AI Security Architect

AI is being adopted across some of the most mission critical areas at MI6, creating a rare opportunity to influence how these technologies are secured from the start. As an AI Security Architect, youll help shape how AI systems are designed, deployed and governed in environments where security, trust and resilience are essential.

As part of a small, specialist team, youll take responsibility for the technical security architecture that underpins AI solutions across the organisation. Youll define secure AI reference architectures, patterns and controls, and guide delivery teams on how these should be implemented in practice. Operating close to delivery, youll influence design decisions early and ensure AI is built to be secure by default.

The role sits at the intersection of established cyber security practice and rapidly evolving AI technologies. Youll assess the security implications of capabilities such as machine learning and large language models, considering risks related to model integrity, provenance, poisoning and misuse.

Day to day, youll work closely with software engineers, data scientists and ML engineers, reviewing technical designs and providing practical, actionable feedback. Youll also support assurance and accreditation colleagues, helping them understand complex architectures and clarify how security controls meet broader objectives. While most of your time is hands on and technical, youll engage with senior leaders as needed to explain risks, trade offs and the value of proactive investment in AI security.

This is a rare chance to help define how AI security is approached at organisational scale. As an individual contributor, youll shape emerging practice, influence standards and ensure AI capabilities are introduced in a secure, responsible and sustainable way.

Youre an experienced cyber or information security practitioner with a strong background in designing and assuring secure systems in complex environments. Your experience includes security architecture or senior security engineering roles, and youre comfortable taking responsibility for technical security decisions that influence how systems are built.

You bring hands on experience working with AI enabled technologies and understand the security challenges they introduce. This may include exposure to machine learning, large language models or cloud based AI services, particularly within AWS environments. Youre familiar with risks such as model integrity, provenance, poisoning and misuse, and understand how security controls must adapt as these technologies evolve.

In an evolving technical landscape where precedent is limited and risks continue to emerge, your judgement and critical thinking are essential. Youre able to operate where standards, controls and threat models are still developing, applying sound reasoning to make defensible security decisions.

Youre confident working directly with engineers, data scientists and ML practitioners, reviewing detailed technical designs and providing clear, actionable guidance on implementing secure patterns and controls. While deeply technical, you can also explain risk, trade offs and impacts in straightforward language, helping non specialist stakeholders make informed decisions.

Above all, youre proactive, curious and motivated to stay ahead of emerging AI security challenges, valuing continuous learning and contributing specialist expertise within a small, collaborative team.