Operational Flood Hydrologist | Bureau of Meteorology |

Australia is regularly affected by severe weather events, leading to increased economic impact, vulnerability and potential magnitude of harm. To address this, the Bureau of Meteorology is undertaking significant steps to deliver a more customer-focused, integrated and resilient national operation. This is an exciting direction for the Bureau of Meteorology, which will change the way we deliver services to Australian communities.

The future operating model for the Bureau of Meteorology will create new career pathways to enhance our culture, to empower our people to learn and grow. As part of this transformation, we are introducing new roles that will assist the Bureau of Meteorology in delivering world-class weather products and services within the newly formed Community Services Group (CSG).

This group is comprised of Environmental Prediction Services (EPS), Decision Support Services (DSS) and National Production Services (NPS) which have been configured to enable scalable, national and resilient services. The EPS program is responsible for the national monitoring, analysis and reporting of hazardous conditions. During severe weather events, EPS will be deployed into operations under the direction of NPS to deliver specialised, hazard-based advice, warning and outlook services.

Operating with a national capability, this program will establish a world-class centre of scientific expertise and practice. To achieve this, EPS has been configured into four predictive service units: Water, Severe Weather, Marine and Antarctic and Climate, each of which plays a key role in the value chain of the Bureau’s capability to deliver a suite of valuable products and services to the Australian community.

The objective of the Flood team is to apply best practice approaches in flood modelling, systems and processes to deliver world-leading flood forecasting and warning products and services for Australia. The team provides advice on conditions that are hazardous or may have a significant impact on the nation. The flood team will operate as one across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

The Operational Flood Hydrologist will report to the Flood Operations Team Lead at their location. The primary responsibility of this role is focused on year-round operational flood monitoring with this shifting to forecasting and warning during flood events. The role will support projects that drive continuous improvement of flood warning services. This includes the development and improvement of flood forecasting systems, techniques, processes, training and documentation that support the national Flood Warning Service.

The key duties of the position include:

The responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Maintaining an awareness of the daily weather status and/or unfolding severe weather events.
• Liaising with meteorologists to understand rainfall potential and utilise this information along with antecedent conditions to assess flood risk.
• Delivering flood warning services including monitoring, prediction and performance reporting.
• Supporting national flood operations including maintaining flood situational awareness, ensuring systems are operationally ready and resources are available should operations be required.
• During operations, the role will focus on monitoring rainfall and river height data, running hydrologic flood models, preparing and issuing flood warning products and liaising with internal customers and external stakeholders including emergency responders and water management agencies.
• Building relationships with internal and external stakeholders, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly to further convey the information provided in flood warning products.
• Communicating the flood message with internal customers and external stakeholders such as emergency responders, water management agencies and the media.
• Supporting projects that drive flood warning service continuous improvements including calibration of flood models, designing and implementing verification procedures and improving techniques, processes and documentation.
• Strong technical and communication skills, combined with leadership, personal resilience, decisiveness, problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a high-pressured environment.
• An ability to respond positively to change and uncertainty is essential. Suitable candidates will be highly motivated self-starters and team players who are able to work within an interdisciplinary and diverse work environment under limited supervision.
• The role will be required to support our routine national flood operations which include weekend working with extended hours particularly during flood events for which relevant compensation will be offered. Experience working in an operational environment will be highly regarded.
• An ability to think laterally, identify, implement and promote improved work practices.
• Supporting in the preparation for, provision of and post-event analysis of operational flood forecasting services.
• Commitment to APS Values and Code of Conduct and understanding of the Bureau’s diversity and inclusion statement of commitment and the Bureau way.
• Complying with all Bureau work, health and safety policies and procedures, and take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of employees, contractors and visitors who may be affected by your conduct.

Eligibility

A degree or diploma from an Australian educational institution or a comparable overseas qualification, which is appropriate to the duties; or other comparable qualifications, which are appropriate to the duties.

Notes

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy. If you choose to apply under the scheme, declare you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the job.

For more information, contact Victoria Dodds at victoria.dodds@bom.gov.au or (07) 3239 8665.

The deadline for submission of the application is 03/08/2021.