2026 - Week 7
There are a few things, as a meteorologist, that are sort of the foundation of how I manage my meteorology career. These may be the way I approach a busy work day, a challenging forecast, or just how I try to utilize on a day-to-day basis. I will be focusing on one of these each week over the next several weeks, and if you ever meet with me, I will likely rehash these same ideas.
This week is possibly the most important skill you can learn and become good at as a meteorologist, which is clear, concise, actionable communication.
It doesn’t matter how smart you are, where you went to college, or how much you know about the dynamics of severe weather. If you can’t explain to a stranger how the weather will affect them or what they do, then being a forecasting meteorologist will be a tough career.
You will see effective communications listed on almost every single job listing. However, it goes beyond what they can put in a sentence. Every part of your forecast should be strategized and constructed based on creating an actionable forecast that your client can use almost immediately. You don’t want what an app can provide. You want to produce the next step, which is how the weather can impact their operations.
You should practice as much as possible communicating the weather in simple terms, in a short, concise format. Record yourself on video and audio. Try to do a forecast under a certain time limit. In most interviews, your answers should be at most 2 to 3 minutes, not 5 and definitely not 10 minutes long.
Do not ramble.
Do not use Jargon.
To the point, easy words, telling the user what the weather forecast means to them.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Here are the jobs.
US-Based
Marine
Job Title: Marine Synoptic Meteorologist
Company: Weather Routing
Location: Glens Falls, NY
Work Location: Onsite
Pay: $50,000 to $56,000
Benefits: See job link.
Qualifications
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology.
Years of Experience: Experience with waves, swells, or tropical meteorology is great.
Skills:
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Clear communications through writing and verbally over the phone.
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Helpful if you know mariner terms.
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Ability to analyze and forecast for short and long term and for mesoscale and synoptic levels, read observations and METARs.
Who Should Apply?
I’ve posted this job in the past, and they very well may have filled this role and are not hiring. However, if you need a job, this is one of those companies to keep in your back pocket, as they often are hiring. Note, the location is sort of out there, north of Albany, New York. If you are single or have a super adventurous family, there are a lot of outdoorsy things to do, such as hiking, camping, rock climbing in the Adirondacks, river rafting, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. In the winter, there is a lot of skiing and snowmobiling. If you don’t like the outdoors, it probably is not as great because there are no substantial cities nearby.
Marine forecasting is in a class of its own. Instead of just the atmosphere, you are focused on the ocean. The ocean, as you know, behaves similarly but different than the air and may require a completely new learning process. There are wind waves, swells, currents, freezing spray, gusty winds, rogue waves, and more.
However, I would always advocate getting experience over skipping on an opportunity because it doesn’t fit your career ambitions exactly.
Energy, Cloud Seeding, Hydrology - Electricity Utility
Job Title: Atmospheric Scientist or Senior
Company: Idaho Power Company
Location: Boise, Idaho
Work-Location: Onsite
Pay: $107,993.60 to $156,644.80
Benefits:
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Get to live in an outdoor lover’s paradise, plus there are potatoes, and 5 National Parks within 8 hours, plus a lot of other cool places.
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Deadline: 1st of March, 2026
Qualifications
Degree: Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD, with less experience needed based on more advanced degrees.
Years of Experience: 3+ (less for Master’s or PhD), with a focus in wildfires, hydrology, cloud seeding, or renewable energy.
Skills:
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Applied forecasting experience in short-term meteorology, climatology, and hydrology, and how it relates to hydropower.
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Experience and understanding of how snowpack develops and is maintained in the mountains, how and when snow melts, and how this affects stream flow, especially in the Snake River watershed around Boise.
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Knowledge of the microclimates that exist in southern Idaho, and how you could use your knowledge to predict short, medium, and long-range weather conditions and ultimately streamflows at hydro-electric facilities, solar and wind power generation, and risks for drought, rapid-onset dryness, and elevated wildfire conditions.
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Working knowledge of cloud seeding, including how it works and when it can be used.
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Ability to use different instrumentation, including, but not limited to, snowpack measurements.
