Persian Language Specialist

**Flexible Working**: We support full-time, part-time, compressed, and flexible hours. Remote and homeworking are not available in London. There are limited opportunities for homeworking in Cheltenham, as the role is primarily office-based.

Your knowledge of Persian could open up a career in intelligence. By joining MI5, MI6, and GCHQ, you can play your part in protecting the UK.

**About Us**

MI5, MI6 and GCHQ are the UK’s Intelligence Services. We work together to safeguard Britain’s people, interests and businesses from various threats at home, overseas and online, including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime. Working across our vital missions, you’ll deliver impact at the heart of national security, all within a supportive and inclusive environment that allows everyone to thrive.

**The Role**

If you have a passion for languages, working as a language specialist for the UK intelligence agencies presents a truly unique opportunity. You’ll be working at the heart of our mission, supporting high-value activities that will keep the country safe. We’re looking for Persian linguists for a role that goes well beyond translation and transcription. Your knowledge of the Persian language, as well as your in-depth understanding of Iranian culture, ideology, and politics, will be a significant asset in helping to safeguard the UK.

With an adept knowledge of the Persian language and surrounding culture, you’ll be able to identify nuances and seek out key information from spoken and written materials, contextualise it, and then make the information accessible and understandable to others. Every step of the way, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop your own career path, focusing on the areas that interest you most. Whatever you’re doing, you’ll enjoy varied, unique work using language skills you would never have considered could create such an impact.

At MI5 and MI6, you’ll be part of a multi-disciplinary team and play an active role in directing projects and driving forward investigations. It’s rewarding work, which will draw on your judgement, people skills, and linguistic and cultural expertise. Confident in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to Persian, you’ll do everything from translation and interpretation to operational work that includes planning, casework, and training.

**About You**

You don’t need any experience or qualifications to be a Persian Language Specialist with us, just active and passive language skills, excellent written English, and a good knowledge of Iranian culture, history, religion, and politics. Essentially, you’ll be passionate about the language and a proficient user (at C1 level, see explanation below) of the Persian language in all its forms. Your proficiency could come from growing up in a multilingual family, undergoing language training in the military, or studying Persian to a high level academically.

At C1 level or higher, you’re able to:

- Understand a wide range of longer and more demanding texts or conversations.
- Express ideas without too much searching.
- Effectively use the language for social, academic, or professional situations.
- Create well-structured and detailed texts on complex topics.

You can also access the _CEFR self-assessment grid _for more information on our requirements.

Having a keen interest in technology will support you at GCHQ. But whichever organisation you join, we’re looking for problem solvers with interpersonal skills and a high attention to detail. You’ll also need:

- An analytical, enquiring mind.
- Good judgement and effective people skills.
- A collaborative approach, as you’ll share your knowledge and contribute to professional standards of best practice.

During the interview process, you’ll need to pass a language proficiency test by reading and translating newspaper articles and broadcasts. The results will be considered alongside the role requirements on a case-by-case basis.

**Training and Development**

At MI5, MI6, and GCHQ, we have an inclusive and supportive working environment designed to encourage open minds and approaches. We value and nurture talent, and we’re committed to ensuring you have the support and guidance to build a rewarding career at the heart of national security. From language events and workshops to acquiring professional qualifications, our strong learning culture will continuously develop you, your knowledge, and your skills. By joining MI5, MI6, or GCHQ, you’ll be part of a network of colleagues across all three agencies. This widens our perspectives so we can engage through diversity of thought and approach.

As part of the selection process for MI5 and MI6, we’ll identify specific areas for development and tailor a training plan to meet your needs. When you join, you’ll have an induction and be assigned a buddy from the same language area to help you settle in. You’ll also be paired up with a professional head to