Information for applicants
This role is Ongoing / Non Ongoing and located in Sydney or Wollongong. Information about the position, including eligibility, selection criteria, and details on how to apply, is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's website Careers page at
Applications close at
11:30pm AEDT Monday 19 January 2026
Enquiries about the position can be directed Steven Bernasconi
Hazard Preparedness and Response Manager NSW/ACT
Email:
About the Bureau
We are Australia's weather, climate, water, oceans and space weather agency. Our work touches the lives of all Australians every day.
Our products and services include observations, forecasts, warnings, analysis and advice. They cover Australia's atmosphere, water, oceans and space environments.
The Bureau operates under the authority of the Meteorology Act 1955 and the Water Act 2007. We also fulfill Australia's international obligations under the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization and related international meteorological treaties and agreements.
Read the Bureau of Meteorology Strategy 2022–27 to find out more about our organisation and the work we do for all Australians.
Position overview
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced hydrologist specialising in communication and engagement to join our organisation as a hydrologist communication specialist.
Primarily, your role will be to support state and local Emergency Management during the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of flooding and related impacts. In this role, you will be responsible for delivering tailored information to the emergency management sector, enabling them to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions. You will be part of a team of hydrologists, meteorologists, and climatologists, who are jointly responsible for enhancing emergency services decision making through accurate and timely communication, including both written and verbal briefings.
In addition to operational tasks, you will share responsibility for routine stakeholder related tasks. These may include building relationships with external customers, supporting Flood Warning Consultative Committees, advising state and local government agencies on floodplain management issues, and participating in continuous improvement activities that improve Bureau products and services, particularly those involved in delivering the Total Flood Warning Service.
You will work rosters that support the delivery of decision support to the NSW State Emergency Services' (NSW SES) operational preparedness and response work.Working from NSW SES State headquarters at Wollongong will be required. This involves a rostered rotation, Monday to Friday, to prepare and deliver flood operational briefings for the NSW SES before, during and after flood events. A minimum of 2 days per week is required at Wollongong with more dependent on severe weather outlooks and flooding.
During severe weather and flooding events extended working hours will be required and may need to be performed from sites that are remote to the Bureau's Sydney office, including but not limited to the NSW SES Head Quarters in Wollongong and the NSW State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) at Olympic Park.You will be required to work within Emergency Management Operational Command Centres with other emergency management agencies. This requires an ability to carry out duties remotely and with limited direct supervision.
Role responsibilities
The responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
1. Complying with all Bureau work, health and safety policies and procedures, and taking reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of employees, contractors and visitors who may be affected by your conduct.
2. Customer lead for emergency management agencies and first responders in your geographic area, engaging with and building strategic relationships with emergency management partners, particularly those who hold a flood focus, to understand their requirements for prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
3. Support the floodplain management processes of the state and local governments of the area through advice and guidance of the Total Flood Warning Service.
4. Lead and participate in consultative forums and post event reviews, providing briefings to non-technical audiences and contributing to the co-design of new products and services. You will demonstrate the ability to develop and deliver new and enhanced service offerings through the interpretation of partner focus and insight, and science and technical expertise.
5. Maintain situational awareness of the weather, with particular focus on rainfall and associated flooding that may lead to community impacts.
6. Assist emergency managers by providing clearly communicated expert advice on flood risk, including timing, impact, and uncertainty, to inform customer's decisions to help mitigate risks for emergency managers and the community.
7. Working side-by-side with our emergency management partners to deliver pre-season planning and preparedness activities, including desktop exercises and public awareness campaigns.
8. On a day-to-day basis, use your expertise and understanding of our partner agencies to influence and collaborate across Bureau operational teams to ensure local hazard and impact information is expressed in both our products and services, and within the local and national weather narrative.
9. During severe weather events, you will be required to support the Bureau and our partners outside the scope of standard working hours and at other agencies workplaces. This may include providing operational flood warning roles at our partner's Operational Command Centre, or delivering high-level briefings to partners, at media interviews and press conferences.
10. Prioritising your development opportunities and competencies, as the Bureau's Decision Support Services capability continues to grow. This includes expanding on your technical expertise, as well as deepening your understanding of the needs of our Emergency Management partners.
11. Commitment to APS Values and Code of Conduct and understanding of the Bureau's diversity and inclusion statement of commitment and the Bureau way.
Qualifications:
A degree or diploma of 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 (desirable).
Merit pool
The selection process will establish a merit pool that may be used to fill similar positions within 18 months.
How to Apply
Applications can be lodged through the Bureau of Meteorology Careers.
Your application will consist of resume, contact details for two referees and a '800-word pitch' that considers:
* position overview
* job responsibilities
* selection criteria
* relevant sections of the Integrated Leadership System (ILS) and APS work level standards.
The Bureau is an equal opportunities employer. We will support applicants with disability through our RecruitAbility Program and will provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment and other practical support at relevant stages of the recruitment process.
The Bureau drives its reconciliation efforts through its business activities, services, programs and stakeholders, whilst ensuring we have a deeper understanding of our organisational context and influence. Our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan outlines the delivery of these activities, and the ways we will hold ourselves to account for them.
We recognise the need for our workforce to reflect the community we serve and provide an inclusive environment that respects and values diversity and is described in our Diversity and Inclusion commitment.
The Bureau offers flexible working options, reasonable workplace adjustments and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Should you have any questions or experience any difficulties with applying online, please contact us via email on
Integrity in the Bureau
Integrity is deeply important to our work in the public service. It underpins the trust of the Australian public, who rely on us to serve their interests and deliver the best outcomes. It's a great privilege to serve the public, and with this privilege comes a responsibility to act with the highest standards of integrity.
Everyone has a role when it comes to integrity, as individual integrity informs the Bureau's pro-integrity culture. Integrity directly aligns with our Strategy in our values and behaviours to act with trust, honesty and reliability.
Employee behaviours and conduct
The Australian community expects the highest standards of behaviour from its public servants. These standards of behaviour are detailed in Section 13 of the PS Act and are referred to as the Code.
The Code requires that Bureau employees at all times behave in a way that upholds the APS Values, the APS Employment Principles, and the integrity and good reputation of the Bureau and the APS (PS Act, s
The Code forms the legal basis for the Bureau taking disciplinary action against an employee. Section 15(1) of the PS Act sets out the sanctions that can be imposed when employees are found to have breached the Code.
To find out more about the employment conditions at the Bureau, please refer to the Bureau of Meteorology Current Enterprise Agreement.