Senior Developer

Met Office; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading meteorological organization in Exeter is seeking two exceptional Senior Developers to create and maintain systems that integrate front-end products with back-end science, leveraging advanced supercomputer capabilities. This role is vital for developing modern, cloud-based solutions that enhance users' operational safety and effectiveness. Competitive salary of up to £65,568 including additional benefits like a Civil Service pension and generous annual leave.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with 27% employer contribution

Recruitment Retention Allowance of £5,300 annually

Annual leave starting at 27.5 days

Qualifications

• You can design, code, test, and document programs of medium-to-high complexity using Python and/or Java.
• You can collaborate with user researchers and represent users internally.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead development of related user stories.
• Mentor and support junior developers.
• Find ways to improve system robustness.

Skills

Python

Java

Collaboration

User Research

Information Security

Job description

Overview

We’re looking for two exceptional Senior Developers to help make a real difference by supporting our armed forces, wherever their work takes them around the world.

Your world of expertise

As a Senior Developer in our Defence Data Services, you will create and maintain systems which bridge the gap between our front-end products and the back-end science, ensuring that we are able to make the very best use of our ever-evolving supercomputer capability.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a development team that has a wide-reaching and positive impact, helping people to stay safe and thrive around the globe.

You will work with your team to understand, design, and implement modern, full stack, cloud-based solutions. You will work collaboratively with your peers in the Science and Technology community, building relationships and sharing your knowledge.

Within our applications team, you will develop and support systems that help our users understand the impact that weather has on their operational safety and effectiveness.

To find out more about Technology at the Met Office, please take a look here.

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.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead development of sets of related user stories
• Find ways to improve system robustness, resilience and stability
• Design, code, test, and document software solutions
• Mentor and support junior developers
• Collaborate with other disciplines to fully understand the software requirements

Our work is life-changing, often life-saving and always life-enhancing. The Met Office is accredited as a 'Great Place to Work UK 2023' and in addition has achieved a place on both the UK's 'Best Workplaces in Tech' and 'Best Workplaces for Women' lists.

As our Senior Developer, your total reward package will be up to £65,568 annually, which includes:

• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Recruitment Retention Allowance (RRA) you will be paid £5,300 per annum as a market supplement to reflect the demand for your skills. Whilst in post, you will be paid this market-driven allowance until 31st March 2027.
• 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

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.

This opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week, but we would also consider applicants wishing to work a minimum of 30 hours per week.

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.

Role requirements

• Programming and build (software engineering): You can collaborate with others, when necessary, to review specifications. You can use the agreed specifications to design, code, test, and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using modern standards and technologies including Python and/or Java. (Expert by nature)
• Systems Design (Integration and Service Support): You can design and review cost efficient systems using design standards, methods tools, and ensure they are applied effectively. You can identify and articulate risks and their potential impacts. You can apply efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology. You can define the integration build and co-ordinate build activities across systems to undertake and support integration testing activities. You can identify, locate, and fix faults and design support processes for others to follow to keep services operational. (We live and breathe it)
• User focus: You can collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally. You can explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user. Champion user research to focus on all users. Prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so. Offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use.
• Information Security: You understand information security and can design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature.
• Team Membership: You approach your work as a team, working with others across multi-disciplinary and geographically dispersed teams. You can share your expertise with others in the team as needed including mentoring and coaching junior members. When needed, you can lead a team and ensure that work is done to the highest quality and in a timely manner.

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 (Context, Action, Result and Learning) method to help best demonstrate your experience and skills. When providing examples, you should include the context of the example, the action you took, what the result was and any learning you took from this example.

We suggest 300 to 500 words per answer to keep your response focused and impactful.

Closing date 08/02/2026 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 02/03/2026. 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 would like to better understand the organisation, the role or have any questions please contact us at [e-mail].

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, this will include a Codility Test prior to the interview. 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.

Our rewards and benefits are as varied as our customers and our people, depending on your role, and which part of the business you join. The one thing they have in common is that they’re designed to recognise your contribution to our success.

Starting at 27.5 days and rising to 32.5 days after five years of service (both figures exclude bank holidays). As well as the flexibility to buy or sell annual leave annually.

You’ll automatically qualify to join our alpha pension scheme, part of the Civil Service Pension arrangements. The scheme is recognised as one of the most generous occupational pensions.

Lifestyle support

Whether you wish to utilise our excellent family-friendly schemes, be paid up to 3 days for volunteering with your chosen organisation, have the reassurance of a generous sickness pay scheme or be part of an organisation that is happy to pro-actively talk about flexible working the Met Office wants you to have a great work and lifestyle balance.

