This is career-defining work
Our approach to recruitment
This is career-defining work
Our approach to recruitment
Recruiting great talent
The Met Office is recognised as a world-leader in weather forecasting and climate science because of our world-class people. As the challenges of climate change and resilience to extreme weather conditions becomes more and more apparent, we will always seek people with the ingenuity, passion and dedication to help people around the world make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. We strive to make our approach to recruitment fair, inclusive and respectful. Our values act as a guiding light for candidates to demonstrate that their personal and career motivations match with our set of behaviours.
We are committed to being a more diverse and inclusive organisation and we are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. For your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme or to request an adjustment to our recruitment process, please contact us at careers@metoffice.gov.uk.
A career in the Civil Service
Working in the Civil Service means a career where you can make a real difference to people’s lives. It can be flexible, rewarding and varied – there’s many different career paths so you can find an opportunity to suit you. Every civil servant is part of a profession and this is linked to the type of job you do.
At the Met Office, we use our Professional Skills Frameworks to support your development and unlock your potential. We want you to thrive here and be the best you can be. You can find out more about our professions in by exploring our key roles. We recruit on merit, fairness and open competition which means you can be confident in our recruitment processes which are in line with the civil service code.
Find out more about joining the Civil ServiceOur standard recruitment process
1. Eligibility
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. Our 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.
8. 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.
A guide to writing your application
Take time to read the advert carefully and think about how the examples you provide showcase your skills and experience of each of the job criteria. The most effective applications we see use the CARL method to structure the evidence candidates provide to show how their skills, values and experience meet the essential criteria for the job. This involves giving the Context, Action, Result and Learning of any examples you give. It’s a way of writing evidence – that's not just a brief description but one that goes into what and why you did something and what happened next.
- Context. Tell us what the situation was and any pertinent details.
- Action. What did you do? How did you do this? The more personal you can make this to actions you personally took, the better your application will be – however do also include details of how you collaborated with others too.
- Result. What was the outcome of your example? Did you get a good result or positive feedback? Equally, did you receive any constructive or negative feedback and how did you respond to this?
- Learning. What did you learn during this process? We pride ourselves that we ‘keep evolving’ and in the spirit of this, even if something doesn’t go to plan you will still have opportunities to learn for next time.
This technique can also be used in an interview when talking through your examples to make sure you tell the panel clearly about an example of when and where you’ve demonstrated a particular skill.
Requesting reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
We want to make sure that no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. If you’re disabled, neurodivergent or if you have a long-term condition that you believe may affect your performance during the selection process, we can make reasonable adjustments. These can include (but are not limited to) providing any questions in advance, scheduling the interview or assessment at a certain time of the day, adapting the environment of in-person meetings, as well as offering additional time or breaks. Everyone’s needs are different, so please contact us about anything you may need during the selection or interview process. All requests will be treated in confidence.
Open to all
We are committed to being a more diverse and inclusive organisation. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and have signed the Mindful Employer charter which supports mental wellbeing at work. We have also been awarded Investors in Diversity accreditation by the National Centre for Diversity.
The answers to a few FAQs
While we've tried to answer all the questions that you may have about joining the Met Office, we're sure to have missed a couple. With that in mind, here are a few answers to the most common questions that our Resourcing Team are asked. And remember if the answer isn't here you can always contact the team.
Email the team: careers@metoffice.gov.uk
I already work in the Civil Service. Can I transfer my skills?
Yes, we often recruit from within the Civil Service and encourage your application.
Can I apply for more than one vacancy?
Yes, please apply for any of our relevant roles which you feel match your skills.
Can I request a reasonable adjustment?
Of course, we want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. If you’re disabled, neurodivergent or if you have a long-term condition that you believe may affect your performance during the selection process we can make reasonable adjustments. These can include (but are not limited to) extra time for an assessment, having questions in advance, alternative format for materials. Everyone’s needs are different, please contact us about anything you may need during the selection or interview process. All requests are treated in confidence.
What happens after I apply?
You will hear from us as soon as possible after the advert closes, we will always update you to let you know if you have reached interview stage or not.
If I’m unsuccessful, will I get feedback?
We can unfortunately only provide feedback to candidates who attend interview.
Do I need a valid work permit?
We can sponsor Skilled Worker visas on some of our roles, we will always make this clear on each of our adverts. For any roles which are not eligible for a Skilled Worker visa, we will need you to have valid evidence of right to work (or be able to outline how you would gain this before starting the role).
I can’t find a suitable vacancy to apply to
The jobs we advertise vary depending on our business requirements, so there’s not often set times for specific recruitment campaigns outside of our Early Careers opportunities. You can set up email alerts specific to the professions or jobs you’re interested in so that you keep updated of new opportunities as they arise. This can also be a great way to understand what different posts involve and the skills we’re looking for so that you can plan your next career move if there is a particular job you are interested in.
Meet the Resourcing Team
We hope that this careers website gives you a great insight into life and work at the Met Office. If you have any questions during the application or recruitment process, please contact our Resourcing Team who are happy to help by email, careers@metoffice.gov.uk.
Dan Evans
Amelia Palmer
Jenny Hopper
