Techies wanted for 007 jobs

MI6, the intelligence agency for overseas operations, is looking to recruit IT and technology experts to gather data and spy on computers in other countries.

An advert appeared in Thursday's Times newspaper as part of the organisation's latest public recruitment drive.

A spokesman for MI6, otherwise known as the Secret Intelligence Service, told silicon.com: "It's about keeping up with what the other sides are doing and making it better so they can't break into our [systems]. This is the first in a series of ads that will appear."

MI6 said that security professionals and people with "interception qualifications" are highly sort after.

The organisation is seeking people from a variety of backgrounds, including those with military experience, university degrees or work experience.

They are also looking for people who, beyond having the right qualifications, could become experts.

Software, networks and communications workers will be required to carry out jobs including "testing other people's security to see if you can break into it" and day-to-day running of IT.

Last October M16 launched a website as part of its recruitment drive. The website attempts to dispel the myth around the glamour of spying as portrayed in Ian Fleming's James Bond stories.