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Atmospheric Scientists Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Pennsylvania State University

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

We seek an atmospheric scientist whose research advances fundamental understanding of the climate system, with particular interest in candidates working on climate dynamics, radiative feedbacks ...

Tomorrow.io

Radar Scientist

Golden, CO · On-site

$115K - $135K/yr

  • Medical

  • PTO

... atmospheric data is captured and used worldwide. We're looking for a Radar Scientist focused on ... Ability to work effectively within a mixed team of engineers and scientists, with respect for ...

The Pennsylvania State University

POSITION SPECIFICS The Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences at Penn State University invites applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Scholar to support the NSF-funded project ...

Leidos

Imagery Scientist (SAR)

Springfield, VA · On-site

$116K - $210K/yr

Leidos has an exciting opportunity for an Expert Level Exploitation Specialist/Imagery Scientist (SAR) - to join our team in Springfield, VA. Our ideal candidate will be able to : * Conduct applied ...

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$81.5K

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How much do atmospheric scientists jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for atmospheric scientists in the United States is $81,521.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $59,000.00 and $99,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Atmospheric Scientists vs Meteorologists?

AspectAtmospheric ScientistsMeteorologists
CredentialsBachelor's or higher in atmospheric science, meteorology, or related fieldsBachelor's or higher in meteorology or atmospheric science
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, universities, government agenciesWeather stations, broadcast media, government agencies
Industry UsageResearch, academia, government research projectsWeather forecasting, public communication, media

Atmospheric Scientists and Meteorologists both study the atmosphere, but Atmospheric Scientists focus more on research and understanding atmospheric processes, often working in labs or academia. Meteorologists primarily forecast weather and communicate it to the public, working in media or weather services. While their credentials overlap, their work environments and industry applications differ.

Do atmospheric scientists make good money?

Atmospheric scientists typically earn a median annual salary around $100,000, with salaries varying based on experience, education, and location. They often work for government agencies, research institutions, or private companies, and advanced degrees or specialized skills can lead to higher compensation.

What jobs can you get with an atmospheric scientists degree?

Atmospheric scientists can work in weather forecasting, climate research, environmental consulting, and air quality analysis. They often use tools like computer models and satellite data and may need certifications such as the Certified Consulting Meteorologist credential. These roles typically involve working in research institutions, government agencies, or private companies focused on environmental and atmospheric issues.

Who hires atmospheric scientists?

Atmospheric scientists are typically employed by government agencies such as the National Weather Service, environmental consulting firms, research institutions, and universities. They may work in laboratories, field sites, or offices, often requiring knowledge of data analysis, computer modeling, and weather forecasting tools.

What do you do as an atmospheric scientist?

An atmospheric scientist studies the Earth's atmosphere to understand weather patterns, climate change, and atmospheric phenomena. They analyze data using tools like computer models and sensors, often working in research, government, or environmental organizations to improve weather forecasting and environmental policies.
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What job categories do people searching Atmospheric Scientists jobs look for?

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Atmospheric Scientists jobs near you
Infographic showing various Atmospheric Scientists job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,521 per year, or $39.2 per hour.

Rainmaker Fellow, Atmospheric Instrumentation

Rainmaker Technology Corporation

El Segundo, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Posted 22 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 is building new atmospheric instruments because proprietary, intervention-relevant observations are central to improving our forecasts and operations.
About the Fellowship
The Rainmaker Atmospheric Instrumentation Fellowship is a paid, full-time research and engineering appointment for exceptional undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, recent graduates, and other early-career researchers.
You will join Rainmaker's instrumentation team and work alongside our engineers and scientists on a scoped project drawn from the team's current development priorities and defined in close collaboration with your research lead or mentor. Project matching will consider available hardware and data, mentor capacity, team needs, and your background. You will take responsibility for a concrete experimental or engineering workstream while contributing to the design, testing, and review work of the broader team.
Fellows are not expected to own delivery of an entire instrument program. You will be expected to produce a rigorous, reusable result that advances one important part of it.
Examples of the Work
Fellowship projects change with Rainmaker's instrument-development priorities. Examples of the work our instrumentation team may pursue include:
  • Developing calibration and validation methods for an airborne cloud-particle imaging instrument.
  • Creating controlled targets, fixtures, and acceptance tests for optical or particle-sensing systems.
  • Characterizing measurement uncertainty and environmental sensitivity across laboratory, ground, and flight tests.
  • Designing comparisons between Rainmaker instruments and trusted reference instrumentation.
  • Prototyping a new optical, mechanical, electrical, data-acquisition, or atmospheric-sensing subsystem.

What You'll Do
  • Translate a scientific measurement need into a scoped experimental or engineering plan with your mentor.
  • Build, integrate, calibrate, or test hardware and analysis methods required by the assigned project.
  • Create repeatable calibration procedures for the agreed instrument metrics.
  • Characterize measurement uncertainty and sensitivity to environmental, mechanical, optical, electrical, or algorithmic factors.
  • Build fixtures, test equipment, data-acquisition workflows, and analysis software needed for validation.
  • Help design laboratory, ground, and flight comparisons against reference instrumentation.
  • Connect physical instrument behavior to measurement and retrieval quality.
  • Produce clear documentation, calibration records, acceptance criteria, and reusable analysis code.
  • Deliver a final artifact such as a validated dataset, calibration system, instrument prototype, test method, uncertainty analysis, or technical report.

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 optical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, atmospheric science, experimental science, or a related field.
  • Strong hands-on experimental ability and willingness to build and troubleshoot hardware personally.
  • Quantitative programming and data-analysis ability.
  • Careful scientific judgment about calibration, uncertainty, repeatability, and validation.
  • Ability to take responsibility for a bounded workstream while collaborating closely with instrumentation engineers and scientists.
  • Availability for full-time, on-site work in El Segundo for the agreed appointment.

Particularly Relevant Experience
  • Digital holography, microscopy, particle imaging, lasers, high-speed cameras, lidar, aerosol instruments, cloud probes, or optical metrology.
  • Calibration fixtures, laboratory automation, uncertainty budgets, environmental testing, or acceptance testing.
  • Scientific Python, image processing, signal processing, or data acquisition.
  • Airborne, UAS-borne, field-deployed, or low-volume scientific instruments.

What Success Looks Like
By the end of the fellowship, you will have answered a clearly defined measurement or engineering question and delivered a documented result the instrumentation team can continue using. Depending on the project, that might be a calibrated prototype, validation dataset, test fixture, acceptance method, uncertainty analysis, or reusable analysis workflow.
Fellowship Details
  • Paid, full-time, and on-site in El Segundo.
  • Three-to-six-month appointment, with four months as the standard duration.
  • Rolling applications and project-specific start dates.
  • Attached directly to Rainmaker's instrumentation team with a named hands-on mentor.
  • Possible consideration for future full-time roles, without any promise or expectation of conversion.
  • Publication may be supported when it does not compromise Rainmaker intellectual property or operational know-how.

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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