Job Description

Job Introduction

We're looking for a

Senior Operational Meteorologist

to join our

Hazard Centre

to help us make a difference to our planet.


As our Senior Operational Meteorologist - Hazard Centre, 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.


We are recruiting across the UK Met Office network - further information on locations is available on our Careers Site. Please contact Careers@metoffice.gov.uk for any specific enquiries. Our opportunities are 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

Your world of expertise

As a Senior Operational Meteorologist in the Hazard Centre, you are expected to provide timely service excellence and specialist expertise to our customers, stakeholders and partners across a wide range of industries, as well as internal customers and colleagues. This will include the provision of various high-profile briefings, written forecasts, model interpretation and general stakeholder engagement across a wide range of applied-meteorological subject matters unique to the Hazard Centre, including Space Weather and Volcanic Ash Dispersion. As a result, you will also be expected to be the local "subject matter expert" for these services, since they are often not covered by standard meteorological training.


We are currently recruiting for the Hazard Centre, but would encourage you to apply if you are interested in other Civil Senior Operational Meteorologist roles (Aviation, Marine or Media). We will hold a 12-month reserve list which we may use to fill futures opportunities that arise within or outside the Hazard Centre.

Your key duties

:

Prepare and deliver a range of value-added specialist forecast products and services, including stakeholder briefings, written forecasts, first-hand guidance and emergency response. High awareness of unplanned prioritisation, including moving tasks and responsibilities within own schedule or amongst the team to ensure that customer expectations are met. Have an excellent knowledge of the technical software and customer-facing web interfaces which are used in the Hazard Centre, including the ability to troubleshoot and raise incidents effectively. Leading on the story of a particular hazard forecast to ensure internal and external colleagues, including Guidance Unit and Press Office, are either aware of or redelivering a clear message that is consistent with all other areas. Support Operational Managers in ensuring service delivery is of high standard, including suggesting and making improvements, implementing changes, testing systems and procedures, and monitoring general performance and colleague's personal well-being and ability to deliver the services.

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 Senior Operational Meteorologist - Hazard Centre, your total reward package will be up to 64,468 annually, which includes:

43,081 base pay. An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%. 4,200 as an Unsocial Hours Allowance for shift working, if applicable to the working pattern of your post. These allowances are currently under review so there maybe changes from January 2026. 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:

Successful completion of a Meteorologist Training Programme, with evidence that you have a variety of operational experience as a Meteorologist and have continued to develop professionally, hence demonstrating you are an

expert by nature

. (Lead Criteria) Able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of what customers from a variety of sectors require from Meteorological services, including an understanding of how the weather impacts them, showing that you

live and breathe it.

Demonstrate you work

better together

through the capability to lead, mentor, motivate and inspire a team in an operational environment. Exhibit strong communication, persuasion and negotiation skills in order to influence customers and colleagues alike. Evidence of embracing change in the work environment, demonstrating that you

keep evolving.

Demonstrate evidence of a flexible approach, being able to change plans (move resources or tasks) at short notice to deal with unexpected events or customer requests.

The panel may perform a preliminary sift of the lead criteria as indicated above.

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 27/11/2025 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 01/12/2025. 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, 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.