Met Office

High Resolution Parametrization and Data Assimilation Scientist

Reading

£18,500 and £24,480 (depending on experience) + competitive benefits
including Civil Service Pension

Everyone knows the Met Office. The world leader in meteorology and climate change modelling, we're actively developing a "next generation" high resolution forecast system to aid short term prediction of high impact weather. You will help us realise accurate descriptions of the current state of the atmosphere and achieve improved prediction of cloud and precipitation.

To this end, it is vital that we fully exploit remote sensing data such as radar and satellite to generate detailed inputs on wind, humidity, clouds and rain - and you will make it happen, collaborating closely with scientists from Reading University. Enjoying a high level of autonomy, you will develop the Met Office Unified Model and variational data assimilation schemes to enable the exploitation of new observations for convective scale NWP, especially for nowcasting applications. Notably, you will generate computer code to predict cloud and microphysics, compare analyses and forecasts with observations and conduct assimilation experiments and trials, whilst representing the organisation at some extremely high profile forums.

A good honours degree in a physical science or mathematics will be essential, and you must be well versed in all aspects of numerical modelling, cloud physics and remote sensing. Ideally you will possess proven experience of generating large systems for fluid dynamics or meteorology, and some knowledge of Fortran 90, Linux/Unix scripts and NWP would be a major plus. At the same time, you will preferably be familiar with statistics and variational methods, Metview and/or PVWave/IDL, giving you everything you need to hit the ground running.

For a full job description and an application form, please visit www.metoffice.gov.uk or email: hrenquiries@metoffice.gov.uk Alternatively, please contact Met Office HR at Fitzroy Road, Exeter, Devon EX 3PB or call 01392 885000.

Closing date: 4 January 2008