Operational Meteorologist - Heathrow

Met Office; England; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service pension

Unsocial Hours Allowance

London Location Allowance

Annual leave 27.5–32.5 days

Job summary

The Met Office at Heathrow Airport is seeking an Operational Meteorologist to support 24/7 weather oversight for airport operations. This temporary, 12-month role offers hybrid working with on-site and remote duties, based in the Heathrow APOC.

The position focuses on real-time meteorological insight to influence operational decisions and improve safety and efficiency. Candidates should have WMO/AMO accreditation or equivalent, strong forecasting experience, and proven ability to communicate

Qualifications

• Qualified Meteorologist with WMO accreditation or equivalent.
• Operational forecasting experience with understanding weather impact on customers.
• Able to communicate meteorological information to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Team player with willingness to develop new capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Be part of a shift-working team to provide observing and forecasting capability for operations.
• Using local knowledge, analyse and enhance forecast guidance for customer needs.
• Deliver high-quality services including briefings and customer engagement to improve products.
• Provide guidance on impacts to enable safe and cost-effective operations.

Skills

Operational forecasting

Meteorology communication

Team collaboration

Education

WMO accreditation

AMO accreditation

Job description

We’re looking for an Operational Meteorologist to join our team at Heathrow to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our Operational Meteorologist at Heathrow, 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, based within Heathrow's Airport Operations Centre (APOC). We would also consider applicants wishing to work a minimum of 21.5 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 toagreea working pattern that works for everyone.

Whilst this is a temporary position for 12 months, there is potential for it 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 aforcefor 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 ofdecision-making
• We’re bettertogether-understandingpartnerships and inclusivity make us greater
• We keep evolving - pushing boundaries to make tomorrow better for our customers

Your world of expertise

We’re looking for an Operational Meteorologist to join our Met Office team at Heathrow Airport from November 2026 onwards. This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of one of the world’s busiest airports, providing critical meteorological insight that directly influences operational decisions during disruptive weather.

Your role as an Operational Meteorologist within the Met Office involves interpreting real-time weather information and delivering meteorological and environmental services and advice to support decision makers. Services are delivered both face-to-face and remotely, depending on the customer requirements and location.

Working onsite at Heathrow, you'll collaborate closely with airport and airside stakeholders to ensure resilience and safety. Your expertise will help maintain 24/7 oversight of Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR) issuance and intervention, supporting Heathrow’s strategic operations. You'll work on the London Terminal Maneuvering Area (LTMA) bench in Civil Aviation, which completes Regulated Aviation work for London and South-east England, as well as commercial advice to some key London customers, such as Gatwick and London City.

• Be part of a shift working team to provide observing and forecasting capability to support customer operations.
• Using local knowledge, analyse and enhance forecast guidance, to deliver services and advice to the customer in a style that suits their requirements.
• Deliver high-quality services to the customer, including briefings, and through customer engagement look to continually improve these products and services.
• Through use of excellent customer liaison skills and enhanced customer knowledge, provide guidance on impacts to allow the customer to operate in the most safe and cost-effective manner.

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 Operational Meteorologist - Heathrow, your total reward package will be up to £53,848 annually, which includes:

• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Unsocial Hours Allowance (UHA) - Shift Disturbance Allowance of £1,200 pro-rata, for working on an operational shift roster.
• Unsocial Hours Allowance (UHA) - Hourly Rate of £4.50 per hour for qualifying hours working in unsocial hours (20:00hrs - 06:00hrs and weekends).
• London Location Allowance of £3,200 per annum.
• 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:

• Qualified Meteorologist and holder of a World Meteorological Organization accreditation or equivalent e.g. Forecaster Foundation Training Programme with Aeronautical Meteorological Forecaster (AMF) accreditation meeting BIP-M standard. You must hold or be willing to complete the Aeronautical Meteorological Observer (AMO) accreditation. (Lead Criteria)
• Evidence of being an Expert by Nature through having operational forecasting experience and a strong understanding of weather impact on customers.
• Show you Live and Breathe It with evidence of communicating meteorological information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Evidence of being Better Together, with the ability to work as part of a team, contributing towards team goals.
• Keep Evolving with a willingness to actively engage and contribute towards the development of new capabilities and ways of working.

The panel may perform a preliminary sift of the lead criteria as indicated above.

How we can help

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity further, 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, 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 DisabilityConfidentScheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

Weunderstand 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.

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: [e-mail] If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: [e-mail]

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.

Deputy Chief and International Meteorologist

I joined straight from university and did a year of training to be a forecaster. I spent eight years at various military bases, forecasting and observing the weather. I was part of a team which responded to a call for help from the Haitian Met Service back in 2010 after an earthquake. It was fantastic to be able to help in a time of emergency need. Now I work in the Expert Weather Hub on the global bench providing guidance to our customers and colleagues, as well as working on international projects with funding partners and other National Meteorological Services.

Bria Grange

Throughout my education I developed a fascination with the intersection between the human and the natural world. I'm incredibly fortunate to now work in a role that bridges this connection, helping the emergency response community to prepare and respond to severe weather and ultimately protecting lives, property and infrastructure.

Robert Parish

Senior Operational Meteorologist (Mobile Met Unit)

I joined the Met Office in 2005 at the Edinburgh Climate Quality Control Department and progressed to become a Meteorological Observer. I joined the Mobile Met Unit deploying on a wide range of operations to provide weather advice to defence. I later completed forecaster training and for the last eight years, I’ve been based at Heathrow as a Senior Operational Meteorologist. The vast training has allowed me to develop my customer and meteorological knowledge along with communication, collaboration and decision‑making skills.

International Meteorologist

I started my career at the Met Office with a year of training to become a meteorologist. When I wanted to forecast abroad, I was given on-the-job training at an RAF Brize Norton and RAF Lossiemouth. When I wanted to become a manager, I was given management training. When I wanted to train new weather forecasters, I was given the opportunity to complete an Award in Education and Training (AET). At the Met Office we keep learning and developing.

Presenter and Meteorologist

The training and opportunities I’ve had during my time with the Met Office so far have given me the confidence and expertise to communicate weather and climate information to the public whilst doing a job that I really love.

Ele Hands

Deputy Chief and International Meteorologist

I joined straight from university and did a year of training to be a forecaster. I spent eight years at various military bases, forecasting and observing the weather. I was part of a team which responded to a call for help from the Haitian Met Service back in 2010 after an earthquake. It was fantastic to be able to help in a time of emergency need. Now I work in the Expert Weather Hub on the global bench providing guidance to our customers and colleagues, as well as working on international projects with funding partners and other National Meteorological Services.

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 need to pass security clearance which requires you to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years and 2 of these years must be immediately preceding the point of your application.

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.

For those living outside of the UK, there are some roles where we can sponsor Skilled Worker visas. However, you will need to pass security clearance which requires you to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years and 2 of these years must be immediately preceding the point of your application.

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.