Higher Scientist

NPL is seeking an experienced Higher Scientist based in Teddington to plan and deliver a number of technical activities to take our research to the next level. This full-time Research Scientist job comes with a generous salary and benefits package.

As a Higher Scientist, you'll be expected to acquire new knowledge to find solutions to advance our research. If commercial opportunities arise from your work, you'll need to flag these, as this is how new products and services are born. At NPL, we learn from each other, respect each other, and work together to do better for ourselves and our customers.

We are looking for a graduate or post-doctorate graduate with a real passion for tackling climate change and an interest in metrology to join our Climate and Earth Observation group. We are world leaders in the theory, methods, and practice of metrological traceability of Earth Observation (EO) instrumentation and their data products. Our projects span the full life cycle of EO instrumentation traceability; from pre-flight calibration, in-orbit validation & sensor interoperability, together with L1, L2 and derived product quality assurance.

You will be based at our Teddington site and will use your analytical and problem-solving skills to perform inter-comparing analysis of satellite data for calibration and validation purposes, using this to develop uncertainty budgets for a range of applications. You will work on data-based projects, through a combination of theory-based learning and on-the-job training.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

1. Establishing new methods to improve the quality assurance, interoperability, and metrological traceability of satellite-derived data records with environmental monitoring and climate applications.
2. Sharing your learnings so that we all benefit and mentoring those with less experience than you.
3. Developing partnerships to strengthen our capability.
4. Acting as an ambassador for our work externally and being willing to promote what we do.
5. Providing technical support for any bids we may be undertaking.
6. Working collaboratively as part of our team and with partner organizations to help us achieve our goals.
7. Analyzing complex data sets such as satellite imagery or instrument measurement readings.
8. Learning about and then following established protocols for data processing.
9. Using mathematical and scientific programming languages such as Python to apply and develop new software tools, working with cloud computing resources such as JASMIN and Google Earth Engine.
10. Working within established Health and Safety and Quality systems to safely produce accurate and repeatable results.

To be successful in this role, you will have the following skills, experience, and qualifications:

1. Use logical thought processes to design and follow a scientific work plan.
2. You have a degree or equivalent in Physics, Maths, Data Science, or Earth Science.
3. Write technical documentation and scientific publications, both collaboratively and independently.
4. Good understanding of satellite Earth Observation products and instrumentation, including radiometric calibration.
5. Experience of working in a team to achieve a common goal.
6. Able to communicate clearly and collaborate with colleagues in your team.
7. You enjoy problem-solving and can demonstrate critical thinking, assessing the pros and cons of your approach.
8. Evidence of writing scientific technical reports during your studies or are willing to learn if your experience was acquired in a different setting.
9. Able to demonstrate the ability to complete work which requires a high level of attention to detail.
10. You understand the value of providing good customer service to both internal and external customers, wanting to meet and exceed customer expectations through delivering high-quality work with proactive communications.
11. You are committed to personal development and taking on learning opportunities to get the most from the role.

If this full-time Higher Scientist job in Teddington sounds like the right fit for you, please apply today. At NPL, we set the standards by which everything is measured. In doing so, the National Physical Laboratory is helping to combat issues on a global scale such as climate change, curing diseases, and the development of cutting-edge communications technology. Our role is to research, create and deliver the measurement infrastructure which underpins the UK's prosperity and quality of life across many fields of industry.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert; therefore, we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency, and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance. Some departments may require a higher level of security clearance.