Software Developer Apprenticeship – Level 4

Description

The Met Office is delighted to open our advertising for a number of apprenticeships, which will commence in September 2025.

We’re looking for an exceptional Software Developer Apprentice who shares our amazing values to help us make a difference to our planet by using cutting edge technologies to provide world-leading meteorological information to our customers around the world.

As our Software Developer Apprentice, the job may be suitable for hybrid working, which is 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. 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.

Whilst this is a temporary position for up to 20 months, there is potential for it to develop into a permanent position on successful completion of your apprenticeship.

World changing work

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.

• We’re a force for good – focusing on our environmental and social impact
• We’re experts by nature – always learning and developing to do things better
• We live and breathe it – putting our purpose at the heart of decision-making
• We’re better together – understanding partnerships and inclusivity make us greater
• We keep evolving – pushing boundaries to make tomorrow better for our customers

Your world of expertise

This apprenticeship can offer you the support, training and industry recognised qualifications to get you on the path to a career in Software Development.

This role is part of the Data Services Tribe in the National Capability Technology function. As defined in the Research & Innovation strategy, the weather and climate ‘National Capability’ encompasses the science and technology required to deliver the data which underpins weather and climate services. The National Capability Technology function consists of the services provided by Technology which underpin the National Capability.

The Data Services tribe implement and support the services that allow the discovery, querying, subsetting and processing of environmental data via a set of internal interfaces. These interfaces are essential for providing data to Met Office products and services such as the app and the website.

Your Key Duties

We would look for you to join us in September 2025 with your apprenticeship training beginning shortly afterwards. You would have 1 day per week dedicated to your 20% off the job training. The training will mostly be delivered online/face-to-face as well as self-study with the training provider, QA. Before applying, we recommend you consider if the delivery method suits your learner needs along with whether you feel you are committed to your own development and training as this element forms a significant aspect of a modern apprenticeship.

You will be managed by a line manager and have a mentor to offer further support. In addition to the formal training with a registered training provider, you will also have in-house and on-the-job training.

You will have the opportunity to work with a team covering Software Development, allowing you to develop your knowledge, skills and behaviours in this occupation whilst contributing to Met Office aims.

In This Role You Will

• Spend a substantial portion of time shadowing others
• Work with other developers to write code and tests
• Build your knowledge
• Follow a test-driven approach
• Write code that is automatically tested

Why join us

Our work is life-changing, often life-saving and always life-enhancing. The Met Office is Great Place to Work UK certified. We are also featured on their ‘Best Workplaces in Tech’ 2023 and 2024 lists, as well as their ’54 Best Workplaces for Women’ 2023 list.

As our Software Developer Apprentice, your starting salary will be £22,911 and you will have the opportunity to progress to £24,259 over time.

Your total reward package is potentially worth up to £32,768 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions.

We Also Offer

• 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
• Access to discounted shopping, inclusive of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands

Essential Criteria, Skills And Experience

• Level 3 Qualification in a related subject (apprenticeship/A-levels/BTEC etc) OR equivalent work experience – successful completion of QA Aptitude test required if it’s non-standard entry (i.e. through work experience rather than STEM qualifications).
• You can demonstrate relevant experience or an interest in Programming in languages such as Python and Java.
• You can demonstrate how you keep abreast of developments in technology or the environment.
• You can demonstrate evidence of teamwork and how your contributions have made a difference to the outcome.
• You can demonstrate strong problem-solving and communication skills.

Am I eligible to apply?

In Addition To The Criteria Listed Above, You Must Also Be Eligible To Qualify For Apprenticeship Funding By Meeting The Following

• Not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship or another funded further education or higher education programme at the time you start this apprenticeship.
• Are applying for an apprenticeship that is unrelated to any qualifications you already hold at the same or higher level than this apprenticeship.
• Are living in England at the time the apprenticeship commences.

How To Apply

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you! Click apply to begin your application. Please complete your career history and provide evidence against each of the essential criteria in the supporting statement questionnaire. We recommend candidates use the CARL method (Context, Action, Result and Learning) for presenting evidence of experience and skills.

Closing date 23/03/2025 at 23:59 with interviews completed by 02/05/2025. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

How We Can Help

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact us at

If you’re considering applying and need support to do so, please get in touch. You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

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. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.

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