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Weather Observer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Pravāh

AI Weather Scientist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Experience working with high-dimensional observational and modeling datasets (reanalysis products, satellites, weather stations) in forecasting * Experience working with deep learning models and ...

Cni

Weather Forecaster II

Charleston, SC

The Weather Forecaster II provides aviation, ship and site weather forecasting services ... Provide input as the observer SME for planning and preparation of operational activities EDUCATION ...

Spire

Full-Stack Weather Software Engineer

Boulder, CO · On-site

$130K - $171K/yr

Our Weather division fuses AI and NWP forecasts - initialized with Spire's proprietary observational data - to build mission-critical products for customers across energy trading, utilities ...

Spire

Full-Stack Weather Software Engineer

Boulder, CO · Hybrid

$130K - $171K/yr

Our Weather division fuses AI and NWP forecasts -- initialized with Spire's proprietary observational data -- to build mission-critical products for customers across energy trading, utilities ...

Pae

Meteorologist Senior

Chicago, IL

Minimum two years training/experience as a meteorologist, meteorologist technician or weather observer in the operation of upper air sounding equipment and making meteorological observations is ...

Dynamic Science Inc

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER

Houston, TX · On-site

Must be a US Citizen (REQUIRED) • Must possess a background in weather observation and complete the federal weather certification program. Must be capable of performing the total weather watch ...

Jane Street

Senior Weather Analyst/ML Researcher

New York, NY · On-site

$126K - $127K/yr

We are looking for someone who wants to work on applied research on our weather team, embedded ... Experience using gridded data, observational data and satellite data to drive quantitative research ...

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Weather Observer information

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$21K

$53.8K

$109K

How much do weather observer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for weather observer in the United States is $53,798.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $42,000.00 and $62,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Weather Observer vs Meteorological Technician?

AspectWeather ObserverMeteorological Technician
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; some positions may require certifications in weather observationAssociate's or bachelor's degree in meteorology or related field; certifications may be preferred
Work EnvironmentOutdoor, often in remote or weather-sensitive locationsIndoor and outdoor; may involve equipment maintenance and data analysis
Employer & Industry UsageFederal agencies, weather stations, airportsNational Weather Service, research facilities, government agencies
Common Search & Comparison IntentYesYes

Weather Observers primarily focus on collecting weather data through direct observation, often outdoors in various conditions. Meteorological Technicians typically have more advanced education and handle equipment maintenance, data processing, and analysis. Both roles are essential in weather forecasting and often work together within the same organizations.

What are some common challenges faced by Weather Observers during severe weather events?

Weather Observers often encounter significant challenges during severe weather, such as storms or extreme temperatures. These conditions may require extended hours of observation, quick and accurate data recording, and close attention to safety protocols. Additionally, Weather Observers must communicate rapidly with meteorologists and emergency services to ensure timely dissemination of critical weather information. Adaptability and a calm demeanor are essential to perform effectively under pressure.

How much money do weather spotters make?

Weather observers typically earn between $30,000 and $50,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and whether they work for government agencies or private organizations. Many positions require training in meteorology and the use of specialized equipment, and some roles may be part-time or volunteer-based with limited pay.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Weather Observer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Weather Observer, you need a solid understanding of meteorological principles, observational techniques, and typically a background in atmospheric sciences or related training. Familiarity with meteorological instruments, data collection systems, and weather reporting software is essential, and certification from organizations like the National Weather Service can be valuable. Attention to detail, analytical thinking, and effective communication are important soft skills for accurately recording and reporting weather data. These skills ensure reliable weather observations that are critical for forecasting, safety, and operational decision-making.

What qualifications do I need to be a weatherman?

To become a weather observer, typically a high school diploma or equivalent is required, along with knowledge of meteorological instruments and data collection methods. Many positions prefer or require a bachelor's degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, or a related field, and strong analytical skills are essential for interpreting weather data.

What does a Weather Observer do?

A Weather Observer is responsible for monitoring and recording atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation. They use specialized instruments and equipment to collect accurate weather data, which is then reported to meteorological agencies or used for forecasting purposes. Weather Observers may work at airports, weather stations, or other field locations, and their observations are crucial for aviation safety, public warnings, and climate research.

What is the highest paid meteorologist?

The highest paid meteorologists are often those in senior roles such as chief meteorologists or those working for major broadcast networks, government agencies, or private consulting firms. Salaries can exceed $150,000 annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and leadership responsibilities.

What Does a Weather Observer Do?

