Scientist in Space Applications and Nowcasting in Exeter

We’re looking for an exceptional Scientist to join our team in Space Applications and Nowcasting and to help us make a difference to our planet. As our Space Applications and Nowcasting Scientist, the job may be suitable for hybrid working, where an employee works part of the week in the office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and the location advertised will be your contractual place of work.

Our opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week, but we would also consider applicants wishing to work a minimum of 33 hours per week and we will also try our best to consider those intending to work a job share. Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we’ll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

From science to technology, from meteorology to management, and from planning to communication, our expertise helps us stand out as the authority on weather accuracy and climate prediction. We help individuals, industries and government to make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. This is the Met Office. This is who we are.

The Space Applications and Nowcasting R&D (SAN) area of the Met Office aims to leverage a diverse range of observations from the global observing system to help the Met Office to better understand what is happening now in our environment and how the situation is going to evolve in the short term. SAN is responsible for researching and developing new ways of using observations to improve the warnings offered by the Met Office Expert Weather Hub and the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre.

SAN is focused on a broad range of natural hazards including, but not limited to: Severe Storms, Flooding, Volcanic Emissions and Coronal Mass Ejections from the Sun. To fulfil our purpose, we utilise satellite missions in a range of orbits around the Earth and Sun as well as surface-based observations such as those from weather radars, automatic weather stations and even citizen observations.

The Space Weather research team focuses on bringing new observational data and modelling capabilities to the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre, working in close collaboration with academic partners throughout the UK.

• To plan and carry out research and development projects to improve Met Office systems and applications
• To provide interpretation and analysis of satellite datasets
• To document and present the work of the Met Office in internal reports, meetings, scientific journals, and external conferences
• To provide scientific/technical advice to peers, management and external stakeholders
• To represent the Met Office nationally and internationally as required

As our Space Weather Scientist, your total reward package will be up to £49,448 annually, which includes:

• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising to 32.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) after 5 years and option to buy or sell up to 5 days per year of annual leave

Essential Criteria, skills and experience

• Strong background in Physical Sciences including significant postgraduate experience (e.g. a PhD) in a relevant scientific area or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated ability to apply broad scientific knowledge to a range of specific scientific problems and scenarios relevant to the Space Weather area
• Demonstrated experience of developing scientific software. Ability to write, modify and run scientific software codes, championing quality assurance
• Demonstrated ability to be a strong team player with an ability to support and interact with scientific and technical colleagues. Willingness and ability to take responsibility for some deliverables in scientific group activities
• Excellent communication skills (written, oral, presentation and listening). Demonstrated evidence for influencing stakeholders.

The panel may perform a preliminary sift of the lead criteria as indicated above.

We understand that great minds don’t always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK – please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible, 2 of these years must be immediately preceding the point of your application. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.