About the job

Job summary

Our reward package:

We’re looking for an exceptional Lerwick Observatory Analyst to help us make a difference to our planet.

Our opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week based at Lerwick.

Why join us?

The Met Office is accredited as a 'Great Place to Work UK 2023' and in addition has achieved a place on both the UK's 'Best Workplaces in Tech' and 'Best Workplaces for Women' lists.

We invest in our people to unlock their full potential. As our Lerwick Observatory Analyst, we will support you to develop and thrive to be the best you can be.  We champion positive physical and mental health in the workplace and are committed to being an inclusive organisation, providing a working culture that actively values an equal and diverse workforce. 

As our Lerwick Observatory Analyst, your total reward package is potentially worth up to £36318.00 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions.

Your starting salary will be £25870.00. New joiners to the Met Office will start on the salary band minimum. Our 2022-25 pay award means the salary will increase to £26954.00 from 1st April 2024, and you will be able to progress towards £29531.00 over time. In addition you will be paid:

• £4,200.00 per annum Unsocial Hours Allowance
• Unsocial Hours Overtime Allowance where applicable
• Unsocial Hours Bank Holiday Allowance where applicable
• Relocation Assistance may be available

Job description

Who we are:

We provide critical weather services and world-leading climate science to deliver extraordinary impact and benefit across the globe. Our work helps people make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.

Together:

• 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

Find out more about our values - https://bit.ly/3fokaRD

The Upper Air Observations (UAO) Team is responsible for managing the operational delivery of several Observations networks, including Weather Radar, Radiosondes, Lidar and Lightning Detection. The team is spread across 3 locations – Exeter, Camborne and Lerwick.

Established in 1921, Lerwick Observatory carries out systematic upper-air observations as one of two manual climate radiosonde sites in the UK. Additionally, the current Observatory building, opened in 2014, is equipped to provide high-quality monitoring of almost 300 automated surface observation sites across the UK.

Through radiosonde observations, data monitoring and quality-control tasks, the station makes a valuable contribution to the UK and Global Observing Systems, as well as supporting British Geological Survey through the collection of seismology and geomagnetic observations since 1922.

Lerwick Observatory is currently run as a 24/7 site. The job holder will be expected to work shifts and weekends on the station shift roster. Whilst usually working alone, there will be substantial communication with colleagues elsewhere, including the 24/7 observatory at Camborne.

Job Purpose:

Undertake the agreed radiosonde launches and monitor observing network performance to efficiently and effectively meet customer and Met Office requirements. Support the Lerwick Station Manager in the routine running of the Observatory and assist the wider Upper Air Observations team in the delivery of Operational services and instrument trials

As our Lerwick Observatory Analyst, the key duties are:

• Launch and monitor the ascent of radiosondes from the Lerwick Observatory and other automated sites elsewhere in the UK.
• Record and process daily ozone readings using a Dobson Spectrophotometer; prepare and monitor a weekly ozonesonde flight. Weekly measurement of earth’s magnetic field alignment on behalf of BGS; air quality, rainwater analysis and radiation monitoring for UKHSA; low-level ozone monitoring for Bureau Veritas.
• Monitor the performance of operational observing systems, taking corrective action where required to ensure networks meet quality and availability levels required by customers, providing advice and information to users of the data on the status of the networks and the details of the observing systems.
• Develop technical knowledge of observing systems in conjunction with Network Specialists within the wider UAO team, to work alongside operational meteorologists and Engineers to ensure the delivery of operational services and the timely resolution of incidents, providing advice and information to those teams when required.
• Coordinate and contribute to the updating of documentation of processes and practices, working with Network Specialists and the Station Manager to ensure optimum efficiency in service delivery.
• Support the Station Manager in the effective running of the Observatory – including undertaking delegated tasks and the mentoring and training of new staff. Maintain and support the relationships of the station’s stakeholders, 3rd party suppliers and 3rd party visits. Act as the point of contact for the Observatory.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

1. An aptitude for environmental measurements demonstrated by a qualification in a science, engineering or IT-related subject or relevant technical experience. (Experts by nature)
2. Practical skills and physical ability to launch radiosonde balloons in all weathers.
3. Proactive problem solver, able to systematically analyse data from a variety of sources.
4. Work well as a member of a team, capable of developing effective working relationships with customers and colleagues. (Better together)
5. Ability to work unsupervised, organising work using own initiative to deliver tasks to required schedules. (We keep evolving)
6. Effective communicator, comfortable communicating technical information clearly and concisely to a range of customers and colleagues.

Desirable Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but your application will be stronger if you have:

1. Knowledge of environmental observing systems, the scientific principles behind the measurements and the characteristics of the observational data.
2. Experience of working in an operational environment, meeting delivery deadlines and working to strict timescales and schedules.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,870, Met Office contributes £7,011 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

How to apply:

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you. Apply below using your CV and a Cover Letter/Supporting Statement which evidences how you meet each of the essential criteria - we recommend candidates use the CARL (Context, Action, Result and Learning) method for presenting evidence of skills. 

Closing date 11/02/2024 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 26/02/2024. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

If successful, please note we are unable to offer expenses for travel to your normal place of work. This post is contractually aligned to Lerwick, please ask at interview if you would like extra clarity on how often this requirement is likely to be.

How we can help: 

If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please contact us via careers@metoffice.gov.uk. 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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.