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Python and other data-science-oriented programming languages.
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Ability to work in the field and in the office.
Who Should Apply?
Take out the outdoor adventure part, the potatoes, and the nearby attractions, and this job sounds awesome, at least to me. This is part energy forecaster, part cloud seeding, part wildfire meteorologist, and part hydrologist, all rolled into one job.
Let’s take a closer look.
Currently, the Western US is very dry, with below-normal snowpack. Here is a location in the mountains just north of Boise. The is the snow water equivalent (SWE), which is how much water you would get if you melted this snow, and is very useful in hydropower forecasting. Below you can see just how low the snowpack is compared to normal (green line). Also, you can get a good idea when the snow melts into the rivers.
What this tells you is that not only is it incredibly dry, and ski season is terrible, but that there is not very much water available to drain into the streams and into the Snake River, which means hydro-electric dams may not be efficient or even usable in the summer, and that wildfire season may be worse this year. You would then use this information against climatology and analogs for what you expect the Summer and Fall of 2026 to look like, and this gives you a good idea of what kind of picture to paint for Idaho Power.
You should apply if you have experience in mountain meteorology or hydrology and understand the dynamics of mountains vs. flat topography. Also, having an understanding of cloud seeding or wildfire meteorology would be a big help as well. If you are coming in with a Master’s or a PhD, it should be focused on mountainous terrains, renewables, or hydrology.
International-Based (Outside the US)
Energy - Trading
Job Title: Senior Forecaster
Company: Unknown, hiring agency being used.
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Work Location: Onsite
Pay: €4,950 - €7,700 per month ($5,882 - $9150 per month)
Benefits:
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8% holiday pay, so 8% of your gross annual pay, accumulated from June 1st each year, and paid in a lump sum in May. Government required to help pay for your vacations. In this case, €4,750 to €7,392 extra ($5,645 - $8,784) just for vacation.
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An 8.33% year-end bonus or essentially a 13-month of pay.
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Plus a performance-based bonus.
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26-days of vacation days starting out, 8 days for volunteering, and the option to swap out public holidays to fit your own personal holidays.
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A commuter card, called an NS card, plus €750 for a commuter bike reimbursement
Work Visa: None, you must be living in the Netherlands, meaning you have the right to work there, and you will not need relocation money.
Qualifications
Degree: Master’s in Meteorology
Years of Experience: 3+ years, preferably in the energy sector
Skills:
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Analytically strong and proactive, quickly identifying improvement opportunities and solving complex challenges with creativity, confidence, and a focus on quality.
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Forward-thinking and decisive, combining insight and initiative to drive meaningful, results-oriented impact.
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Collaborative communicator who aligns stakeholders, works seamlessly across teams, and dares to make clear, well-informed decisions.
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Strong Python, including experience with model development, transferable code, and version control in Git for forecasting and automation.
Who Should Apply?
This is a great company with amazing benefits, which are far superior to anything you will receive in the US. You are guaranteed money for vacations on top of your monthly pay, plus a bonus. However, you must be living in the Netherlands by the start of this job, which means you would have to have a work visa or be Dutch, and get yourself to Rotterdam. However, you do not have to speak Dutch. You should also have experience already in the energy industry, be in a position where you can act as a leader, and understand how to use Python, R, Matlab, along with Git, to help in development. Your whole job in this type of role is to analyze the weather and the market and find opportunities for the company to make money. This sounds like a really amazing opportunity for the right person.
Energy - Trading
Job Title: Weather Data Scientist
Company: RWE Supply & Trading
Location: Essen, Germany
Work Location: Onsite
Pay: Not given.
Benefits: Not given in detail.
Qualifications
Degree: Bachelor’s in Meteorology
Years of Experience: Experience in energy
Skills:
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Strong quantitative modelling skills, including handling large, complex datasets.
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Proficient in Python, SQL, and cloud computing platforms.
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Experience in machine learning applications for weather or data science.
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Familiarity with data visualisation platforms.
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Understanding of, or interest in, global trading business dynamics.
Who Should Apply?
