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
+Aggregate the last 24 hours of surface observations, pressure and temperature data from Station North,…
Interpret meteorological data
+Aggregate the last 24 hours of surface observations, pressure and temperature data from Station North, compute the expected frontal passage timing, and write a concise bulletin describing current conditions and short-term changes for dispatch.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Report current weather conditions
+Prepare a plain-language weather update summarising current temperature, wind, cloud cover and precipitation…
Report current weather conditions
+Prepare a plain-language weather update summarising current temperature, wind, cloud cover and precipitation for the coastal region, note any advisories, and format it for immediate distribution to social and internal channels.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Compile atmospheric data for research
+Compile hourly atmospheric profiles from radiosonde and surface stations over the past month, harmonise…
Compile atmospheric data for research
+Compile hourly atmospheric profiles from radiosonde and surface stations over the past month, harmonise units, run basic statistics on temperature and humidity trends, and export a cleaned dataset and short methods note for research ingestion.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Investigate the sudden band of noctilucent cloud reports over the Baltic, gather radar returns, upper-air…
Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Investigate the sudden band of noctilucent cloud reports over the Baltic, gather radar returns, upper-air soundings, and satellite brightness temperature anomalies, test hypotheses about mesospheric gravity waves, and write a short memo of likely drivers and confidence by Thursday noon.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Compile data and prepare reports
+Compile the season-to-date temperature and precipitation anomalies for northern Europe, merge station…
Compile data and prepare reports
+Compile the season-to-date temperature and precipitation anomalies for northern Europe, merge station observations with reanalysis fields, run the trend and significance tests, then prepare a three‑page briefing with charts and an executive summary for Friday's trends meeting.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointESCOjob descriptions
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Make1
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design and prototype a lightweight automated radiosonde adapter that logs temperature, humidity, and GPS with…
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design and prototype a lightweight automated radiosonde adapter that logs temperature, humidity, and GPS with time stamps, draft the instrument spec sheet, sampling cadence, and data format so field teams can test two units on the next launch window.
The tools that do the workC++ESCOjob descriptions
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The daily work15
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and changing precipitation patterns will affect…
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and changing precipitation patterns will affect agriculture, infrastructure and coastal flooding in the Mekong Delta through 2030, 2050 and 2100, showing assumptions and confidence bands.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsO*NET
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Analyze satellite imagery
+Identify land, cloud and vegetation signals in the latest satellite passes over West Africa, quantify changes…
Analyze satellite imagery
+Identify land, cloud and vegetation signals in the latest satellite passes over West Africa, quantify changes in NDVI and surface temperature since 2000, and flag areas needing ground validation.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write processing scripts that ingest hourly station and gridded data, clean gaps and outliers, compute…
Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write processing scripts that ingest hourly station and gridded data, clean gaps and outliers, compute monthly anomalies and produce ready datasets for trend analysis with reproducible logging.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce three user-ready weather graphics for the coastal planning team: 7‑day rainfall totals map, 72‑hour…
Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce three user-ready weather graphics for the coastal planning team: 7‑day rainfall totals map, 72‑hour wind warning chart, and a seasonal temperature anomaly infographic sized for a report.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptions
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Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Calibrate the infrared sensor array on buoy 17 by performing radiometric checks, compare current gains to…
Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Calibrate the infrared sensor array on buoy 17 by performing radiometric checks, compare current gains to factory baselines, log adjustments and schedule the follow-up sea trial next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Set up a shared analysis notebook and upload the coastal temperature and salinity series, invite Priya in…
Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Set up a shared analysis notebook and upload the coastal temperature and salinity series, invite Priya in data engineering and Marco the GIS analyst to annotate methods and agree on the anomaly calculation.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions
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Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect 24-hour air samples from the urban, coastal, and rural monitoring stations, label each vial with…
Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect 24-hour air samples from the urban, coastal, and rural monitoring stations, label each vial with station name and UTC time, log GPS coordinates and instrument serial numbers, refrigerate samples within two hours and upload the chain-of-custody notes to the lab.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.
+Draft a three-slide industry briefing summarising next-quarter temperature and precipitation trends, include…
Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.
+Draft a three-slide industry briefing summarising next-quarter temperature and precipitation trends, include the forecast confidence bands, two business impacts for retail and logistics, and circulate to Victoria in Strategy and to Ahmed in Policy by Wednesday noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelO*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.
+Build the team's fortnightly duty roster matching senior forecasters to shift peaks, schedule a two-hour…
Perform managerial duties, such as creating work schedules, creating or implementing staff training, matching staff expertise to situations, or analyzing performance of offices.
+Build the team's fortnightly duty roster matching senior forecasters to shift peaks, schedule a two-hour training on new analysis methods next Tuesday, and include a performance review slot for each analyst in the monthly meeting agenda.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
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Measure wind, temperature, and humidity in the upper atmosphere, using weather balloons.
+Conduct the morning balloon launch sequence at 06:00 UTC from Station Alpha, verify radiosonde calibration,…
Measure wind, temperature, and humidity in the upper atmosphere, using weather balloons.
+Conduct the morning balloon launch sequence at 06:00 UTC from Station Alpha, verify radiosonde calibration, record ascent rate and burst altitude, transmit the raw profile to the central server, and flag any sensor failures for immediate reflight.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeO*NET
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Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Design a validation run comparing the modelled wind fields against three months of mast and lidar…
Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Design a validation run comparing the modelled wind fields against three months of mast and lidar observations, compute error metrics by height band, produce a short methods note, and recommend model tuning parameters for the operations team.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Prepare a four-week undergraduate lecture plan on atmospheric dynamics, draft the first two lectures with…
Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Prepare a four-week undergraduate lecture plan on atmospheric dynamics, draft the first two lectures with learning objectives and reading lists, upload lecture slides and a two-question quiz, and post materials to the course page by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft PowerPointO*NET
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Investigate atmospheric loss due to solar wind
+Run a comparative analysis of measured ion escape rates and concurrent solar wind indices, draft a concise…
Investigate atmospheric loss due to solar wind
+Run a comparative analysis of measured ion escape rates and concurrent solar wind indices, draft a concise methods note with uncertainties, and forward findings to the planetary science liaison by Friday for their review.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia
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Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft three testable hypotheses on factors controlling atmospheric retention versus loss, include predicted…
Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft three testable hypotheses on factors controlling atmospheric retention versus loss, include predicted observational signatures and required datasets, then circulate to the research group for critique by next Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia
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Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Assess satellite magnetometer records against atmospheric density changes over the past decade, produce a…
Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Assess satellite magnetometer records against atmospheric density changes over the past decade, produce a short technical memo on how magnetospheres modulate escape, and send it to the space weather team lead.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses