How to hire atmospheric and space scientists

Job description template

Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.

[Job title] at [Company name]
[City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range]

About the role
[Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.]

What you will do
• Broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media.
• Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate.
• Develop computer programs to collect meteorological data or to present meteorological information.
• Develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting.
• Formulate predictions by interpreting environmental data, such as meteorological, atmospheric, oceanic, paleoclimate, climate, or related information.
• Gather data from sources such as surface or upper air stations, satellites, weather bureaus, or radar for use in meteorological reports or forecasts.
• Interpret data, reports, maps, photographs, or charts to predict long- or short-range weather conditions, using computer models and knowledge of climate theory, physics, and mathematics.
• Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.

What you bring
• [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any]
• [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree]
• Strong reading comprehension, active learning, active listening, critical thinking, science and speaking skills
• Working knowledge of mathematics, physics, geography and computers and electronics
• [Anything else you would really turn someone away for]

Pay and benefits
[Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $47.63 an hour ($99,070 a year).
[Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.]

How to apply
[Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]

Copy the template Check your finished job post

Interview questions for atmospheric and space scientists

Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.

1. Tell me about a time you had to broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
2. Tell me about a time you had to conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
3. Tell me about a time you had to develop computer programs to collect meteorological data or to present meteorological information. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
4. Tell me about a time you had to develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
5. Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
6. Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
7. Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
8. Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?

Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.

What atmospheric and space scientists do

• Broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media.
• Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate.
• Develop computer programs to collect meteorological data or to present meteorological information.
• Develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting.
• Formulate predictions by interpreting environmental data, such as meteorological, atmospheric, oceanic, paleoclimate, climate, or related information.
• Gather data from sources such as surface or upper air stations, satellites, weather bureaus, or radar for use in meteorological reports or forecasts.
• Interpret data, reports, maps, photographs, or charts to predict long- or short-range weather conditions, using computer models and knowledge of climate theory, physics, and mathematics.
• Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.

Skills that matter most

Reading ComprehensionActive LearningActive ListeningCritical ThinkingScienceSpeakingMathematicsPhysicsGeographyComputers and Electronics

Education, experience and outlook for atmospheric and space scientists

• Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
• Job outlook: +2.6% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 800 openings a year (BLS)

What to pay atmospheric and space scientists

Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:

See atmospheric and space scientists pay in every state

Related hiring guides

• Astronomers
• Physicists
• Chemists
• Materials Scientists
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
• Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
• Hydrologists
• Physical Scientists, All Other

Job duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.