Software Developer

Job Introduction

We’re looking for an exceptional Software Developer 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, 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, 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.

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 

Join the Met Office’s Data Services team - an innovative, friendly group at the forefront of developing scalable cloud-based solutions.
   
We’re responsible for the systems that deliver critical weather and climate data to users across the UK and beyond. Through scalable APIs and cloud-native services, our team ensures fast, reliable access to forecast and observation data, supporting everyone from emergency responders and government to businesses and the public.
   
As a Software Developer in Data Services, you’ll be engineering solutions using Python, Java and AWS Cloud Computing to bridge the gap between advanced scientific modelling and the platforms our users rely on every day. You’ll be getting hands on with the output of our cutting-edge supercomputing capabilities, handling terabytes of data daily, and making system performance, scalability, and reliability essential elements of your work.

This is your opportunity to be part of something bigger - developing modern, cloud-based solutions that have a wide-reaching and positive impact, helping millions of people to stay safe and thrive.
    
This developer role is aligned to Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework on the GOV.UK website.

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, your total reward package will be up to £49,806 annually, which includes: 
  

• £33,794 base pay
• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Recruitment Retention Allowance (RRA) you will be paid £2,200 per annum as a market supplement to reflect the demand for your skills. Whilst in post, you will be paid this market driven allowance from April 2024 until March 2026 in your monthly pay
• 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
    

We invest in our people to unlock their full potential. As a Software Developer in Data Services, we will support you to develop and thrive to be the best you can be. You will be given up to half a day per week to improve your skills through non-project learning. 

Essential Skills & Abilities

1. Systems Design. Translate logical designs into physical designs. Produce detailed designs. Effectively document all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate. Design systems characterised by managed levels of risk, manageable business and technical complexity, and meaningful impact. Work with well understood technology and identify appropriate patterns. 
2. Development process optimisation: explain the importance of developing process efficiency and the common ways in which processes are optimised. Support specific activities to improve development processes. Spot or identify obvious deficiencies. 
3. Programming and build (software engineering): collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications, use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools. 
4. Service support. Help fix faults following agreed procedures. Carry out agreed maintenance tasks on infrastructure.
5. Systems integration. Build and test simple interfaces between systems. Work on more complex integration as part of a wider team

  How to apply 

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you! Click apply to begin your application. Please send through your CV and supporting statement with evidence against the essential criteria.

If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to complete a technical challenge, which focuses on essential criteria 1. If you pass the technical challenge, you will then be invited to attend an interview. 

Closing date 21/09/2025 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 16/10/2025. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed. 

Using AI in your application

We welcome applications that use AI tools for support in drafting or refining, as long as they accurately reflect your own skills and experience. All hiring decisions at the Met Office are made by people, not AI. For more details, visit our approach to recruitment.

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.