ROCU Student Cyber Crime Intern; Student Placement
Job Title: Student Cyber Crime Intern- Student Placement
Start Date: Post holder to commence their role on 8th September 2025. (Vetting dependent)
End Date: 10-month FTC expected to end 10th July 2026
Department: West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit
Salary: Grade 3, £25,626 - £25,713 pro – rata
Closing Date: 30th May 2025
MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE
Do you want to do something worthwhile and give something back to your community during your Industrial Year? A 10 month placement with the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit could be for you.
The internship is specifically for University Students who are able to complete a placement year in industry starting in September 2025 and have resided in the UK for at least 5 years. This is not a graduate job or entry route into policing. Suitable courses include Cyber Security, Computer Science, Digital Forensics and Public Service.
There are 2 posts available starting in September 2025:
1 post is to work as part of the Regional Cyber Crime Unit’s 3P (Protect, Prepare & Prevent) Team to support the development and delivery of key strategies to help protect and prepare the region and UK against Cyber Crime and to prevent and deter individuals from becoming involved in continuing to commit Cyber Crime.
1 post is to work as part of the Regional Cyber Crime Unit’s Pursue Team to support investigations through gathering evidence from both open and closed sources, develop intelligence, analyse and produce reports and develop projects in relation to current themes and trends.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
3P Intern
• Supporting the development of our online community links through LinkedIn etc.
• Engaging with the public and private sector to increase resilience to the threat from cyber crime by hosting training inputs and workshops.
• Working with partners such as education and community groups, promoting online safety, improving public confidence, and reducing vulnerability to digital and cyber crime.
• Support the CiSP (Cyber Information Sharing Platform) in the region and any collaborative groups to identify further opportunities to share emerging threats and trends to individual communities or the community at large.
• Support the local forces in developing and delivering community focused cyber protect and prevent strategies, improving trust and confidence and reducing the fear of cyber crime.
• Coordinate and provide protective security and preparedness advice to communities in relation to the threat from cyber crime.
• Develop relationships and create opportunities for partners to work together and identify and make use of existing programmes and relationships.
• Identify and assess those individuals and hard to reach groups that might be vulnerable to cyber criminals or cyber-attack within the local area.
• Work with established programmes in national, regional and local areas, implementing effective external and internal communication strategies aimed at delivering protect and prevent messaging to the public and law enforcement partners.
• Support the delivery of appropriate awareness events to ensure effective, consistent and detailed information is made available to the appropriate communities.
• Identify partners who can contribute to developing our understanding of the risk factors and identify interventions that could prove successful in diverting individuals at risk of engaging in cyber related criminal conduct.
• The ability to work with ROCU leadership team and observe policy making in order to gain experience of decision making.
Pursue Intern
• Support investigations through gathering evidence from both open and closed sources.
• Develop intelligence, analyse and produce reports and develop projects in relation to current themes and trends.
• Support and develop the research and development function, horizon scanning for future threats.
• Own and develop projects around emerging technologies and criminal methodologies. (Use of Cryptocurrency, Internet of Things, Crime as a Service, Illicit trading of commodities on the dark web, Virtual Reality).
• Develop and implement new software and hardware solutions, exploiting and targeting criminal use of technology.
• Build effective working relationships with external agencies, academia and Industry to maximise learning opportunities and advance our operational capabilities.
• Provide advice and support to the wider ROCU with the development and delivery of digital tactics.
• Deliver presentations to Law Enforcement and partners relating to ongoing research and development projects.
• Support 3P project development, campaigns, events and other tasks as required.
Both roles will need to ensure security and maintain the integrity of all systems and processes.
They will fall under the direction of the ROCU, so will have both a local and regional responsibility. Post holders may be expected to work unsociable hours at short notice and potentially travel within the UK.
Conduct other associated tasks that are considered appropriate given the rapid changes in technology, and embrace any new working practices which are introduced to deal with those changes.
Any additional tasks relevant to the role as directed by RCCU supervision
COMPETENCIES REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE
Essential Knowledge & Experience (including qualifications)
- Experience of working with groups and communities to address problems.
- Experience of working in partnerships, exploring alternative ways tackle issues.
- Good verbal and presentation skills, adjusting communication style to suit different audiences.
- Ability to absorb technical information and relay to a non-technical audience.
- A keen interest in technology, with an understanding of the current issues around cyber crime.
Desirable
- A good understanding of networking concepts, including internet protocols and communication methods.
- Knowledge of cyber security issues such as malware threats, network protocols and common cyber threats.
- Experience around social media, marketing or graphic design.
- Knowledge of the legislation regarding the Computer Misuse Act, as well as those offences associated with the commission of cyber enabled crime.
Skills
Essential
- Presentations skills to deliver a range of inputs to a variety of audiences (including large groups), both internally and externally.
- A technical aptitude and the ability to learn new skills, being adaptable and open to change, embracing new ideas and ways of working.
- Should have the ability to utilise the internet and social media understanding how it can enhance service delivery.
- Must possess integrity and professionalism at the highest standard.
Desirable
- Experience of cyber security and procedures, evidence handling, and awareness of court procedures.
- Colleagues within ROCUWM, the Regional Forces and the national teams within the NCA.
Briefings to Senior Officers - Liaison and support to other LEAs, industry partners, and relevant colleagues.
- Ability to advise and influence staff around cybercrime to ensure most effective and efficient response to cyber related issues. This is challenging and the post holder will need solid communication skills to guide more senior staff and external partners.
Vetting: Successful applicants will be required to pass Management Vetting and Security Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.
Interviews: Interviews are expected to take place start of June 2025
Hours: Monday-Friday 08.00AM- 16:00PM
Location: Birmingham City Centre
(with an opportunity to sometimes work agile and across the region)
West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Interview Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview.
It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.
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