Every Friday, I break down real meteorology job postings and cover what the role actually involves, what employers are really looking for, and how to position yourself to get hired. Experience in energy, aviation, agricultural commodities, transportation, outdoor recreation, and event forecasting. Free, every Friday
The Friday Job Report - Week 12
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Issued on the 20th of March, 2026 - As we move into the Spring, a time of volatility in the Northern Hemisphere, as most meteorologists know from experience, the weather models are not always that great. The NAM is notorious in the US for busting on temperatures. The GFS can go way too high. Then you throw in extreme conditions like this past Monday, where the models (all of them) missed the forecast in western Kansas by almost 20 degrees F. A terrible forecast. Yet it is in these periods of time that you, as a meteorologist, can tap into your own experience and skills to make an accurate forecast, regardless of the models. This is a time when you want to rely on pattern recognition, forecast soundings, and boundary layer conditions to make a forecast that matters and provides the information your clients need. As my coaching clients are learning, while many in the meteorology industry seemingly look down on hand analysis, especially after college, the best meteorologists I have worked for in my career actively promote this as a starting point to making good forecasts. When you understand what is happening in the atmosphere, including whether the model is actually initializing correctly, you can make really good forecasts. United States JobsIndustry: Energy Title: Wildfire Analyst Company: Dominion Energy Work Location: Richmond, VA Pay: None Given Benefits: See Job Listing Degree:
Years of Experience: 3+ years of experience in meteorology, fire weather forecasting, emergency management, or environmental science. Key Skills or Knowledge: (most important to the company)
Additional Skills:
Who Should Apply? This would be a great position for people who have a background in wildfires or emergency management, and maybe even if you live in the Dominion footprint and understand the microclimates of that region. The other type of person who would be good in this role would be the fast-learner, who has a forecast background and would like to work in energy, and especially wildfire meteorology. This means you would learn the wildfire-specific duties very quickly. About the Location Richmond may not get the recognition of other big cities to the North, but the location is great for both outdoor, cultural, and historical attractions, and the climate is pretty great, too. Washington, D.C. is just to the North, the Shenandoah Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway are not very far northwest, and the beach near Norfolk and on the Delmarva are a close day trip to the East. Industry: Operational Meteorology Title: Associate Weather Risk Analyst Company: DTN Work Location: Bloomington, MN (Minneapolis) Pay: $40,500 - $54,000 USD per year Benefits: See Job Listing Degree:
Years of Experience: None given. Key Skills or Knowledge: (most important to the company)
Additional Skills:
Who Should Apply? If you are entry-level or early career, this is your chance. This company does forecasting at a high level for multiple industries worldwide. This means you will get a lot of experience in different areas, but how much you get is up to you. You often need to take the initiative, using your self-motivation to learn as much as possible when given the opportunity. About the Location Obviously, you know as a meteorologist that Minnesota is cold in the Winter and much of the Spring. Minnesota is a tall state, at a northern latitude for the United States, and in the south, there are farms and wind turbines. In the middle are pine trees, lakes, and Minneapolis. Western Minnesota is a really great location to chase tornadoes. Northern Minnesota has cliffs on Lake Superior and waterfalls, and is a gateway to the Boundary Waters that extend into Canada. I've only actually been to Minneapolis one time, and it was a super long time ago for a job interview with Northwest Airlines, which has since merged with Delta. However, while I was there, I visited the Mall of America, and it is a pretty big structure with roller coasters inside. During good weather, if you have kids, a little to the east is the Wisconsin Dells, which is possibly the biggest collection of amusement parks in the World.