As a weather observer, your responsibilities are to collect, record, and analyze weather conditions. In this role, you may research information about your observations, predict changes in prevailing conditions, and help decide whether or not to recommend sending out weather warnings. Many weather observers specialize in particular areas, such as supporting the military or local news stations, and specialization can affect your future career options. Weather observation usually requires monitoring conditions at all times, so employers may ask you to work nights, weekends, or holidays as necessary. You may be asked to go out into poor weather to gather information, so the ability to work in the heat, cold, rain, wind, or other environmental conditions as necessary is essential to this job.

How do you become a weather observer?

To become a weather observer, candidates typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and must complete training on weather observation techniques, often provided by government agencies or meteorological organizations. Skills in data collection, attention to detail, and familiarity with weather instruments are important, and some positions may require certification or experience with reporting systems. The job usually involves working outdoors and following strict observation protocols.
More about Weather Observer jobs
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What job categories do people searching Weather Observer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Weather Observer jobs are:
Weather Observer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Weather Observer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $53,798 per year, or $25.9 per hour.

AI Weather Scientist

Pravāh

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago

Job description

About Pravāh
Pravah is building foundational intelligence for the electric grid. We apply modern machine learning to complex physical infrastructure problems spanning grid operations, weather, and geospatial systems.
Our work sits at the intersection of computer vision, physical systems, and large-scale ML, with deployments across utilities in the United States and India. We leverage multimodal data - including satellite imagery, LiDAR, and street-level data - to build high-fidelity representations of grid assets and their surroundings.
We are backed by Khosla Ventures, Pear VC, and Conviction.
To know more about who we are, what we are building, and why we are excited read this Notion! https://pravah.notion.site/
The role
We are hiring an AI Weather Scientist to advance the next generation of weather forecasting systems. You will work closely with machine learning and software engineers on four core threads:
  • Run numerical weather prediction models to generate high-resolution forecasts and training data.
  • Inform the development of AI weather forecasting models and innovate on existing architectures.
  • Evaluate pre-trained global and regional models against reanalysis, satellite, and ground observations to identify areas for improvement.
  • Procure, process, and create ML-ready global and regional weather datasets, with explicit focus on data-sparse regions.

What you'll work on
  • Drive the development of next-generation multiscale, regional, and global weather forecasting systems, and their benchmarking against reanalysis and observations, especially during extreme events and over data-sparse regions.
  • Tailor weather prediction models to sector-specific needs: energy (solar and wind demand/generation, grid stress), agriculture (seasonal outlooks, crop-relevant variables), and extreme-weather resilience (heatwaves, heavy precipitation, tropical and extratropical cyclones, convective storms).
  • Assess the applicability of state-of-the-art AI methodologies including foundation models, generative architectures, and physics-informed ML to weather and climate forecasting.
  • Work at the intersection of physics-based modeling and machine learning: hybrid physics-ML approaches, learned parameterizations, and emulators.

Who you are
Any combination of the following will strengthen your application. We do not expect you to have all of them.
Preferred qualifications*
  • A master's or PhD in geophysical sciences, physics, applied mathematics, computer science, statistics, or a related field. A bachelor's with 7+ years of relevant research or operational experience is also acceptable.
  • Demonstrated depth in either numerical weather prediction, meteorology, or earth system modeling through research projects, publications, model contributions, or operational work.
  • Experience working with high-dimensional observational and modeling datasets (reanalysis products, satellites, weather stations) in forecasting
  • Experience working with deep learning models and familiarity with at least one framework (PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow).*
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain technical work to both domain experts and cross-disciplinary collaborators.

Nice-to-have
  • Hands-on experience with high-resolution regional earth-system models such as WRF or MPAS, including dynamical cores, physics parameterizations, boundary-layer and convection schemes, or coupled ocean-atmosphere configurations.
  • Experience with operational forecasting models or workflows (real-time data ingest, verification, cycling, product generation).
  • Experience with either of data assimilation, ensemble and probabilistic forecasting, convection-permitting or mesoscale modeling, regional downscaling, or subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) prediction.
  • Experience using or building AI weather prediction models - whether benchmarking, fine-tuning, or extending them. Applying generative AI and diffusion models to weather and climate is a strong plus.
  • Publications in leading atmospheric, oceanic, or climate science venues and/or major ML/AI conferences.

What you'll gain
  • Ownership of weather forecasting models deployed for real-time applications.
  • Experience working on hard, open-ended problems at the intersection of AI and physical infrastructure.
  • Ability to shape technical direction and shape the frontier of AI-weather prediction revolution.
  • Close collaboration with a deeply technical founding team.
Why this role
This role sits at the frontier of the AI-weather revolution, applying modern machine learning to earth system modeling. The next decade of progress in weather and climate prediction will be built by scientists who understand the physics and the data and have learned to wield generative AI. You will be working in data-sparse regions where data is heterogeneous, ground truth is incomplete, and progress requires both technical depth and first-principles thinking.

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