Senior Meteorological Officer

Job Introduction

We’re looking for a Senior Meteorological Officer to help us make a difference to our planet. 

As our Senior Meteorological Officer (SMetO), 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. This role will include an element of ad-hoc shift work, which is likely to be in the office.

Our opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week, but we would also consider applicants wishing to work a minimum of 30 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. 

Whilst this advert is to recruit a SMetO at Wattisham, we may also look to create a reserve pool to fill future vacancies that arise across our defence network over the next 12 months.

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 

As a Defence Network Senior Meteorological Officer, you will support the team of meteorologists within your team in a leadership role, delivering expert meteorological services and advice to a range of customers at your defence location. 

You will collaborate with defence partners, senior leaders, and wider Met Office colleagues to provide an effective, inclusive, value for money impact-based service, whilst championing change and innovation within our service delivery. 

Your key duties:

• Guide, inspire, and manage your team to ensure delivery of professional and effective advice-based meteorological and environmental service to our Defence partners.
• Motivate and empower your team to develop both new and existing collaborative relationships with our Defence partners and wider Met Office colleagues to ensure delivery of our services, actively encouraging opportunities to improve both user experience and job satisfaction at your station and across the network.
• Commit to continuous professional development (CPD) through the effective administration of the Performance Management Process and individually developed CPD plans, ensuring that all staff maintain and develop their skills and have the opportunity to realise their potential.
• Work collaboratively with other SMetOs as a leadership team to deliver any future strategic change to service delivery.
• Maintain the skills necessary to enable you to work as a meteorologist on the roster as required. 

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 Senior Meteorological Officer, your total reward package will be up to £58,419 annually, which includes: 

• £41,725 base pay.
• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Unsocial Hours Irregular Shift allowance when applicable.
• 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: 

1. We're Experts by Nature - Hold both a current Aeronautical Meteorological Forecaster (AMF) and Aeronautical Meteorological Observer (AMO) accreditation or equivalent.
2. We're Better Together – Evidence of strong team working skills, but also the capability to lead within a team, and coach and mentor others.
3. We Keep Evolving – Evidence of working collaboratively with customers and external stakeholders to deliver improvements to service delivery.
4. We Keep Evolving – Evidence of embracing change, and inspiring and empowering colleagues (at all levels) in its delivery.
5. We Live and Breathe It – Demonstrate the ability to work well under pressure, making decisions for the benefit of others, and taking ownership of them.

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 21/04/2025 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 19/05/2025. 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 careers@metoffice.gov.uk.  

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.