Scientific Software Engineer in Earth System Modelling

European Geosciences Union (EGU); Exeter; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic institution is seeking a Scientific Software Engineer in Earth System Modelling to contribute to the UKESM team. This role involves the development and optimisation of the UKESM2 model, enhancing its performance and capabilities. The candidate will support simulations related to climate tipping points, contributing to critical research on global climate change risks. This is a full-time position based at the Met Office in Exeter, offering a salary range of £41,064 – £48,822 per annum.

Qualifications

• Experience in scientific software engineering.
• Familiarity with Earth system models or climate models would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimise UKESM2 hybrid-resolution configuration.
• Enhance model performance and scalability.
• Support simulations exploring climate tipping points.

Skills

Programming expertise

Software engineering capabilities

Model performance optimization

Scalability assessments

Education

Relevant degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Position

Scientific Software Engineer in Earth System Modelling

Employer

University of Leeds

Location

Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom (employed through the University of Leeds)

Sector

Academic

Relevant divisions

• Climate: Past, Present & Future (CL)
• Earth and Space Science Informatics (ESSI)

Type

Contract

Level

Experienced

Salary

£41,064 – £48,822 p.a., depending on experience (Grade 7). 3‑year role.

Application deadline

26 February 2026

Posted

6 February 2026

Job Description

Are you keen to apply your programming and software engineering expertise to help improve our ability to understand and predict the major risks associated with global climate change? Would you like to contribute to the development of the next generation of the UK’s global climate and Earth system models? We are seeking a talented Scientific Software Engineer (SSE) to join the UKESM team as part of PROMOTE (Progressing Earth System Modelling for Tipping Point Early Warning Systems), an ARIA‑funded, multi‑centre research project.

About The Role

The successful candidate will join the UKESM team, contributing to:

• Development and optimisation of a new hybrid‑resolution configuration of the UK’s Earth system model, UKESM2
• Improving the model’s performance, scalability, and scientific capabilities
• Supporting high‑resolution simulations that explore climate tipping points

A central scientific goal of PROMOTE is to investigate the risks, impacts, and potential interactions between abrupt changes in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre (SPG) and the Greenland ice sheet. The high‑resolution modelling tools you help build may ultimately support early‑warning systems for abrupt climate shifts.

Closing date

26 February 2026

How to apply

Apply today!