Established hybrid working

We have bases all over the UK and some roles allow for you to work abroad so there is the option to travel for work also, we have established amazing hybrid working practices across all of our offices and have enhanced technology to enable office and home-based meetings. We work with employees to agree on a suitable working pattern that works for us both and have various working patterns in place.

Investing in your development

The world around us is constantly changing. New technologies, shifting climate patterns, artificial intelligence. These factors and more shape the need for us to develop our skills and knowledge as a business and as individuals. Our investment in learning and development is testament to this and we have partnered with external bodies in each profession to help shape the way we develop the incredible talent right across the Met Office. We help everyone to understand their strengths and opportunities and tailor learning programmes that match their career. For us, this is world-leading learning and development.

We\'re an expert voice representing technology and its possibilities, working together with other talented people in data, user design and products. Together we drive innovation in new technologies and ensure crucial data is made available for our customers to make decisions that affect their daily lives. The Met Office is a fantastic place to work and grow your career, with a well-defined corporate strategy and values that are embedded into our ways of working. Read my story

Jim Ovens

Lead Technical Architect

I returned to the Met Office motivated by our purpose to help people make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. I know what I do is meaningful and that matters. Read my story

Luke Carr

Software Developer

I’m afforded ample opportunities to explore new technological avenues. Being trusted in this way has enabled me to develop while contributing to my team’s output. Before joining the Met Office, I couldn’t have imagined this approach being viable in a software delivery team. And now it’s this forward-thinking spirit that keeps me excited and motivated. Read my story

Software Developer

I particularly enjoy having a significant amount of autonomy and being able to see the impacts of my work. I’ve found the Met Office to be a great place to kick-off my career. I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do on-the-job training, and one of the best things is that from day one I’ve felt like a valued member of my team. Read my story

Jonathan Murch

Head of Security Operations

This is much more than a career for me. It’s an adventure where every project, challenge and partnership supports my development while achieving amazing things. Read my story

Joe George

Lead Technical Architect

It’s genuinely rewarding to work for an organisation that does incredible things, truly values and challenges me, enables me to work with other talented people, and where I can help to make a real impact in the UK and globally. Read my story

Beth Harper

I love my role because every day is different. I like how varied it is and the fact that every day there are different customers to talk to, different problems to solve, and different solutions to work on. Read my story

Mathew Gard

We’re an expert voice representing technology and its possibilities, working together with other talented people in data, user design and products. Together we drive innovation in new technologies and ensure crucial data is made available for our customers to make decisions that affect their daily lives. The Met Office is a fantastic place to work and grow your career, with a well-defined corporate strategy and values that are embedded into our ways of working. Read my story

Our typical recruitment process

5. Assessment

Some roles may require you to attend an assessment day. Any job-specific assessments will be outlined in the job advert and more details will be provided at the interview stage.

6. Offer

If you are successful following the interview, the hiring manager will contact you to offer the role. The Resourcing Team will then follow up with an offer letter and start your onboarding.

7. Onboarding

Before we can confirm a start date, we will first need to complete security clearance and reference checks. These usually take between eight to ten weeks to complete. We\'ll also discuss any workplace adjustments that you may need. So they are in place on your first day.

On your first day your new manager will introduce you to the team and you’ll start our online corporate induction. You’ll also be asked to update your details in our People Hub system including bank details ready for your first pay day.

For those living outside of the UK, there are some roles where we can sponsor Skilled Worker visas. However, you will still need to pass security clearance which requires you to have resided in the UK for 30 months in the last three years.

2. Application

Apply through our careers website. Each application will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the job advert. We recommend that you use the CARL or STAR method to answer the key questions. Evidence your answers and reference our values to bring your application to life.

3. Screening

The sift panel will assess all applications against our essential criteria. Our screening process usually takes one to two weeks following the closing date of the advert. After which, we\'ll be in touch to let you know whether your application has progressed to the next stage.

4. Interview

Most recruitment processes will include a single-stage interview, some of which are virtual interviews and some may be in-person. Our interviews tend to blend competency questions, which focus on the essential criteria, with values-based questions.

5. Assessment

Some roles may require you to attend an assessment day. Any job-specific assessments will be outlined in the job advert and more details will be provided at the interview stage.

6. Offer

If you are successful following the interview, the hiring manager will contact you to offer the role. The Resourcing Team will then follow up with an offer letter and start your onboarding.

7. Onboarding

Before we can confirm a start date, we will first need to complete security clearance and reference checks. These usually take between eight to ten weeks to complete. We\'ll also discuss any workplace adjustments that you may need. So they are in place on your first day.

On your first day your new manager will introduce you to the team and you’ll start our online corporate induction. You’ll also be asked to update your details in our People Hub system including bank details ready for your first pay day.

If you can\'t see a job that interests you, why not register for our job alerts by email service? And we’ll email you when a job that matches what you\'re looking for is uploaded onto the site.