Industry: Data Title: Drone Flight Specialist Company: Meteomatics Work Location: Oklahoma City, OK (company is based in Switzerland) Pay: None Given Benefits: See Job Listing Degree: None listed, but a BS in Meteorology might help. Certifications: Valid drone pilot certifications (FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, BVLOS, or equivalent) Years of Experience: None given. Key Skills or Knowledge: (most important to the company)
Additional Skills:
Who Should Apply? If you know how to fly a drone and you understand the rules you should apply. This is a very specific type of position for the right person. I would say you must understand what this company is selling and why the need is there for drone pilots and operations. You can use a drone for all kinds of things around weather, such as wind turbine inspection or storm damage. About the Location Oklahoma City is great for not just chasing tornadoes but letting the tornadoes come to you. They have hot summers, cold winters with occasional snow. It's not a huge city, but there are professional sports and museums, and generally outdoor activities such as lakes and a tiny mountain range to the south called the Arbuckle Mountains. Posting Closing Date: 03/23/2026Industry: Emergency Management Title: Assistant State Meteorologist Company: State of Florida Work Location: Tallahassee, FL Pay: $55,163 USD per year Benefits: See Job Listing Degree: A bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, or a related Earth Science field from an accredited university or college. Years of Experience: None given. Key Skills or Knowledge: (most important to the company)
Additional Skills:
Who Should Apply? This position leans toward emergency management, where your role is to deliver information during severe or extreme weather events. You will have to make the forecast to understand when the threat is elevated and then communicate to multiple people what will happen with the storm. Honestly, I think a broadcast background would do very well in this role, or someone who has a background in communicating clearly to an audience, working crazy hours, and providing important information during severe weather. About the Location Hot, humid, really close to the ocean and the beach, and in an area that can see not tropical systems, but tornadoes, sometimes even cold temperatures. Similarly close to natural springs in northern Florida with clear water. A great college sports town, but close enough to Jacksonville or even Orlando if you need a bigger city. International JobsPost Closing Date: 26/03/2026Industry: Emergency Management / Forecasting / Data Title: Meteorologist Company: UNDP - United Nations Development Program Work Location: Kathmandu, Nepal Pay: None given Benefits: See Job Listing Degree: A bachelor’s degree in Meteorology, Water Resources Management, Environmental Science, or related fields. Years of Experience: 7 years with no degree!!! or 4 years with a Bachelor's. Key Skills or Knowledge: (most important to the company)
Additional Skills:
Who Should Apply? This is a really fascinating and important role, and I would love for everyone to be able to apply, but you must speak Nepali, and so this will likely reduce the number of people by quite a bit. The role is a combination of emergency management, siting and installing weather stations to observe lake level conditions, and making forecasts of when flooding may be an issue, likely both short and long-range forecasts. Industry: Operational Meteorologist / Leadership Title: Assistant Meteorologist Company: Ubimet Work Location: Vienna, Austria Pay: Minimum 3,500 euros per month Benefits: See Job Listing Degree: A degree in Atmospheric Science, Physics, Scientific Computing, or a related field Years of Experience: 3-5 years of experience Key Skills or Knowledge: (most important to the company)
Additional Skills:
Who Should Apply? I continue to think this is a great role for a mid to senior-level meteorologist if you want to live in the EU and you want to work in a leadership role. The company is well established and is a meteorology company at its core. If you are already in Europe or want to relocate there, then this would be a great position. About the Location As an outdoors person, living at the base of the Austrian Alps would be phenomenal. However, if the outdoors is not what you enjoy, the actual city of Vienna is, from what I've heard, a fun city to explore. Final ThoughtsThere are a ton of non-forecasting, high-paying jobs where you label model data. This, as one LinkedIn post said, is "glorified data entry". It's not that you shouldn't take the job, but just know what you are applying for, that it likely is not long-term, and will not lead you on to better things, at least as a forecaster. Now, that being said, there are some really good jobs right now, from the wildfire job at Dominion to getting your start with a global company, DTN. Remember, that while I post a few jobs on the Friday Job Report, there are often many more. If you need help learning where to find jobs, how to interview, what to expect on forecast tests, or even how to forecast specific types of weather, please reach out and schedule a time to talk. Good luck! |
Scott Patterson
Every Friday, I break down real meteorology job postings and cover what the role actually involves, what employers are really looking for, and how to position yourself to get hired. Experience in energy, aviation, agricultural commodities, transportation, outdoor recreation, and event forecasting. Free, every Friday