Job Vacancy Geomagnetism IT Specialist

Grade: UKRI Pay Band C/S1 (or potentially Pay Band D/S1 depending on skills and experience)

Salary: C/S1 salary is £31,212 per annum (D/S1 salary, which is £42,840 per annum, may be payable to applicants who can also meet the Band D/S1 criteria set out in this advert)

A great benefits package is offered, including an outstanding pension scheme, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, and access to flexi-time.

Hours: Full-time - 37 hours a week (some flexible working options may be available, including a small amount of remote working, in line with BGS policy)

Location: The Lyell Centre, BGS offices in Edinburgh (which are situated on the Heriot-Watt University campus)

About the team

The Geomagnetism Team undertakes long-term monitoring of the Earth's magnetic field through the operation of magnetic observatories in the UK and overseas. We research the magnetic field changes in observatory and satellite data that result from space weather and solar activity and how this impacts modern technology. 

We also use worldwide land, marine, airborne and satellite data to make global models describing how the Earth's magnetic field changes in space and time and what that reveals about physical processes within the solid Earth.

We apply our science in precision navigation, including directional drilling as well as the effect of space weather on ground-based and near-earth technology. We collaborate with many organisations, including ESA (European Space Agency), National Grid, and the UK Met Office. The team also operate the Geomagnetic Information Node (GIN) and global data portal on behalf of INTERMAGNET as well as a World Data Centre for Geomagnetism. 

About the role

The postholder will join a small team providing IT expertise for scientific applications within the Geomagnetism Team, such as required for Space Weather and Navigational services. These all have a dependency on pioneering IT developments. Some require provision of time-series data products and model outputs, in near real-time, and others require provision of services, which include access to databases, models and model outputs. The key duties and responsibilities in this role include:

• Maintain and develop existing applications and systems, particularly in Fortran, C, Shell scripts and Java, including time series data delivery and display.
• Design and implement web services that present science data (geomagnetic outputs that can vary both temporally and spatially) to a wide range of users including the public.
• Provide Linux system administration skills to ensure the geomagnetism team-specific systems (Linux virtual machines and servers) are compliant with the wider BGS operations including security certification (Cyber essentials).
• Take the lead in a particular area of IT development that is important to our future business (e.g. Containerisation, Cloud Computing, test frameworks and continuous integration).

The postholder will also be expected to:

• Provide IT support to Geomagnetism science colleagues.
• Update systems in response to security scan alerts and deprecation warnings.
• Pursue a programme of Continuing Professional Development in IT.

And they will be given the opportunity to:

• Take a leading role in the development and maintenance of one or more of our software products.
• Undertake training to understand basic geomagnetism and space weather as a background to the IT work.

This role provides a rare opportunity to be involved in all stages of the software lifecycle, from design to deployment. Candidates should also note that there is latitude to develop this role around your own skills and you can expect to gain experience in:

• Taking ownership for solving complex scientific and business problems under your own initiative.
• Exposure to a wide range of technologies.
• Contributing to the scientific output of the organisation, and the possibility of representing BGS at national and international meetings relevant to your role.

About you

Candidates should have a Degree in an IT related subject or another subject, such as Space Science, Geophysics or Physics, with significant IT content, or significant equivalent work experience. An MSc or PhD or professional qualification in an IT related subject would also be an advantage, and a requirement for consideration at the higher pay band. 

This job could suit either a relatively recent graduate or someone further into their career with wider knowledge and experience. Applicants considered in the latter group would have a stronger case to be appointed at the higher pay band from the start, whereas the former would be given opportunities, on the job, to gain the wider knowledge and experience in order, over time, to progress and reach the higher band via the BGS personal promotion scheme. 

Candidates must be able to demonstrate experience of programming, have strong examples of technical problem solving and the ability to adapt and learn new skills. 

Candidates should also be able to demonstrate an interest in Geomagnetism and/or Space Weather. Any basic background knowledge in these areas would be an advantage, however training will be provided. 

The post would suit a self-motivated person with excellent communication skills and who is willing to be an active team player. The post holder must be able to attend the Edinburgh office during normal business hours. There is also a flexible hybrid working scheme in place.

The additional specific essential and desirable skills criteria for this post below will be assessed at Shortlist (S) stage, interview (I) stage, or both (S&I).

Essential

• Degree in an IT related subject, or another subject, such as Space Science, Geophysics, or Physics with significant IT content, or significant equivalent work experience (S)
• Experience in programming, including code testing, in at least one of (ideally more) Fortran (95 or later), C, Java, Shell scripts, Python, JavaScript (S&I)
• Knowledge of Linux operating systems (S&I)
• Good English communication skills - reading, writing (S), listening and speaking (I)
• Able to work flexibly, proactively and collaboratively in a team, whilst managing your own time on multiple tasks to meet agreed targets (S&I)
• A demonstrated interest in developing your area of expertise - having a good record of Continuing Professional Development in IT (S&I)
• You will be committed to a diverse and inclusive approach to work in the geosciences (S&I) 

Desirable

• A demonstrated ability to rapidly adapt to change, learning new or unfamiliar technologies as required (S&I)
• Experience of programming under Linux and/or administering Linux (S&I)
• Skills in IT development and maintenance, such as user interface design and/or client web applications and/or back-end web service developments - any or all Continuous Integration techniques; Git version control; GitLab; Containerisation; Maven build system; HTML5; CSS; Bootstrap; FastAPI; Java Servlet (S&I)

The following two criteria are essential to qualify for the higher UKRI Pay Band D/S1:

• MSc or PhD or similar professional qualification in an IT related subject or significant equivalent work experience (S)
• A demonstrated ability to take a business/scientific problem of significant technical complexity, identify and assess appropriate technologies, and design a software solution (I)

About us

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is an applied geoscience research centre that belongs to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is affiliated to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It is a world leading geological survey whose core mission is to advise government of science related to the subsurface and to undertake applied research to solve earth and environmental issues, both in the UK and globally. It is funded directly by UKRI, as well as through research grants and private sector contracts.

We strive to promote equality and diversity across our organisation in order to continuously improve our scientific and organisational efficiency. As such, we aim to have a workforce with employees from all backgrounds with people who are passionate about earth science and who share our dedication to work for the good of the environment and the benefit of society. BGS became a signatory of the Technician Commitment in July 2022.

How to apply

Applicants are required to include a CV, a covering letter outlining their suitability for the role and to state in the cover letter the programming language of choice, from one of Fortran, Python, C or Java, that will be tested if selected for interview. We stress the importance of this paperwork in our selection process. 

A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV. 

The closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 9 October 2024. Interviews are expected to be held in late October 2024 in Edinburgh.