificial Intelligence to solve some of the most complex cyber challenges facing the UK? We are looking for a Senior Cyber AI Specialist to join a multidisciplinary team delivering innovative AI solutions in support of national security. Working at the forefront of cyber research and development, you will apply advanced mathematical, analytical and software engineering techniques to develop novel AI capabilities, explore emerging technologies and provide technical leadership across a range of challenging projects. Why join us? This role offers the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies including large language models, deep learning and reinforcement learning, helping to transform innovative ideas into practical solutions that deliver real-world impact. You will investigate emerging threats and opportunities within AI, evaluate the performance and robustness of models, and contribute to the development of trusted and assured AI capabilities. As a senior specialist, you will work closely with scientists, engineers and technical stakeholders across government, industry and academia. Alongside your technical contribution, you will help shape future research direction, support the development of colleagues and provide authoritative technical advice that influences decision-making and programme outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who combines strong technical expertise with curiosity, creativity and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to the UK's cyber and national security mission. This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant. Job description What you'll do; Design, develop and evaluate innovative AI and machine learning solutions to address complex cyber challenges. Apply advanced Python software development skills to develop and assess AI techniques including deep learning, reinforcement learning and large language models. Investigate emerging AI technologies, threats and opportunities, identifying practical applications and future research areas. Analyse and interpret model behaviour, performance, explainability and limitations using mathematical and analytical approaches. Develop approaches to AI testing, evaluation, assurance and validation to support robust and trustworthy outcomes. Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality technical outputs and research outcomes. Communicate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences through reports, presentations and stakeholder engagement. Provide technical leadership, mentor colleagues and help grow AI capability across the organisation. Manage technical risks, contribute to strategic decision-making and support the successful delivery of projects and programmes. For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below. Person specification What we're looking for Strong understanding of AI and machine learning concepts, including neural networks, deep learning, reinforcement learning and large language models. Experience applying mathematical and analytical techniques to develop, evaluate or improve AI and machine learning solutions. Strong Python software development skills and experience working with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow. Experience solving complex technical challenges in engineering, science, technology or cyber-related environments. Experience leading or influencing technical work within multidisciplinary teams. Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Experience coaching, supporting or developing colleagues. For more information the essential criteria, please see the job profile attached below. Important Information: Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners. This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years. Qualifications Relevant STEM-based degree such as Electronic Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Science, Physics or Mathematics. Individual with equivalent skills qualifications or experience are also actively encouraged to apply. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Working Together Changing and Improving Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,431, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £12,002 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window). Benefits Dstl s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes: Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution ( find out more here ). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Flexible working : Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only). Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month. Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance. Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum. Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning. Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.