Scientific Software Engineer

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We're looking for an exceptional Scientific Software Engineer to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our Scientific Software 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, 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.

Your world of expertise

The Met Office has embarked on an exciting and ambitious programme to redesign its operational forecasting capability for future high-performance computing (HPC) platforms including its Data Assimilation (DA) system; ensuring it will be efficient across the range of possible alternative HPC solutions likely to be available beyond 2025. The new software is being developed within the Joint Effort for Data assimilation Integration (JEDI) framework from the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA).

You will work in the Software for Observations and Data Assimilation (SODA) team, part of the Satellite and Surface Assimilation (SSA) section of Weather Science at the Met Office. Data assimilation is the process of combining observational data with output from a numerical model to produce a statistically optimal estimate of the initial conditions for weather prediction. The Met Office is at the forefront of DA applications in operational Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). It is an exciting time to be working in this area with significant advances in the science of DA as well as coupling across the separate components of Earth-system models. Perhaps the greatest challenge for modern DA is the need to consider how complex DA algorithms will run efficiently on the potentially radically different supercomputer architectures needed to maintain progress over the next decade.

We are seeking a C++ developer to join our team of experts and contribute toward the technical development and optimization of a unified, next-generation observation processing and data assimilation system that will take full advantage of the next generation HPC.

Contributions to the design and development of the JEDI code base could for example include the extension of current class definitions to improve flexibility, usability, and data exchange mechanism between different components of the data processing pipeline.

To contribute towards the development of technical solutions and high-quality C++ code according to strict scientific and operational requirements.

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 Scientific Software Engineer, your total reward package will be up to £49,806 annually, which includes:

• 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 September 2025 in your monthly pay.
• 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:

1. Expert by nature - Scientific software development for HPC applications using C+ or other scientific languages (e.g., Fortran 2003).
2. Live and breathe it - An aptitude and interest to use software to solve challenging scientific problems, especially for NWP or similar fields. This includes insight into the algorithms used in these applications.
3. Better together - Engagement with internal and external stakeholders to understand the scientific requirements of your work.
4. Live and breathe it - Applying good quality assurance processes, best practices, standards to produce readable, maintainable software.
5. Better together - Communicating knowledge accurately and clearly to a variety of audiences. This includes producing documentation, writing clean code and giving talks to build trust and credibility in your work.
6. Keep evolving - Proactively developing your skills and support others developing their skills, leading to beneficial impacts in your work.

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 28/04/2025 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 19/05/2025. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

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.

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. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.