Polar Climate Senior Scientist

Job summary

We’re looking for an exceptional Polar Climate Senior Scientist to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our Polar Climate Senior Scientist, 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 job share. 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

An opportunity has arisen to join the Polar Climate team in the Ocean, Cryosphere and Climate (OCC) group, working alongside other members of the group and the wider Met Office, as a Polar Climate senior scientist. This is an exciting time to join us as we focus research to further our understanding of polar climate science and climate change in polar regions, producing scientific outputs that contribute directly to government policy outcomes. You will be a key member of the Polar Climate team which undertakes:

Scientific research to evaluate observed, and projected, changes to the polar climate system, and to further our understanding of the role polar regions play within the wider climate system

Development and evaluation of the sea ice model configurations used within all Met Office systems – from short-range prediction on weather timescales, to long-term climate projection.

Communication of scientific understanding on present and future polar climate change to government and media, and through peer-reviewed science, with a focus on sea ice in particular.

Job Purpose

We seek an enthusiastic and experienced senior scientist to work within the Polar Climate Group to perform novel scientific research to further our understanding of polar climate science and climate change in polar regions, with a focus on marine and cryosphere.

Your key duties:

• Deliver novel scientific research, to enhance our collective understanding of observed changes to the polar climate system and the potential impact of polar changes on the wider climate system, including the UK
• Analysis and interpretation of climate model output to improve and constrain future projections of polar climate change, in particular for sea ice
• Perform research to improve the understanding and representation of physical processes in climate models important for polar climate modelling and projection
• Communicate own work, including via peer-reviewed scientific papers and attendance at workshops and conferences, to enhance the scientific reputation of the Met Office and the Polar Climate Group
• Contribute to, and where appropriate lead, briefing of UK government stakeholders to ensure that policymakers are equipped with the latest polar climate science.

Person specification

Essential Criteria, skills and experience:

1. Proven track record of delivering high quality research, in a mathematical or physically based science, equivalent to a PhD plus relevant postdoctoral research experience. (We’re experts by nature)
2. EITHER: demonstrated experience of working with the physical polar climate system, ocean or cryosphere; OR: experience in a related field and a proven ability to quickly learn new science areas, techniques or concepts.
3. Excellent written and oral communication skills with a strong/improving publication record and the ability to communicate scientific and/or technical concepts to a broad range of audiences.
4. Demonstrated evidence of experience in the development and use of scientific software, including familiarity with scientific programming languages.
5. Demonstrated ability to work independently on challenging scientific or technical problems and to deliver high quality scientific output in a timely fashion through effective planning. (We live and breathe it)
6. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others to deliver new scientific understanding and/or technical system improvements. (We’re better together)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,081, Met Office contributes £12,480 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 Polar Climate Senior Scientist, your total reward package will be up to £60,268 annually, which includes:

• £43,081 base pay
• 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

Things you need to know

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 (opens in a new window) 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 08/02/2026 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 16/02/2026. 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 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.

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: careers@metoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: info@csc.gov.uk

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 (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.

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) (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.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

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

Job contact :

• Name : Resourcing Team
• Email : careers@metoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : careers@metoffice.gov.uk