MI5 looking for James Bond-style 'Q' as chief scientific advisor

London, April 17 (ANI): The UK security service MI5 is looking for James Bond style gagdget-maker 'Q' as chief scientific advisor to "lead and co-ordinate" its scientific work.

According to a report in the Telegraph, the job is being advertised on MI5's website, with the successful applicant expected to use their expertise to thwart terror operations around the world.

The advertisement says that candidates for the "unique and challenging" role need to have "world-class scientific expertise and credibility", "excellent strategic skills", "outstanding influencing and communication skills", as well as a successful track record of "managing critical projects and processes in a complex environment".

Professor John Beddington, the British government's chief scientific adviser, says that the new recruit will have to keep up with the latest scientific developments to ensure British intelligence stays one step ahead of the country's enemies.

He told BBC News, "It will involve a sort of future gazing to see where technology will be taking us in a year or so."

"There is a really important role in providing scientific and technological advice on addressing problems agents in the field will face," he added.

"The chief science adviser has a role to frustrate terrorism to prevent espionage hurting the UK, protect our critical national infrastructure and to frustrate the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. There's an enormous amount of scientific content in this role," he explained.

In the James Bond films, Q memorably popped up in exotic locations to demonstrate a range of newfangled weapons and gadgets to the suave spy.

Some of the contraptions included the Lotus sports car that could travel underwater, a wrist dart gun and a mobile phone with a Taser-like weapon facility.

Applications for the MI5 science job close on April 24, and could take up to six months to process. (ANI)