About the job

Job summary

Our reward package:

We’re looking for an exceptional Scientist - Aerosol Parametrization to help us make a difference to our planet.

Our Scientist - Aerosol Parametrization will work a hybrid pattern of homeworking/office working but we encourage a minimum of 1 day/week in our Exeter HQ and strongly recommend at least 3 days/week in HQ for the first 6 months. You can work up to full time (5 days/week) in HQ if you wish. 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.

Why join us?

We invest in our people to unlock their full potential. As our Scientist - Aerosol Parametrization, 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 Scientist - Aerosol Parametrization, your starting salary will be £32100.00 and you will have opportunities to progress to £34925.00 over time. New joiners to the Met Office will start on the salary band minima. Our 2022-25 pay award means the salary will increase to £33559.00 from 1st April 2024, and you will be able to progress towards £36000.00 over time.

Your total reward package is potentially worth up to £44,696 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions.

Your package includes:
- Outstanding Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- Flexible hours and homeworking
- 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
- Cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment to support healthy, low carbon travel
- Access to discounted shopping, inclusive of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands.

Who we are:

We provide critical weather services and world-leading climate science, to help 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

Job description

Job Purpose:

The Met Office uses mathematical models to simulate the weather and climate, in which a set of equations relating to the dynamics of the atmosphere are solved on a three-dimensional spatial grid. It is from these models that we can make weather predictions over a few days and climate projections over many years. However, many physical processes (for example the formation of clouds) in the atmosphere operate on scales smaller than the model grid can fully resolve, and so these need separate representations within the model. We refer to these representations as ‘parametrizations’.

The Atmospheric Processes and Parametrizations (APP) group is responsible for the development and maintenance of the key physical parametrization schemes, and much of the underpinning research to inform that development.

The successful applicant will work at the forefront of atmospheric and aerosol sciences to develop our aerosol parametrization, which aims to predict the aerosol amount in the atmosphere and its interaction with with chemistry, radiation and clouds.

Your key responsibilities are:

• Carry out research and development into aerosols and aerosol processes to improve the representation of aerosol in ‘UKCA-mode’ aerosol parametrization in the Met Office model, used for air quality, weather forecasting and climate change applications.
• Develop and evaluate aerosol-cloud interactions between ‘UKCA-mode’ and the cloud microphysics scheme.
• Provide aerosol science advice and support to scientific software engineers involved in the development of ‘UKCA-mode’.
• Work closely with colleagues in the Met Office and those working on related projects in UK universities. The post contributes to an EU-funded project giving an international platform for collaboration.
• Contribute to the presentation and publication of the work both internally and externally in order to maintain our scientific capability, integrity, and transparency.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

1. Expert by Nature - A degree (2:1 or above, or equivalent) in applied mathematics, physical science, physical geography, or computing.
2. Expert by Nature - A PhD or equivalent research experience in aerosols, aerosol processes or closely related field.
3. Expert by Nature - Experience of scientific programming, ideally with Python and use of linux.
4. Better together - Ability to work and communicate effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
5. We keep evolving - Evidence of the drive and rigour to work independently when required.
6. A force for good - Strong oral and written scientific communications skills

Desirable Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

1. Expert by Nature - Knowledge of numerical modelling

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,100, Met Office contributes £8,699 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 Cover Letter/Supporting Statement (which must bullet point how you meet each of the essential criteria).

Closing date 01/01/2024 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 22/01/2024 . You will hear from us once the closing date has passed. Our interviews are taking place remotely via Microsoft Teams.

If successful, please note we are unable to offer expenses for travel to your normal place of work. 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 assistance to do so, please contact us via askHR@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 (Guaranteed Interview) Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We are an equal opportunities employer, welcoming 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.