We're looking for an exceptional Atmospheric Dispersion Scientist to help us make a difference to our planet.
As our Atmospheric Dispersion 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.
We have 1 x permanent position available with potentially 2 x further temporary positions. The temporary positions are for up to a 12 month period and there is potential for these to develop into a permanent position.
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 be part of the Atmospheric Dispersion and Air Quality (ADAQ) Group, conducting research, mode development, application and operational deployment and support related to atmospheric dispersion and air quality hazards. ADAQ develops and operates the Numerical Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME), a world-class hybrid Lagrangian-Eulerian model that underpins the Met Office's emergency response capability. NAME is used by the Environmental Monitoring and Response Centre (EMARC) meteorologists and ADAQ scientists to advise stakeholders on the dispersion, deposition, and impacts of hazardous releases, including major fires, nuclear incidents, volcanic eruptions, and disease outbreaks.
* Work in ADAQ is varied and the role may include some or all of the following depending on the skill set of the individual and the work priorities:
* Conducting research and development of the Met Office atmospheric-dispersion modelling capability.
* Developing enhanced operational response capability in areas such as radiological atmospheric releases, industrial accidents, animal and plant health, and volcanic ash/gas releases to provide targeted decision-making advice to our customers.
* Conducting model validation and improvement using data from field campaigns and real-world events.
* Conducting model sensitivity studies to explore the importance and impact of model improvements and the propagation of uncertainty in dispersion forecasts.
* Participating in and developing scientific projects with collaborators in academia and other agencies.
* Disseminating results via academic papers, project reports and oral and poster presentations.
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 Atmospheric Dispersion Scientist, your total reward package will be up to £49,448 annually, which includes:
* 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
Essential Criteria, skills and experience:
* Post graduate experience in a relevant discipline, ie., physical, environmental, computational or mathematical science (We keep evolving)
* Demonstrably good scientific knowledge of own subject area and evidence of how this has been applied to solve relevant problems (We're experts by nature)
* Experience of writing and modifying moderately complex code and producing high quality data evaluation and visualisation using languages such as Python, shell scripts, Fortran (We're experts by nature)
* An ability to effectively communicate clearly, orally, and in writing, to specialists and non-specialists. (We live and breathe it)
* An ability to work independently and in collaboration in a flexible manner to meet deadlines (We're better together)
We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but we're also keen to discover if you have:
* Knowledge of atmospheric dispersion modelling or meteorology and their applications
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 01/03/2026 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 23/03/2026 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 .
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: If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at:
#J-18808-Ljbffr