What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Atmospheric and Space Scientists in the U.S. earn more than $99,070 a year — the middle 80% land between $53,060 and $161,890. About 10,000 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Atmospheric and Space Scientists”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$99,070typical pay / year
10,000people in this work
$161,890+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing4
Interpret meteorological data
+Interpret the latest solar wind and magnetometer time series, highlight sudden changes in speed, density, and…
Interpret meteorological data
+Interpret the latest solar wind and magnetometer time series, highlight sudden changes in speed, density, and Bz over the past 24 hours, note confidence and data gaps, and recommend whether to raise the geomagnetic activity watch level.
The tools that do the workLinuxIBM SPSS StatisticsESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Report current weather conditions
+Produce a plain-language bulletin of current space weather: summarize solar flare status, CME likelihood,…
Report current weather conditions
+Produce a plain-language bulletin of current space weather: summarize solar flare status, CME likelihood, solar wind conditions, geomagnetic indices Kp and Dst, and operational impacts for satellites, HF comms, and power grids for the next six hours.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft OutlookESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Compile atmospheric data for research
+Assemble a quality-controlled dataset of particle fluxes, thermospheric density, and geomagnetic indices from…
Compile atmospheric data for research
+Assemble a quality-controlled dataset of particle fluxes, thermospheric density, and geomagnetic indices from the last five years, standardize timestamps and units, flag missing data, and export a ready-to-analyze table for the research team.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Accessjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Investigate the recent high-latitude ionospheric irregularity: correlate TEC maps, auroral oval expansion,…
Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Investigate the recent high-latitude ionospheric irregularity: correlate TEC maps, auroral oval expansion, and riometer absorption over the event window, identify likely drivers, and list follow-up measurements needed to confirm the mechanism.
The tools that do the workLinuxIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Compile data and prepare reports
+Compile the week's satellite drag, thermospheric density, and geomagnetic indices into an executive report:…
Compile data and prepare reports
+Compile the week's satellite drag, thermospheric density, and geomagnetic indices into an executive report: include anomaly charts, a one-paragraph operational summary, and recommendations for satellite operators about orbit maintenance.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptions
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Make1
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design requirements for a new in-situ plasma detector: specify key measurable parameters, sampling cadence,…
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design requirements for a new in-situ plasma detector: specify key measurable parameters, sampling cadence, dynamic range, telemetry limits, and calibration procedures so the engineering team can build a flight-ready prototype.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptions
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The daily work14
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how global warming will change geomagnetic storm frequency and ionospheric density over the next 30…
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how global warming will change geomagnetic storm frequency and ionospheric density over the next 30 years for the North Atlantic, southern Australia, and the Amazon basin, showing confidence intervals and key assumptions so operations can plan mitigation.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsO*NET
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Analyze satellite imagery
+Analyze the latest set of satellite magnetometer and EUV imagery for the past 24 hours, identify coronal hole…
Analyze satellite imagery
+Analyze the latest set of satellite magnetometer and EUV imagery for the past 24 hours, identify coronal hole signatures and traveling disturbances, and produce a prioritized list of anomalies with timestamps for duty forecasters to act on.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write a suite of Python scripts to ingest raw telemetry, clean timestamps and missing samples, compute hourly…
Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write a suite of Python scripts to ingest raw telemetry, clean timestamps and missing samples, compute hourly averages and power spectral densities, and output ready-to-plot CSVs and a short README for the science team.
The tools that do the workC++job descriptions
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Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce three user-ready graphics: an animated map of predicted auroral oval expansion for the next 48 hours,…
Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce three user-ready graphics: an animated map of predicted auroral oval expansion for the next 48 hours, a one-page risks infographic for satellite operators, and a high-resolution PNG of current particle flux vs. L-shell.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointAdobe Photoshopjob descriptions
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Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Perform a field calibration of the ground-based magnetometer and Langmuir probe array at Site Delta: record…
Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Perform a field calibration of the ground-based magnetometer and Langmuir probe array at Site Delta: record bias, noise floor, and temperature response, apply correction factors, and generate a calibration report with before/after spectra for archive.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Set up a weekly data-sharing workflow with the environmental analysts: agree on file formats, share the…
Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Set up a weekly data-sharing workflow with the environmental analysts: agree on file formats, share the latest three months of cleaned particle flux and TEC files, schedule a standing Friday sync and request their modeled impacts back within 48 hours.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions
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Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect air samples from the five coastal monitoring stations today, bringing chilled sample bottles and…
Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect air samples from the five coastal monitoring stations today, bringing chilled sample bottles and chain-of-custody forms, log collection times and instrument IDs, note any unusual spacecraft activity, and deliver samples to the lab by 16:00 for analysis.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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Perform managerial duties, such as creating work schedules, creating or implementing staff training, matching staff expertise to situations, or analyzing performance of offices.
+Create next month's duty roster and a two‑session training plan matching junior forecasters to senior…
Perform managerial duties, such as creating work schedules, creating or implementing staff training, matching staff expertise to situations, or analyzing performance of offices.
+Create next month's duty roster and a two‑session training plan matching junior forecasters to senior mentors, list coverage gaps for geomagnetic storms, and circulate the schedule and training calendar to the team and the operations manager by Friday noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
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Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Draft the lecture for Monday covering magnetosphere dynamics and space weather impacts on power grids,…
Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Draft the lecture for Monday covering magnetosphere dynamics and space weather impacts on power grids, prepare three illustrative case studies with data plots and two exam questions, and upload slides and reading list to the course site by Sunday evening.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Run a wind validation campaign analysis comparing model outputs to lidar and balloon measurements from the…
Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Run a wind validation campaign analysis comparing model outputs to lidar and balloon measurements from the past quarter, compute bias and RMSE by altitude band, summarise findings and recommendations in a one‑page report for the research lead by Tuesday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsO*NET
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Present findings to government agencies
+Present this morning’s brief on recent geomagnetic storms, the predicted impacts on HF radio and satellite…
Present findings to government agencies
+Present this morning’s brief on recent geomagnetic storms, the predicted impacts on HF radio and satellite drag, and recommended agency actions to Karen in Homeland Resilience and to Acting Director Morales for situational awareness before noon tomorrow; attach the alert maps and confidence scores and confirm receipt.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions
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Investigate atmospheric loss due to solar wind
+Run a targeted analysis of atmospheric ion escape rates since the last CME, quantify mass loss attributable…
Investigate atmospheric loss due to solar wind
+Run a targeted analysis of atmospheric ion escape rates since the last CME, quantify mass loss attributable to solar wind interactions, and deliver the dataset, plots, and methodology write-up to Dr. Singh and the mission science team by Wednesday for inclusion in the spacecraft operations plan.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsLinuxWikipedia
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Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft a theory memo proposing mechanisms for atmospheric retention versus loss across varying stellar wind…
Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft a theory memo proposing mechanisms for atmospheric retention versus loss across varying stellar wind conditions, include literature comparisons, model testable predictions, and circulate to the planetary plasma group and Prof. Rivera by Friday for peer comment.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Compile a comparative evaluation of magnetospheric configurations and their shielding effectiveness for…
Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Compile a comparative evaluation of magnetospheric configurations and their shielding effectiveness for Earth, Mars and selected exoplanets, include magnetometer summaries, loss-rate correlations and an executive synopsis for Dr. Hsu next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointWikipedia
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses