diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f7f2c6d5..5dddd3b2 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ dependencies = [
   "cfgrib>=0.9.10.1",
   "dask",
   "deprecation",
-  "earthkit-utils>=1.0.0rc0",
+  "earthkit-utils>=1.0.0rc2",
   "eccodeslib==2.46.2.17",
   "eckit==2.0.6.17",
   "entrypoints",
diff --git a/src/earthkit/data/field/component/vertical.py b/src/earthkit/data/field/component/vertical.py
index 261cbea5..f69b3d63 100644
--- a/src/earthkit/data/field/component/vertical.py
+++ b/src/earthkit/data/field/component/vertical.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class VerticalBase(SimpleFieldComponent):
 
     @mark_get_key
     @abstractmethod
-    def level(self) -> Union[int, float]:
+    def level(self, units=None) -> Union[int, float]:
         """Return the level."""
         pass
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def abbreviation(self) -> None:
         """
         return None
 
-    def units(self) -> None:
+    def units(self, units=None) -> None:
         """Return the units of  the level type.
 
         The units are not available for this vertical type, and this method returns None.
@@ -370,8 +370,13 @@ def __init__(
         self._type = get_level_type(level_type)
         self._check()
 
-    def level(self) -> Union[int, float]:
-        return self._level
+    def level(self, units=None) -> Union[int, float]:
+        if self._level is None or units is None:
+            return self._level
+        else:
+            from earthkit.utils.units import convert_array
+
+            return convert_array(self._level, source_units=self.units(), target_units=units)
 
     def layer(self) -> Optional[tuple[float, float]]:
         return self._layer
diff --git a/tests/field/test_vertical_component.py b/tests/field/test_vertical_component.py
index f9b874a9..22e30256 100644
--- a/tests/field/test_vertical_component.py
+++ b/tests/field/test_vertical_component.py
@@ -26,6 +26,19 @@ def test_vertical_component_alias_1():
     assert r.level_type() == "pressure"
 
 
+def test_vertical_component_convert_level_units():
+    r = Vertical(level=1000, level_type="pressure")
+    assert r.level() == 1000
+    assert r.level_type() == "pressure"
+
+    # convert to Pa
+    level_pa = r.level(units="Pa")
+    assert level_pa == 100000
+
+    level_hpa = r.level(units="hPa")
+    assert level_hpa == 1000
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "input_d,ref",
     [