Graduate Security Analyst

Student Loans Company; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the UK seeks a Graduate Cyber Security Analyst to engage in a rotational program. This role offers exposure to various specialist teams, allowing candidates to develop critical skills in Cyber Security. Applicants should possess a degree-level qualification in Cyber Security or related fields and a passion for safeguarding systems and data. Benefits include a salary of £30,252, annual leave, a Civil Service pension, and flexible working arrangements. A great opportunity for those looking to build a career in Cyber Security.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays

Flexi-time and enhanced flexible working options

Life insurance cover for 4 x annual salary

Contributory lifestyle benefits and discounts

Qualifications

• Anticipated degree-level qualification by Summer 2026 or gained within the last two years.
• Clear interest in Cyber and Information Security.
• Awareness of common security threats.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day operational activities in Cyber Security.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and key projects.
• Gain hands-on experience through a rotational program.

Skills

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

Degree-level qualification in Cyber Security or related field

Tools

Basic experience in UNIX and Windows administration

Familiarity with Networking protocols

Job description

Overview

Salary: £30,252 GBP Annual

Pension: A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%. Please refer to the Civil Service Pensions website for more information.

Type: Full time

Fixed Term: 24 Months

Please note: The advert will close at 11:59PM the night before the listed closing date.

SLC offer a blended working model which will typically be 2 days in the office and 3 days from home.

About the role

The Security department at SLC brings together a wide range of specialist teams, all working collectively to safeguard the organisation from threats and to protect SLC\'s technical infrastructure and data at every level.

As a Graduate Cyber Security Analyst, you\'ll play an important role in supporting day-to-day operational activity, contributing to continuous improvement work, and helping deliver key projects within Security or across wider business initiatives. As part of this 24-month rotational programme, you\'ll gain hands-on exposure to critical business activities while developing core skills aligned to Cyber Security. If you\'re driven by problem-solving, excited by technology, and motivated by helping protect systems and data that millions rely on, this programme is designed for you.

Through a mix of structured learning and real on-the-job experience, you\'ll build strong technical knowledge, develop professional confidence, and contribute meaningfully to strengthening SLC\'s security posture. During the programme, you\'ll rotate through six specialist teams - Security Operations, Engineering, Governance, Assurance, Identity, and Risk - giving you unparalleled exposure to the full breadth of modern security disciplines. This rotational experience will help you understand how each area works together to defend the organisation and manage threats proactively. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore diverse security specialisms before deciding where you want to build your career, while working in an environment that takes your development seriously. You\'ll collaborate closely with experienced professionals, receive ongoing coaching and mentorship, and take part in activities that support and enhance SLC\'s security capabilities across the organisation.

What you bring

Essential

• Degree-level qualification in Cyber Security, Networking or related field at 2.2 and above, anticipated by Summer 2026 or gained within the last two years
• Ability to:
  • communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues and customers by active listening and delivering quality information timely
  • manage, interpret, and use data to support decision making and drive effective outcomes
  • use digital tools and technologies to communicate, access information, and solve problems
  • identify, assess and manage risks to minimise potential impacts
  • demonstrate readiness to new ways of working and remain effective in ambiguous situations while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement
• A clear interest in Cyber and Information Security
• Awareness of common security threats and the importance of common security concepts (RBAC, Encryption, Secure Protocols, Vulnerability Management, Logging and Monitoring etc) via education or experience
• Understanding and basic experience of infrastructure systems administration (UNIX, Windows) and common Networking protocols via education or experience
• Awareness of security frameworks and standards such as CAF, NIST, PCI DSS and OWASP via education or experience
• Effective problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Ability to follow documented procedures and contribute to technical documentation

Desirable

• Internship or placement experience in a related field
• Industry recognised certifications relating to Information Security, cloud services or networking
• Membership with a relevant professional body (e.g. ISC2, ISACA, BSC)

• Ability to triage, escalate and remediate security incident based on criticality
• An understanding of a wide range of security controls such as PAM, NAC, IAM, XDR etc
• Understanding of cloud platforms and their security features (AWS, Azure)
• Understanding of laws, regulations, policies, and ethics as they relate to cybersecurity and privacy
• Awareness of Risk Management methodologies, and risk assessment techniques, e.g. risk appetite, gap analysis, control identification and implementation

Further Information

We will be hosting two information webinars for candidates who would like to know more about the Security programme and the recruitment process. If you would like to attend, please see details of the sessions below:

Thursday 5th February 4.30pm-5.30pm - Use this link to join the call at 4:30pm. You do not need to register beforehand. If you have problems joining the session please choose the option to join without an account.

Tuesday 24th February 4:00pm - 5:00pm - please email and we will send a link for this session.

You can expect more from a career with SLC. We support colleagues to unlock their potential through our Career Pathways development programme and offer an excellent benefit and rewards package that includes:

• 28 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays
• Option to buy/sell annual leave
• Flexi-time and enhanced flexible working options available
• Option to join the Civil Service pension scheme
• Life insurance cover for 4 x annual salary
• Enhanced company sick pay and family leave including maternity, paternity and adoption
• Contributory lifestyle benefit options including discounts at hundreds of retailers, cycle to work scheme, access to the Civil Service Sports and Leisure Club for discounted gym memberships, and an optional dental insurance scheme
• To find out what it\'s like to work at Student Loans Company click here SLC Careers

The Legal Bits

We\'ll need you to confirm you have the right to work in the UK. If we offer you a job and you accept, there are some background checks we need to complete before you can start with us. This will include employment history, criminal record check, credit reference check and fraud check.

SLC are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are inclusive for all candidates and will make reasonable adjustments for those who consider themselves to have a disability or long-term condition in line with the Equality Act 2010. Our application process provides candidates with the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments but if you would like to discuss this in more detail, please email [e-mail].

Sound good? If so please apply below and a member of our dedicated Recruitment Team will be in touch!