Language Talent Programme - Mandarin

Closing Date - 23:00 on Monday 17th August 2026

September 2027, with the chance to start a full-time role straight after the programme

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.

GCHQis 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 partnersMI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. AtGCHQyou’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

This job description is for the Mandarin programme  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.

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.

To apply , you’ll need to have, or be expected to obtain, a 2:2 degree or above in Mandarin.

You’lleither 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.

Youdon’tneed 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…