There is nothing about having an EU Work Visa or being able to speak German, so that is a good sign if you have neither of those. Basically, you should have experience in meteorology and energy, specifically, or at least have such a strong interest that you understand how the energy industry works, and what energy trading is. The description of this job and the one above is very similar to what I did in my career in energy trading. You will analyze the weather, including wind, solar, and hydro power, and create forecasts for how much power renewables will generate and any risks they will underperform or overperform. You will also make forecasts for cities or regions for temperature anomalies, looking for a reason people will crank up the heat, AC, or keep their lights on longer. Your job is then to tell the traders anytime the actual weather will deviate from the models. Any time there will be a chance,e the market will miss on the actual weather. You will use your skills in Python, R, or Matlab to create new tools to analyze and show these opportunities more clearly. You should probably have some experience with Tableau or Power BI to help visualize data that you can show to traders.
Marine - Energy - Offshore
Job Title: Meteorologist
Company: DTN
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Work-Location: Onsite
Hours: 24/7, holidays, weekends
Pay: €30,000 to €40,000 per year
Benefits:
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30 days of vacation! (Compare this to any US-based job)
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Hybrid-Work Abroad Policy (30-day globally remote), nothing like this in the weather!
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Gym Access, Commuting Allowance, Learning Platform
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Once per month, there is cake!
Work Visa: No information given.
Qualifications:
Degree: Meteorology degree
Years of Experience: Some experience, but nothing listed.
Skills:
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Analyze the weather, use the models, and make forecasts.
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Ability to clearly communicate weather information to other people, including clients and coworkers.
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Handle a busy work schedule with tight deadlines. Be organized and have good time management skills.
Who Should Apply?
DTN is a global company with a lot of meteorologists and opportunities all over the place. They are hiring in addition to this job in Scotland and Australia. They provide weather services in just about every kind of weather sector, so you could, in theory, stay with the same company and work in a variety of fields.
They are not shy about what this job is; it is 24/7 nights, days, weekends, and holidays. You don’t have to enjoy this, but you should understand what it is. The benefits are top-notch, and while it doesn’t say there is a bonus, there always could be a bonus.
The job is forecasting for offshore, which either means offshore wind turbines or offshore oil platforms. While it could be categorized as energy, especially if there is any wind forecasting, I think it is probably more marine forecasting for the ocean conditions and how this could affect drilling operations. My guess.
Honestly, it is not often that you get a job that screams entry-level, but that has such good benefits. Even if you have experience, if you’ve ever wanted to have better benefits and live and travel across Europe, this is your opportunity.
One thing to consider is that with such a low bar for qualifications, they have likely received a lot of resumes, and so you are competing with not just going against dozens of candidates, but likely hundreds, and across the globe. Good Luck!
There is a similar post for a job based in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Other Jobs to Consider
Senior or Chief Meteorologist - Blue Origin - Seattle, Washington
Air Pollution Meteorologist 1 - NY State Dept of Env. Conservation - Albany, NY
Research Scientist in Snow Modelling - Davos, Switzerland
Marine Meteorologist - Vento Maritime - Denmark
Road Weather Meteorologist - BEAR Scotland - Edinburgh, Scotland
Rain/flood forecasting - METEO France - Toulouse, France
Climate Modeler - Lusaka, Zambia
Meteorologist I - Accuweather - State College, PA or Wichita, KS
Final Thoughts
As I have mentioned online, there are a few jobs in the US right now and plenty in other locations in the World. However, one thing I have mentioned before, and I will say again, is that if you are having trouble finding a job as a meteorologist or a forecaster, always consider some of the tangential jobs, such as environmental science, which can include air pollution meteorology, and also consider climate change and climate resilience. There are tons of jobs in climate change. It may take some creativity, but you can definitely flex your skills in a way to at least get an interview.
New platform change delayed. I have a full-time job separate from the Friday Job Report and My Met Job, and on some weeks, it is unbelievably busy, and so I don’t have the time to put into My Met Job. So while I was super hopeful to switch over to a different format where I could offer more of my experiences to you, it will have to wait another week.
If you are searching for or interviewing for a job, Good Luck!
