Urban-scale Prediction Scientific Software Engineer
The advert says the job needs UK security clearance:
“We require Security clearance without caveats and/or restrictions for this role, 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.”
SC clearance usually needs five years of living in the UK, and DV clearance usually needs ten. If you have lived here that long, for example on a Student and then a Graduate visa, you may be able to get it. Most people applying from outside the UK cannot, so the highest likelihood we give this job is Unlikely. Ask Met Office whether they would sponsor you.
Unlikely
Sponsorship likelihood
The advert asks for security clearance
£51,448 / year
Salary
Within the market range
£54,700
Going rate
Offer is 0.9× the going rate
This role may qualify only on a lower rate
Anyone can use the standard rate, and the pay is below it. If you are a new entrant or a PhD holder, you can use a lower rate, and the pay clears the new entrant rate. On the jobs board, Standard hides roles like this and the new entrant rate shows them as Possible at most. The advertised pay goes up to £51,448.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2134 Programmers and software development professionals Most likely code | £38,300 Clears | £43,700 Clears | £49,200 Clears | £54,700 Misses |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. A mark is for the top of the advertised pay. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
Job Introduction
We’re looking for an exceptional Urban-scale Prediction Scientific Software Engineer to help us make a difference to our planet.
As our Urban-scale Prediction 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. 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 join a team developing 100m-scale urban prediction techniques to forecast small-scale hazards like thunderstorms, heat, and fog. High-resolution physical models are computationally prohibitively expensive for routine use, creating a clear opportunity for data-driven solutions. Utilising our unique high-resolution training datasets, you will build, optimise, and implement machine learning models and workflows into practical, routine-running applications. Based at our University of Reading hub, you will apply advanced ML engineering to solve urban weather challenges alongside academic and research specialists.
Your key duties:
- Contributing to research and software delivery for urban-scale machine learning, including refactoring, modularizing, and optimizing ML workflows; evaluating and adopting emerging algorithms; implementing software best practices; and optimizing code performance across high-performance computing (HPC, including GPUs) and cloud computing platforms.
- Working closely with colleagues across different teams within the Met Office to ensure consistency of approach and software standardisation.
- Working collaboratively with partners in UK universities and UM partner organisations to advance partnerships on sub-km/urban prediction applications, noting in particular links with University of Reading scientists which are currently being strengthened through the new Local Hazard Prediction Centre of Excellence.
- Documenting and presenting the work in internal reports, meetings, scientific journals, and external conferences. To provide scientific/technical advice to peers, management and external stakeholders.
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 Urban-scale Prediction Scientific Software Engineer, your total reward package will be up to £51,448 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 £2,000 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 2026 until March 2027 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:
- Lead Criterion: Show technical insight through delivery of significant advances in software capability by the effective application of technical knowledge, understanding and skills (Expert By Nature)
- An understanding of, demonstrable interest in, or experience of machine learning, AI, or data science methods to solve complex problems (Experts by nature)
- Apply good Quality Assurance processes, best practice, standards and/or regulations in your work (Live and Breathe It)
- Engage with others to understand the requirements for your work and its wider context, and contribute to the development of plans to meet these requirements (Better Together)
- Communicate knowledge accurately and concisely in written documents and group discussions, tailoring communication for diverse audiences and building trust/credibility (Better Together)
- Proactively develop your skills and support others in developing their skills, leading to beneficial impacts (Keep Evolving)
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.
Please note: We are currently recruiting for 1 role which is being advertised at 2 levels (Foundation Scientific Software Engineer and Scientific Software Engineer). Those wishing to be considered at multiple levels should submit an application at each level.
Closing date 01/11/2026 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 16/11/2026. 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 [email protected].
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 without caveats and/or restrictions for this role, 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.
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: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: [email protected]
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with Met Office, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Programmers and software development professionals (SOC 2134) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~399k in sample- Offer £51,448
- Middle half £42,536–76,752
- Median £56,784
- Going rate £54,700
- Threshold £41,700
- New entrant £38,300–49,200
The range sits inside the market's middle half (£42,536–76,752), so this is typical pay for the occupation.
This pay misses the £54,700 standard floor, but clears the £38,300 new entrant rate.
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Browse more sponsored jobs at Met OfficeAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. Met Office holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2134 going rate of £54,700. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.