Observational Oceanographer

Job Summary

BAS seeks an Observational Physical Oceanographer to design, deploy, and manage oceanographic instrumentation, conduct fieldwork in Antarctica and Greenland, analyse data, and publish research on high‑latitude ocean circulation.

Contract Details

• Job Reference: BAS 26/53
• Contract Type: Open‑Ended Appointment
• Location: Cambridge (fieldwork to polar regions required)
• Salary: Band E S2 – £52,907 – £58,198
• Closing Date: 07June2026
• Interview Period: 22–23June2026

Responsibilities

• Prepare for and conduct field campaigns supporting Polar Oceans projects, such as the Orkney Passage and Rothera mooring arrays.
• Lead ship‑based field campaigns (e.g., KANG‑GLAC, BIOPOLE, OCEAN‑ICE, POLOMINTS) and collect data from CTD, ADCP, underway temperature‑salinity, meteorological instruments, and bottle samples.
• Support operation, piloting, and development of BAS’s autonomous underwater vehicle fleet, applying expertise in physical and biogeochemical sensors.
• Analyse collected data, write, publish, and communicate scientific findings in high‑profile journals and conferences.
• Assist in writing future research proposals, including Antarctica InSync and International Polar Year programmes.
• Supervise Masters, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers within the Polar Oceans team.
• Collaborate with observationalists and modellers; present research at national/international conferences, liaise with external visitors, and promote the Polar Oceans team internally and externally.

Essential Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in numerical science, mathematics, physics, oceanography, earth science, or meteorology.
• Post‑doctoral experience in observational physical oceanography.
• Field experience deploying, quality controlling, and analysing a range of physical oceanographic instrumentation and data.
• Strong numerical skills and extensive programming expertise for data collection, quality control, and analysis.
• Experience managing teams undertaking sea‑based fieldwork.
• Proficient written and spoken English, with a record of publishing research papers and presenting at conferences.
• Ability to manage project workflows and balance time/resources across multiple projects.
• Team‑player with flexibility and adaptability.
• Medical fitness to work in Antarctic conditions.

Desirable Qualifications

• Contribution to or leadership of research proposal development and submission.
• Experience designing, deploying, recovering moorings, and piloting autonomous underwater vehicles such as ocean gliders or surface vehicles.
• Interest in a wide range of physical and biogeochemical sensors and platforms.
• Experience managing and supervising Masters, PhD students or postdoctoral researchers.
• Interest in communicating BAS science to wider audiences, including outreach and stakeholder engagement.
• Understanding of how BAS science fits within a broader context and experience in scientific physical oceanography or ocean biogeochemistry.
• Appropriate security screening/vetting level required for the role; UKRI reserves the right to re‑run clearance as required.

EEO Statement

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and support diversity, equity, inclusion, and disability confidence. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, disability, or background.

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