Job Description

Details

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Reference number

443400
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Salary

35,145 - 37,701
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
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Job grade

Higher Executive Officer###

Contract type

Permanent###

Type of role

Information Technology###

Working pattern

Full-time###

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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Exeter, South West England, EX1 3PB

About the job

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Job summary

We?re looking for an exceptional

Senior Application Operations Engineer - Corporate Database

to help us make a difference to our planet.


As our Senior Application Operations Engineer, 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. 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 ###

Job description

Your world of expertise

You will be joining the Corporate Database Team, which is part of the wider Infrastructure Technology team in the Met Office. Our on-premise database estate underpins a variety of weather services that are delivered to customers worldwide, so they can stay safe and thrive. We also provide data repositories for our Scientists. These help them to deliver the world class science associated with the Met Office.


Working in the small team of database administrators, your focus will be on managing and maintaining our on-premise databases, alongside some development work.



We look for ways to improve the services that we deliver and innovative ways to use the latest technology across all that we do. We also work alongside projects that require our knowledge and expertise, helping the Met Office deliver its goals.

Your key duties

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Employ your knowledge and skills with database technologies. Managing and maintaining the database estate at the Met Office. This also includes keeping the estate secure and compliant. Use the Service Management toolset to resolve Incidents, manage changes and investigate problems to a satisfactory conclusion. Thus minimising disruption to services and ensuring service continuity of the database estate. Work with team members, offering help and assistance so that the team meet their goals. Engage with the wide range of project and technology teams to improve and widen database services. Look for opportunities to enhance the level of service delivered to users of the database services. Represent the database team within the Met Office. Communicate with users to ensure the delivery of an excellent level of service.

We operate an on-call roster in Technology to provide 24/7/365 support to respond to operational service requirements. This post may be part of an on-call roster and the postholder would be required to participate in an on-call roster where in operation.

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Person specification

Essential Criteria, skills and experience:

A strong grasp of database technologies, primarily Oracle RDBMS as well as knowledge of PostgreSQL. (We're experts by nature) A good working knowledge of APEX implementation and development on a linux platform. (We keep on evolving) Work as part of a team. Share your knowledge of database technology with others and where appropriate mentor colleagues. (We?re better together) Strong communication skills with the ability to tailor your approach depending on the audience. (We live and breathe it) The ability to solve problems and manage issues, using a structured and customer focused approach. (We?re a force for good)

We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but we?re also keen to discover if you have:

A working knowledge of Oracle RMAN. The ability to write and develop PL/SQL.

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 35,145, Met Office contributes 10,181 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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, 2024 and 2025 lists, as well as their ?54 Best Workplaces for Women? 2023 list.


As our Senior Application Operations Engineer, your total reward package will be up to 51,648 annually, which includes:

35,145 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 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

Things you need to know

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Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.###

Selection process details

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 19/01/2026 at 23:59 with first stage 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

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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, 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.



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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .



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

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.###

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) 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
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Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.###

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.###

Contact point for applicants

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Job contact :

Name : Resourcing Team Email : careers@metoffice.gov.uk
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Recruitment team

* Email : careers@metoffice.gov.uk