Cryptographer

As a cryptographer, you build the secure systems that protect secrets - whether that's a bank's money, a hospital's patient records, or a country's defence information. You use maths, especially number theory and logic puzzles, to design codes that are so strong that no amount of guessing can break them. You also hunt for weaknesses in existing codes, testing them to make sure they actually work.

Your day involves designing and testing encryption systems, writing code to put them into software, and staying up to date with new threats so you can keep ahead of hackers. You'll work closely with software engineers to make sure the systems you create are practical and don't slow down the apps people use. You'll also research new cryptographic ideas and keep learning - this field moves fast because hackers are always coming up with new tricks, and your job is to think several steps ahead.