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Atmospheric Science Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Lyten, Inc.

Data Scientist, Sensors

San Jose, CA

$155K - $232K/yr

Doctorate degree in sensor analytics, atmospheric science, or applied data science ...OR Master's degree in sensor analytics, atmospheric science, or applied data science AND 3+ years of experience ...

Lyten, Inc.

Data Scientist, Sensors

San Jose, CA · On-site

$155K - $232K/yr

Doctorate degree in sensor analytics, atmospheric science, or applied data science ...OR Master's degree in sensor analytics, atmospheric science, or applied data science AND 3+ years of experience ...

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Atmospheric Science information

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$23.5K

$74.5K

$152.8K

How much do atmospheric science jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for atmospheric science in California is $74,549.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $39,169.00 and $101,839.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an atmospheric scientist, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Atmospheric Scientist, you need a solid background in meteorology, mathematics, physics, and often an advanced degree in atmospheric or environmental science. Proficiency with data analysis tools, weather modeling software, remote sensing technologies, and programming languages like Python or MATLAB is typically required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication skills help you interpret data and share findings with diverse audiences. These skills and qualifications are crucial for accurately predicting weather patterns, understanding climate phenomena, and informing public safety and policy decisions.

What are some common challenges atmospheric scientists face when conducting field research?

Atmospheric scientists often encounter unpredictable weather, difficult terrain, and logistical hurdles when conducting field research. These challenges can impact the deployment of instruments, data collection, and project timelines. Effective planning, adaptability, and teamwork are essential for overcoming these obstacles and ensuring safety while gathering high-quality data. Collaborating closely with other scientists, engineers, and local stakeholders also helps in addressing unexpected issues and achieving research objectives.

What is the difference between Atmospheric Science vs Meteorology?

AspectAtmospheric ScienceMeteorology
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in atmospheric science, meteorology, or related fieldsBachelor's degree in meteorology or atmospheric sciences often required
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, universities, government agenciesWeather forecasting centers, TV stations, government agencies
Industry UsageResearch, academia, environmental consultingWeather prediction, broadcasting, operational forecasting

Atmospheric Science and Meteorology share overlapping credentials and work environments, but Atmospheric Science has a broader focus on research and environmental studies, while Meteorology is more oriented toward weather forecasting and operational services.

What is atmospheric science?

Atmospheric science is the study of the Earth's atmosphere, its processes, and how it interacts with the planet's surface and oceans. This field includes the investigation of weather patterns, climate change, air quality, and the transfer of energy within the atmosphere. Atmospheric scientists use observations, experiments, and computer models to predict weather, understand climate trends, and analyze environmental impacts. Careers in atmospheric science can include meteorology, climatology, and research on atmospheric chemistry and physics.

What are the qualifications to get a job in atmospheric science?

The qualifications to get a job in atmospheric science depend on the level and complexity of your responsibilities and the specific field in which you work. For many entry-level jobs, such as field workers, site researchers, and assistants, you need an associate or bachelor’s degree in climate science, meteorology, or atmospheric science. More advanced research or analytical work may require a master’s degree or Ph.D. Many atmospheric science jobs now include a significant data analysis component, so knowledge of R and other statistical software is essential. Strong analytical thinking and study skills are essential.

More about Atmospheric Science jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Atmospheric Science jobs in California? The most popular types of Atmospheric Science jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Atmospheric Science jobs in California? For Atmospheric Science jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Atmospheric Science jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Atmospheric Science jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Atmospheric Science jobs? Cities in California with the most Atmospheric Science job openings:
Atmospheric Science jobs near you
Infographic showing various Atmospheric Science job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 65% Full Time, 29% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 77% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 20% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $74,549 per year, or $35.8 per hour.

Rainmaker Fellow, Atmospheric Science

Rainmaker Technology Corporation

El Segundo, CA

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Posted 16 days ago

Job description

About Rainmaker

Rainmaker is pioneering a modern cloud-seeding system to increase precipitation, improve water availability, and address severe-weather challenges. We combine atmospheric science, weather-resistant UAS, radar and satellite observations, numerical weather prediction, novel sensing systems, and sustainable seeding technologies to design, operate, and evaluate precipitation-enhancement programs.

