Ocean Climate Science Manager

We’re looking for an exceptional Ocean Climate Scientific Manager to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our Ocean Climate Scientific manager, 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 33 hours per week and we will also try our best to consider those intending to work a jobshare. 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’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

An opportunity has arisen to join the scientific leadership and management team of the Ocean, Cryosphere and Climate group (OCC). We seek an enthusiastic Science Manager to lead the Ocean Climate team. The post lies within the OCC which consists of around 30 scientists working on a wide range of topics including developing and evaluating the Met Office’s ocean modelling tools that are used on timescales from days to centuries to provide ocean forecasting and global and regional climate projections.

OCC also provides the underpinning ocean modelling capability to understand and quantify the role of the ocean in climate variability and change. OCC teams work in partnership with others across the Met Office and with UK academia, UK government, with European consortia and the International science community.

The post offers an excellent and exciting opportunity to take on the scientific and people leadership of the existing Ocean Climate team, one of four teams within OCC which focuses on:

• Interdisciplinary scientific research to improve our understanding of regional and global ocean processes
• Production of UK Regional Ocean Climate Projections for UKCI programme
• Understanding Ocean Climate Hazards including Marine heatwaves
• Providing scientific advice across the Met office and to government, industry and other Met Office customers

There will be opportunities for the post holder to maintain and/or develop areas of expertise related to ocean climate in particular Shelf seas. Occasional travel in the UK and overseas will be needed to foster and maintain national and international collaborative research partnerships and engagement with UK government.

• Provide scientific leadership and set the scientific direction and priorities of a group of scientists with expertise in a range of processes relevant to Ocean Climate (global and regional).
• Act as line manager for the Ocean Climate team members (approx. 6-7 scientists).
• Lead the production of the Regional Ocean Climate Projections for UK government.
• Contribute to the coordination, planning and delivery of ocean climate science capability with key partners both internal and external to the Met Office.
• Engage and communicate with government stakeholders and partner organisations.
• Contribute to broader planning and strategy development of OCC and the Met Office Hadley Centre.

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 Ocean Climate Scientific manager, your total reward package will be up to £75,857 annually, which includes:

• £54,515 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…