GCHQ
Language Talent Programme - Mandarin
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Cheltenham, Manchester
Job Summary
Programme start date: September 2027, with the chance to start a full-time role straight after the programme
Flexible working: this programme is full-time and office-based for the duration of the 11 weeks, to ensure you get the most out of your time with us. Full-time attendance is 37 hours per week, with some specific hourly attendance required e.g. for training courses. You’ll be notified of these well in advance.
About us
GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.
Job Description
The programme
This job description is for the Mandarin programme at GCHQ. If you’re looking for the Russian Language Talent Programme at GCHQ or MI5, please visit the job description via this link.
The Language Talent Programme (LTP) is an exciting, hands-on pathway towards a permanent role as a Mandarin Language Specialist. Across the UK’s Intelligence Services, Language Specialists play a uniquely valuable role translating, interpreting and contextualising foreign language content, providing mission-critical insights that have a tangible influence on our operations.
Over the course of 11 weeks, you’ll bring your language skills and cultural knowledge to GCHQ and immerse yourself in a mix of dedicated training and genuine exposure to real operations. By the end, you’ll have got a taste for what a full-time role could look like and, should you decide it’s right for you, have the opportunity to apply for a permanent position.
You’ll start with a three-day induction where you’ll learn what we do, how we do it, and meet the friendly team you’ll be working alongside.
From there, your time will be split between supervised operational work and training. With privileged access to current operational intelligence, you’ll develop your understanding of language as you analyse, transcribe and translate audio and written materials in Mandarin.
And it’s not just translation you’ll be doing. You’ll learn to use our language tools as you identify valuable insights and may even have the chance to carry out wider analysis and draft intelligence reports. You’ll also be introduced to other teams across GCHQ to help you understand the wider impact of language work on our operations.
At all times, you’ll be surrounded by people willing to provide help, advice and guidance. You’ll have supervision from an experienced mentor when doing operational work, as well as being embedded in a welcoming, collaborative team who share your passion for language. Plus, you’ll be supported by a senior linguist while you develop the skills needed to pass the language test which forms a key part of the full-time role assessment.
What happens after the programme?
This paid programme is designed to give you the skills and experience required to transition into a permanent role with us. Around 7 to 9 weeks in, you’ll sit a language test and have a competency interview. Should you be successful, you’ll start immediately in a full-time role. This means you’ll be unable to defer your decision, so we ask that you consider if you’re able to begin a full-time role once the programme ends.
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Person specification
About You
To apply, you’ll need to have, or be expected to obtain, a 2:2 degree or above in Mandarin. You’ll either be starting the final year of your degree in Autumn 2026 or have graduated in Summer 2023 or later.
You should be adaptable, organised and collaborative, keen to use your language skills and learn new things. You don’t need a technical background for this role, but you must be willing to develop new skills, especially those that are technical and complement your language abilities. You’ll be resilient and able to cope with a steep learning curve and demonstrate both curiosity and motivation to grow your analytical abilities as well as your language expertise.
Most importantly, you’ll be genuinely interested in a career with us and committed to starting a full-time role immediately after the programme, should you decide it’s right for you.
Training and development
This is a dedicated, supportive programme designed to give you the necessary skills and experience required to apply and fulfil a full-time role with us. You’ll be trained in operational language and analysis work, which may include on-the job training and some classroom-based learning, allowing you to grow your skills and decide if a permanent role is right for you.
You’ll be supported by a dedicated mentor who’ll provide guidance tailored to your individual needs. This is in addition to a ‘buddy’ who’ll help you settle into the programme, and the support of your wider team. Your mentor will assist your learning and work with you on genuine operational tasks, helping you hone your language skills ahead of the language test and competency interview. Your mentor will also put a focus on your analysis of Mandarin text-based and audio content, the proficient and compliant use of language analysis tools, and the production of accurate language analysis reports.
Should you be successful in transitioning into a full-time role, your training and development doesn’t stop. We’re committed to developing our staff, which is why you’ll have access to ongoing training, coaching and mentoring as we work with you to build the skills you need, enabling you to excel throughout the programme and your career.
If you do decide to join GCHQ as a Language Specialist, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for our Language Career Development Scheme within the first five years. This scheme is designed to help you broaden and develop your language skills. In addition to this, you also have the chance to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIoL®), and gain recognised professional linguist qualifications.
Rewards And benefits
You’ll receive a payment of £6,380 for the 11-week programme. Applicants who pass the end-of-programme language tests and competency interview, and who are made and accept an offer of employment with us, will receive a starting salary of £37,892.
While on the programme, you’ll also receive other benefits including:
- 5.5 days of annual leave to be taken during the 11 weeks
- access to a subsidised gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars in the Cheltenham office
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Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Equal opportunities
At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce, such as women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Find out more about our culture, working environment, and diversity on our website.
We’re disability confident
GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. As a Disability Confident Leader, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so, (this is known as the Offer of an interview).
To secure an interview for this role, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:
- You'll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses criteria important for all roles in our organisation
- Meet the minimum pass mark on how you have demonstrated your motivation for the role and the organisation. This is assessed through questions on the application form
- A demonstrable high level of Mandarin by achieving a pass in our language tests
Upon successful completion of these stages, you will be invited to an interview. This is your offer of interview.
There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best. See our website for information on reasonable adjustments we can offer.
What To Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
- An initial online application form including pre-screening questions to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
- Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) in which you rate the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios.
- Full online application form
- In-person language test in either Manchester or London
- In-person interview in either Cheltenham, Manchester or London
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