Rainmaker needs quantitative methods that translate atmospheric conditions into operational and program-design decisions. Fellows work on analyses intended to change what Rainmaker builds, where it operates, or how it evaluates results.

About the Fellowship

The Rainmaker Atmospheric Science Fellowship is a paid, full-time research appointment for exceptional undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, recent graduates, and other early-career researchers.

You will join Rainmaker's atmospheric-science team and work alongside our researchers on a scoped quantitative project drawn from Rainmaker's current scientific and operational priorities and defined in close collaboration with your research lead or mentor. Project matching will consider available data, mentor capacity, team needs, and your background. You will take responsibility for a concrete analytical workstream while contributing to the broader team's research, reviews, and operational decisions.

Fellows are not expected to arrive with an independent research agenda or define a project in isolation. You will be expected to turn an important atmospheric or operational question into a rigorous analysis and a result the team can continue using.

Examples of the Work

Fellowship projects change with Rainmaker's research and operational priorities. Examples of the work our quantitative atmospheric-science team may pursue include:

  • Estimating seedable hours and program opportunity for a proposed or existing operating region.
  • Quantitatively evaluating cloud-seeding operations, targeting decisions, or factors associated with precipitation yield.
  • Building ground-truth datasets and validation methods for forecasting, retrieval, or machine-learning systems.
  • Verifying forecasts or automating a meteorological analysis used by operations.
  • Comparing program designs, targeting strategies, or operational constraints across candidate regions.
What You'll Do
  • Work with your research lead to translate an atmospheric, operational, or program-design question into measurable quantitative criteria.
  • Build and document the quality-controlled dataset required for the assigned project.
  • Apply appropriate statistical, climatological, geospatial, verification, or decision-analysis methods.
  • Compare results across relevant reanalysis, NWP, satellite, radar, terrain, operational, or in-situ data sources.
  • Incorporate practical operational constraints when they are relevant to the question.
  • Quantify uncertainty, missingness, bias, and sensitivity to assumptions.
  • Create maps, summaries, and decision-oriented outputs for scientists, operators, and program designers.
  • Build a documented and reusable workflow that the team can extend to future questions.
  • Deliver a final artifact such as a dataset, analysis, evaluation framework, operational tool, technical report, or presentation.
What We're Looking For
  • Current undergraduate, master's, or PhD students; postdoctoral researchers; recent graduates; and other early-career researchers are all eligible.
  • Background in meteorology, atmospheric science, applied mathematics, statistics, physics, hydrology, geospatial science, or a related field.
  • Strong Python and quantitative-analysis ability.
  • Experience with meteorological, climate, geospatial, radar, satellite, or model data.
  • Ability to make ambiguous definitions explicit and test the sensitivity of results to assumptions.
  • Strong scientific judgment about uncertainty, representativeness, and the difference between an analytical proxy and operational ground truth.
  • Clear written and verbal communication.
  • Availability for full-time, on-site work in El Segundo for the agreed appointment.
Particularly Relevant Experience
  • GRIB, netCDF, xarray, reanalysis, NWP, radar, satellite, terrain, or operational datasets.
  • Climatology, forecast verification, spatial statistics, time-series analysis, uncertainty quantification, or decision analysis.
  • Cloud microphysics, precipitation, orographic meteorology, convection, weather modification, or field operations.
  • Reproducible scientific workflows and decision-oriented visualization.
What Success Looks Like

By the end of the fellowship, you will have answered a clearly defined scientific or operational question and delivered a result the atmospheric-science team can continue using. The work should include clear uncertainty and sensitivity analysis and should not present an analytical proxy as more certain than the underlying observations support.

Fellowship Details
  • Paid, full-time, and on-site in El Segundo.
  • Three-to-six-month appointment, with three months as the standard duration.
  • Rolling applications and project-specific start dates.
  • Attached directly to Rainmaker's atmospheric-science team with a named mentor.
  • Possible consideration for future full-time roles, without any promise or expectation of conversion.
Compensation and Benefits

$8,000 per month

Benefits:

  • Full health coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance)
  • Lunch provided when working in-office and a fully stocked kitchenette
  • Free EV charging at the HQ
$8,000 - $8,000 a month
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