Cyber Incident Operations (CIO) - Industrial Placement

As a Cyber Security Analyst (Industrial Placement) in HMRC’s CIO Cyber Security Operations, you’ll join one of our front-line security teams working to detect, investigate and respond to cyber threats.

You will be part of a mission-critical environment that operates 24/7 to protect our vast digital estate. Your placement will give you exposure to:

• Cyber Incident Handling:

• Supporting investigations into security events and incidents
• Learning how HMRC identifies, triages and responds to cyber threats

• Threat Hunting & Analysis:

• Using internal security data to uncover suspicious activity
• Monitoring multiple data sources for threat indicators

• Cyber Intelligence:

• Contributing to intelligence gathering and analysis
• Understanding emerging threats and how attackers operate

• Digital Forensics & Monitoring:

• Assisting with forensic investigations under supervision
• Conducting real-time monitoring of HMRC’s environment

Throughout your placement, you’ll work with modern cyber technologies, receive guidance from experienced analysts, and play an active role in the protection of HMRC’s services.

What We Can Offer You!

• Real-World Impact: Bring ideas, challenge thinking and contribute to improvements that make a tangible difference across HMRC’s security posture.

• Hands-On Experience: Participate in operational exercises, simulations and team investigations to develop practical skills and confidence.

• Professional Development: Gain broad exposure to cyber operations, security tooling, risk management, and threat intelligence methodologies — helping you build foundations for a future career in cyber.

• Support & Mentoring: You will receive day-to-day support from technical specialists and have access to development opportunities across the wider cyber profession., * A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the person specification.

• Please answer the additional question regarding your Undergraduate Status. Please be aware that if you do not meet all of the additional criteria, your application will not proceed to Sift.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

A preliminary sift will be conducted on your eligibility question, with those who meet the eligibility moving onto the full sift.

At full sift your CV and Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, your experience will be assessed, to determine your suitability for the role.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’., If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You’ll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate., HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter . People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., * UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service, Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk . Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website. Apply now You must create an Indeed account before continuing to the company website to apply Review for HM Revenue and Customs Review for HM Revenue and Customs, Leeds, ENG Review for Chief Information Officer at HM Revenue and Customs Review for Chief Information Officer at HM Revenue and Customs, Leeds, ENG Salaries for HM Revenue and Customs

Strong team working skills Strong analytical skills High attention to detail Ability to communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences Interest and awareness of cyber security and its importance Ability to analyse and interpret data from multiple sources

• Strong written communication skills and confidence collaborating with partners

Essential Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following: You currently studying an undergraduate degree where the placement year forms an accredited and compulsory/optional part of your bachelor’s programme? (For example: BSc or MSci degrees with an integrated placement year)

• You are studying for a degree in one of the following areas: (Cyber Security, IT, Computer Science, Design/Web Design or Forensic-related degree)

Eligibility – Postgraduate study

This Industrial Placement is open to undergraduate students only. Applicants enrolled on postgraduate Master’s degree programmes (for example, MSc, MRes or MA) from September 2026 are not eligible to apply., Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC. Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential. Are you an undergraduate university student looking for a high-impact industrial placement that will accelerate your cyber career? Are you ready to protect one of the UK’s largest and most digitally advanced IT estates from real-world cyber threats? Join HMRC’s Cyber Security Operations teams for a 9–12 month Industrial Placement where you’ll gain hands-on experience, develop specialist skills, and contribute to work that protects millions of citizens and businesses. This is your opportunity to earn while you learn, work alongside cyber experts, and play a meaningful role in defending the nation’s tax systems. Discover what it’s like to work at HMRC: explore our people stories and hear directly from colleagues about life in cyber security.