Senior Scientist – Data Science for Simulation
We’re looking for an exceptional Senior Scientist – Data Science for Simulation to help us make a difference to our planet.
As our Senior Scientist – Data Science for Simulation, 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 30 hours per week and we will also try our best to consider those intending to work a jobshare. 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
You will contribute to research and development in artificial intelligence and machine learning for weather and climate modelling, with an initial focus on advancing the FastNet Machine Learning Weather Prediction model. This work is part of the Artificial Intelligence for Numerical Weather Prediction (AI4NWP) project, a flagship Met Office initiative applying advanced machine learning to weather prediction challenges. You will operate within a multidisciplinary team of data scientists, engineers, and domain experts, collaborating closely with internal and external partners – including other National Meteorological Services, research institutions, and commercial organisations. This role offers the opportunity to build expertise in machine learning and data science while developing innovative solutions for weather and climate applications.
- Lead the scientific development and implementation of machine learning solutions for Earth system applications, with a focus on weather forecasting.
- Apply software engineering best practices to ensure scientific code is reproducible, scalable, and maintainable; design robust data workflows and optimise advanced machine learning methods for weather and climate data.
- Communicate research findings through peer‑reviewed publications and presentations at conferences and seminars.
- Collaborate with internal and external domain experts, sharing expertise within the broader scientific and research software engineering community.
- Mentor junior scientists and help shape the strategic direction of the team.
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, 2024 and 2025 lists, as well as their ’54 Best Workplaces for Women’ 2023 list.
As our Senior Scientist – Data Science for Simulation, your total reward package will be up to £60,268 annually, which includes:
- 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
Essential Criteria, skills and experience
- Experience in developing machine learning solutions in the atmospheric sciences or related domains.
- Ability to provide scientific leadership, generate innovative solutions to complex challenges, contribute to strategic planning, and lead the delivery of complex research projects, including leading the work of others.
- Proficiency in software engineering and knowledge of quality assurance practices.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with proven ability to listen actively, discuss complex scientific and/or technical information clearly and effectively with a range of audiences. Experience of working in collaborative, cross‑disciplinary research environments.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to work both independently and collaboratively to deliver work on time and aligned with agreed project and organisational objectives.
- Commitment to ongoing personal professional development and to supporting others in developing theirs, leading to improved outputs and the career development of others.
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 27/01/2026 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 02/02/2026. 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 .
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.
Equal opportunities
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; 2 of these years must be immediately preceding the point of your application. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact us at: If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: .
Lifestyle support
Whether you wish to utilise our excellent family‑friendly schemes, be paid up to 3 days for volunteering with your chosen organisation, have the reassurance of a generous sickness pay scheme or be part of an organisation that is happy to pro‑actively talk about flexible working the Met Office wants you to have a great work and lifestyle balance.
Established hybrid working
We have bases all over the UK and some roles allow for you to work abroad so there is the option to travel for work also, we have established amazing hybrid working practices across all of our offices and have enhanced technology to enable office and home‑based meetings. We work with employees to agree on a suitable working pattern that works for us both and have various working patterns in place.
Investing in your development
The world around us is constantly changing. New technologies, shifting climate patterns, artificial intelligence. These factors and more shape the need for us to develop our skills and knowledge as a business and as individuals. Our investment in learning and development is testament to this and we have partnered with external bodies in each profession to help shape the way we develop the incredible talent right across the Met Office. We help everyone to understand their strengths and opportunities and tailor learning programmes that match their career. For us, this is world‑leading learning and development.
Our typical recruitment process
- Application – Apply through our careers website. Each application will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the job advert. We recommend that you use the CARL or STAR method to answer the key questions.
- Screening – The sift panel will assess all applications against our essential criteria. Our screening process usually takes one to two weeks following the closing date of the advert. After which, we’ll be in touch to let you know whether your application has progressed to the next stage.
- Interview – Most recruitment processes will include a single‑stage interview, some of which are virtual interviews and some may be in‑person. Our interviews tend to blend competency questions, which focus on the essential criteria, with values‑based questions.
- Assessment – Some roles may require you to attend an assessment day. Any job‑specific assessments will be outlined in the job advert and more details will be provided at the interview stage.
- Offer – If you are successful following the interview, the hiring manager will contact you to offer the role. The Resourcing Team will then follow up with an offer letter and start your onboarding.
- Onboarding – Before we can confirm a start date, we will first need to complete security clearance and reference checks. These usually take between eight to ten weeks to complete. We’ll also discuss any workplace adjustments that you may need. So they are in place on your first day. On your first day, your new manager will introduce you to the team and you’ll start our online corporate induction. You’ll also be asked to update your details in our People Hub system including bank details ready for your first pay day.
Ready to apply?
Senior Scientist – Data Science for Simulation
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