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.
Analysing3
Interpret meteorological data
+Review the last 48 hours of upper-air soundings and surface obs, cross-check automated quality flags,…
Interpret meteorological data
+Review the last 48 hours of upper-air soundings and surface obs, cross-check automated quality flags, calculate stability indices and precipitation probability, then write a 300-word forecast briefing for the 6 AM shift.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Compile atmospheric data for research
+Assemble and quality-control the last six months of radiosonde and surface station records, standardise…
Compile atmospheric data for research
+Assemble and quality-control the last six months of radiosonde and surface station records, standardise timestamps, compute monthly means and anomalies, and export a research-ready dataset with metadata for the university team.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Collect radar, satellite and surface reports for the last three cases of boundary-layer turbulence,…
Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Collect radar, satellite and surface reports for the last three cases of boundary-layer turbulence, characterise vertical profiles and frontal structure, and draft a methods note describing hypotheses and planned analyses.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Keeping the record2
Report current weather conditions
+Prepare a concise current-conditions bulletin for broadcast: observe surface temp, wind, visibility and…
Report current weather conditions
+Prepare a concise current-conditions bulletin for broadcast: observe surface temp, wind, visibility and precipitation now, note any warnings, and produce a plain-language two-paragraph script for the next on-air update.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Compile data and prepare reports
+Gather the daily station logs and automated model outputs for the month, reconcile missing entries, produce…
Compile data and prepare reports
+Gather the daily station logs and automated model outputs for the month, reconcile missing entries, produce charts of key variables and write a four-page operational report with executive summary for the regional office.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Make1
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design and prototype three new upper-air instrument packages to measure temperature, humidity and turbulence…
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design and prototype three new upper-air instrument packages to measure temperature, humidity and turbulence profiles from 0–20 km, specify sensors and power budgets, draft field-test protocol for two weeks at Jacksonville, and prepare data-validation tests before deployment next quarter.
The tools that do the workC++LinuxESCOjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
The daily work15
Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect three 1‑hour integrated air samples from stations at North Pier, East Ridge, and Valley Substation…
Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect three 1‑hour integrated air samples from stations at North Pier, East Ridge, and Valley Substation between 09:00 and 12:00 tomorrow, label each canister with station, time, and sampler name, confirm flow rates before dispatch to the lab.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.
+Draft a sector-specific morning briefing for the shipping company and port authority summarising expected…
Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.
+Draft a sector-specific morning briefing for the shipping company and port authority summarising expected fog, winds above 25 knots, and wave heights for the next 48 hours, include confidence level and recommended actions for cargo handling by 07:00 for the duty manager.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft OutlookO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Perform managerial duties, such as creating work schedules, creating or implementing staff training, matching staff expertise to situations, or analyzing performance of offices.
+Prepare next fortnight's duty roster, identify two staff for severe-weather overtime, schedule a training…
Perform managerial duties, such as creating work schedules, creating or implementing staff training, matching staff expertise to situations, or analyzing performance of offices.
+Prepare next fortnight's duty roster, identify two staff for severe-weather overtime, schedule a training session on new radar interpretation for Friday afternoon, and attach last quarter's performance summary for review by the operations chief.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Run a wind validation study comparing LIDAR and met‑mast data for the west farm over the past six months,…
Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Run a wind validation study comparing LIDAR and met‑mast data for the west farm over the past six months, compute bias and turbulence intensity by hub height, produce a recommendation on sensor calibration changes for the project manager by Tuesday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Prepare a two‑hour lecture on synoptic meteorology and climate forcing for the undergraduate Atmospheric…
Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Prepare a two‑hour lecture on synoptic meteorology and climate forcing for the undergraduate Atmospheric Science class, include three case studies, figures of pressure patterns, and a 30‑minute practical exercise on chart analysis for next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Present findings to government agencies
+Present the regional forecast package and the worst-case storm scenarios to the Ministry of Transport and the…
Present findings to government agencies
+Present the regional forecast package and the worst-case storm scenarios to the Ministry of Transport and the Emergency Management Agency on Thursday, emphasising impacts to highways and ports, include maps, confidence intervals, and recommended mitigation steps.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft a concept note proposing three testable hypotheses for why some planets retain atmospheres while others…
Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft a concept note proposing three testable hypotheses for why some planets retain atmospheres while others lose them, include literature citations, a proposed observational program, and statistical tests, and send it to Dr. Morales and the department head by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Produce a briefing that compares observed atmospheric escape rates with magnetosphere strength for Earth,…
Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Produce a briefing that compares observed atmospheric escape rates with magnetosphere strength for Earth, Mars and two magnetic exoplanets, show data sources, modeled coupling mechanisms, and policy implications, and circulate to the geomagnetics team on Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Study climate processes
+Assemble a quarterly climate-process report synthesising ocean heat uptake, cloud feedbacks, and…
Study climate processes
+Assemble a quarterly climate-process report synthesising ocean heat uptake, cloud feedbacks, and land-atmosphere interactions for the Climate Directorate, include trend analysis, model-data mismatches, and recommended monitoring priorities by the 15th.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCO
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how rising greenhouse gas concentrations will alter temperature, precipitation, and extreme heat…
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how rising greenhouse gas concentrations will alter temperature, precipitation, and extreme heat days for the Central Valley, California, from 2030 to 2100 under medium and high emissions pathways, state assumptions, and deliver a regional impact note by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Analyze satellite imagery
+Examine the latest geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite passes over Hurricane Alley, identify cloud-top…
Analyze satellite imagery
+Examine the latest geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite passes over Hurricane Alley, identify cloud-top temperature patterns, filamentary convection, and any developing eye structure, then annotate the key frames and deliver a brief diagnostic in two hours.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write a set of Python data pipelines to ingest buoy, radar, and surface station CSVs, QC flags, compute…
Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write a set of Python data pipelines to ingest buoy, radar, and surface station CSVs, QC flags, compute hourly means and derived variables like wet-bulb and wind shear, and output a single cleaned NetCDF for model ingestion by Friday morning.
The tools that do the workC++job descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce user-ready weather graphics for the evening briefing: a 48-hour surface map, upper-air cross-section…
Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce user-ready weather graphics for the evening briefing: a 48-hour surface map, upper-air cross-section through the cold front, and a three-panel severe-weather risk graphic sized for the website, with clear legends and mobile-friendly versions by 18:00 today.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Calibrate the new scanning radiometer on Tower B: run the two-point blackbody sequence, record detector…
Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Calibrate the new scanning radiometer on Tower B: run the two-point blackbody sequence, record detector responses at three elevation angles, update the calibration coefficients, and attach the calibration file and validation plot to the instrument log before shift end.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Coordinate with the environmental data team to merge their air-quality concentrations with our mesoscale…
Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Coordinate with the environmental data team to merge their air-quality concentrations with our mesoscale output for the coastal domain, agree on shared variable names and timestamps, and produce a combined dataset and a short methodology note by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Says who?
These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.
The logs, files & records this job keeps
Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
The rest of the map
Same library, five ways in.
Copyright © LLOS.ai · 2026 — original pedagogy, voice, and design — all rights reserved.
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses