Vacant job

Do you want to contribute to a safer society and sustainable seas? We are looking for a knowledgeable natural scientist with an interest in sea ice and project management who wants to combine expertise in maritime safety with a key role in our operational activities.

About SMHI and the team

SMHI is Sweden's expert authority within meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, and climate. Within the oceanographic forecasting and warning service, we work on producing forecasts, warnings, analyses, and decision support materials that contribute to a safer society and a sustainable interaction between humans and the sea. We are now looking for an engaged employee to join our team!

About the position

As an oceanographer here, you will share responsibility for production within SMHI's ice service together with colleagues. The production involves analyzing, mapping, and describing the current sea ice situation at sea, as well as issuing ice forecasts and acting as expert support when needed. The mapping and forecasts are made using a GIS tool with the help of satellite images, collected observations, and numerical models. The work is carried out in close collaboration with colleagues in Finland and other countries around the Baltic Sea.

In addition to production work, the role includes supporting the management and development of the technical systems and tools used within the ice service. For those interested, there is also an opportunity to contribute popular science information about sea ice, for example, to SMHI's website.

You will also have a leading role in assignments and development projects focusing on physical oceanography, shipping-related services, and navigation systems. This is primarily through the role of activity leader in an assignment where SMHI will explore conditions and prepare for a future production chain for S-100 services.

S-100 is a set of international data standards for maritime geoinformation services. SMHI's role is to deliver data for, among other things, navigation warnings and oceanographic forecasts to future navigation systems in accordance with these standards. Within the assignment, you are expected to build knowledge about maritime safety requirements that international organizations, such as the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), and World Meteorological Organization (WMO), place on SMHI as the Swedish national weather service. Another important part is collaborating with other authorities and participating in national and international working groups for products and services for maritime safety.

You will also work as the on-duty oceanographer in our warning service, where we monitor the oceanographic situation in Swedish waters and issue warnings when necessary, for example, for high sea levels during storms. The role involves collaboration with meteorologists and hydrologists within SMHI, as well as with societal actors such as county administrative boards, rescue services, and other authorities.

About you

We are looking for you who have a university degree in natural sciences within oceanography, meteorology, or another area that SMHI assesses as equivalent. It is meritorious if you have education in the shipping field (e.g., nautical officer) and/or geographic information systems (GIS).

Requirements for the position:

• Basic knowledge in physical oceanography (preferably with a focus on the Baltic Sea and the West Coast), as well as meteorology.
• Experience in project, process, or activity management.
• Good knowledge of Swedish and English, both spoken and written.
• Very good knowledge of the Office package.
• At least two years of work experience in an area that SMHI assesses as relevant.

Meritorious qualifications include:

• Practical and/or theoretical knowledge about sea ice.
• Experience working with geographic data and remote sensing, or with hydrographic data or products.
• Knowledge of shipping and/or navigation systems.
• Experience with GIS, databases, system development/management, or programming in Python or similar.
• Experience from working in international contexts.

To thrive and fit into the role, we see that you are self-initiating and quality-conscious, drive your tasks forward, take new initiatives when the situation requires it, and have the ability to see the big picture and think strategically. You also have good collaboration skills and enjoy working in project groups as well as collaborating with other authorities and organizations in various contexts.

Since we work with weather and sea that can change character quickly, we see that you are flexible and have the ability to reprioritize when the situation requires it. As the role involves many contact surfaces – both internally and externally – good communication skills and an accommodating attitude are important to understand users' needs and convey complex information in a pedagogical way.

We place great emphasis on personal qualities and hope that you want to contribute to the pleasant atmosphere we have in the team.

Employment type: Permanent position

Working hours: Scheduled working hours where duty or standby may occur evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Location: Located at SMHI's office in Norrköping. The majority of your working time is at the office, and you have the opportunity to work from home when it suits the operations. The position includes 2–4 trips per year.

Last application date: We welcome your application no later than 2026-06-04