Psychologist (Occupational Psychology)

Flexible working: We support full time, part time, compressed hours and other flexible working patterns. This is an office-based role and, due to the nature of the work, home or remote working are not available.

About us: MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing, and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you'll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

The role: As a Psychologist, you’ll apply your specialist knowledge, skills and experience to support MI5 and its people. This is an applied, delivery focused role, operating within an internal consultancy model, where psychological evidence is used pragmatically to address real organisational needs.

• You’ll deliver defined consultancy projects and pieces of work, supporting scoping activity with customers, managing delivery, and providing clear, evidence based advice and guidance.
• Working with stakeholders across the organisation, you’ll build effective working relationships and act as the primary point of contact for allocated work, ensuring outputs are high quality and appropriate to the organisational context.
• The role operates within complex and, at times, sensitive organisational environments.
• You’ll apply occupational psychology across areas such as job analysis, assessment design, training delivery, skills framework development and wider people processes, where accuracy, professional judgement and ethical practice are critical.
• You’ll engage with customers to understand their needs, design and carry out data collection activities, and translate findings into practical tools, guidance and recommendations.
• You’ll contribute to the development, evaluation and continuous improvement of people processes, ensuring learning from your work is captured and applied to future activity.
• You’ll work collaboratively within a close knit occupational psychology team, sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues and contributing across a varied portfolio of work.

About you: You’re a psychologist with a grounding in applied occupational psychology and experience in using your psychology knowledge and skills to address real organisational challenges. You hold a postgraduate qualification in Occupational Psychology (or equivalent) with eligibility to complete Stage 2 of the Qualification in Occupational Psychology.

• You will have experience working on occupational psychology related projects within the public or private sector or a consultancy setting.
• You’re comfortable using evidence to inform decisions that are fair, proportionate and defensible.
• You understand the importance of professional standards and ethical practice, and you’re an accredited test user, or eligible for accreditation.
• Your consultancy skills are credible but developing, and you enjoy working with customers to understand complex people and organisational issues.
• You can scope and deliver defined pieces of work, gather and analyse data, and translate psychological evidence into clear, practical recommendations that add value.
• You’re confident working with guidance and supervision while taking increasing ownership of your work.
• You’ve applied occupational psychology across areas such as job analysis, skills frameworks, assessment or wider people processes, balancing methodological rigour with pragmatic delivery.
• You communicate clearly with non specialist audiences and value teamwork, knowledge sharing and ongoing professional development within a supportive occupational psychology team.

Training and development: We’re committed to supporting your development as an applied occupational psychologist and helping you build confidence delivering high quality consultancy work in complex organisational environments. On joining, you’ll receive an induction to the team, organisational context and areas of work you’ll be contributing to, giving you a clear understanding of how your role supports wider objectives.

• You’ll be supported through close working with more senior occupational psychologists, with access to coaching, feedback and reflective practice.
• This support will help develop consultancy skills, professional judgement and applied delivery capability as you take increasing ownership of defined pieces of work.
• Alongside on the job learning, you’ll have access to continuing professional development aligned to progression towards chartership.

Rewards and benefits: You’ll receive a starting salary of £50,985 plus other benefits including:

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• A dedicated development budget
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• An interest‑free season ticket loan
• A cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on‑site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave