Navigating new waters – transitioning from military to civilian life
From living and working under the sea to specialising in Earth Observation at Ordnance Survey
I left the service in 2002 and, like many, found the transition into civilian life quite daunting. The Armed Forces do a great job of dealing with life admin for you – they book your dental appointments, make sure you get paid on time, let you know when to take leave and basically tell you where to be and when. When you leave the military, amongst all the other things you need to do, you have to learn how to navigate normal life! Typically, your exposure to outside career opportunities is limited and so working out what you want to do is challenging.
As a service leaver I didn’t think that the things I had done during my time in the Navy were necessarily relevant to a career outside. I have since learned that service leavers have a huge amount to offer, mainly due to the military ethos that has been instilled into them.

I struggled to identify what it was that I wanted from my new civilian career. I worked in IT, for HM Revenue & Customs (which was next door to the old Ordnance Survey building – a sign of things to come, perhaps) and for a consultancy firm. None of these really seemed to resonate with me. I made the decision to go to university and study a subject that combined my interest in science and my love of the ocean. So, at 40, I embarked on my undergraduate degree in Oceanography at the University of Southampton and got my first taste of using of satellite data. I followed this up with a PhD in Oceanography that focused on using Earth Observation data to monitor the global ocean. I then went to the US and did a NASA sponsored post-doc investigating algorithm development, validation, and use. I returned from the US in 2017 and found myself in a similar position as when I first left the Navy – what do I do next?
In 2018 I saw an advert for an Earth Observation Specialist at Ordnance Survey. As soon as I walked into the building, I knew that this was the place I wanted to work. What struck me straight away were the people. They all had a singular passion around geography and were proud to be working for an organisation that had such a rich heritage and public recognition. It immediately felt like the right fit for me. I am now a Senior Innovation & Research Scientist leading the Earth Observation Research Team.

My one concern was what does an ex-submariner with a background in Oceanography bring to a terrestrial mapping organisation? Well, quite a bit, as it happens. It was relatively easy to take my Earth Observation experience and apply it to the challenges of a national mapping agency. Additionally, I found that some of the things the military had drilled into me – punctuality, leadership, teamwork, flexibility – were key skills that shape you into a person that can deliver for the organisation.
Since joining OS I have learnt, through the Armed Forces network, that we have many ex-service personnel and families working here. The military is part of OS’s heritage and so perhaps that is why it seems like such a good fit for those leaving the forces.
This year, OS has recently signed the Armed Forces Covenant and set up a new Armed Forces network which welcomes veterans, reservists, and family members of military personnel - New Armed Forces network at OS.
For further information about career opportunities at OS, please visit Careers | Home | OS

Senior Innovation and Research Scientist