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Job Role
Hydrography and Meteorology Specialist
Job Role

Hydrography and Meteorology Specialist

You’ll use advanced equipment to provide information about local tides, currents, sea depth and even the seabed.

TechnologyWarfareSciencesApprenticeships
  • £18,500 - £58,000
  • No qualifications
  • Surface Fleet
  • Warfare
  • Rating level

At a glance

You'll be working in diverse environments all over the world, building a detailed picture of the conditions for our state-of-the-art aircraft and warships so that our global missions are operationally effective.
Royal Navy Hydrography and Meterology Specialist checking wind speed
My job is all about measuring and recording sea and weather conditions, which means I get to see a lot of the world, and some of the more interesting environments.

Alex

Hydrography and Meteorology Specialist, Warfare branch

Role details

What you’ll do

Helping to plan global missions for Royal Marines Commandos and our state-of-the-art aircraft and warships is a huge responsibility. That’s what you’ll be doing as a Royal Navy Hydrography and Meteorology Specialist: building a detailed picture of environmental conditions so that our missions are operationally effective. It’s a challenging role, and you’ll work in some of the most diverse environments in the world, whether you’re on an Ice Patrol Ship in the Antarctic, or supporting flying operations from one of our new Aircraft Carriers.

Your role

  • You’ll get to choose whether you specialise in Hydrography or Meteorology, and from day one you’ll work towards a Foundation Degree, and then a BSc.
  • Hydrographers complete ocean and coastal surveys, recording information on currents, water composition and depth.
  • Meteorologists measure the environmental impact on operations, determining cloud cover for our aircraft or oceanographic information for our submarines, and ultimately forecasting the weather.
  • Both roles use some of the most advanced kit on the planet. 

Pay & benefits

  • A salary that rises to at least £23,496 after initial training
  • Potential earnings rising to over £58,000 as your career progresses
  • Get additional pay starting at £4.05 per day if you specialise in Hydrography
  • An excellent pension scheme
  • Six weeks of paid holiday every year
  • Free medical and dental care

Skills for life

Qualifications you'll gain

  • Attain a Level 3 Data Technician Apprenticeship
  • GCSEs, A-Levels and the option to complete a BSc
  • Specialist vocational qualifications, with a significant financial contribution from us

Skills you'll develop

  • The ability to collect, process and analyse complex data, while understanding how to use it to our advantage 
  • How to use advanced survey equipment and environmental sensors

Eligibility

  • You must be aged 16 to 39
  • No qualifications are required for this role
  • A National of the United Kingdom, a Commonwealth citizen or Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply
  • A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18)
  • Pass the Naval Swimming Test
     

Skills & Interests

  • Analytical thinking and good communication skills
  • Interest in cutting-edge technology
  • A passion for working in new and unique environments
  • Team player
  • An adventurous spirit

Joining Process

From picking your role to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as a rating.

Career Progression

From responsibilities to pay, find out where this role can take you.

Got a question?

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