Description
Study long-term atmospheric and oceanic conditions to analyze and predict climate variability and change. Collect and integrate observations and proxies, develop and evaluate climate models, and produce assessments and projections to inform policy, industry, and the public. Includes climate analysts and modelers with advanced knowledge of meteorology and climate science.
- • Gather climate data from surface and upper-air stations, satellites, reanalyses, and paleoclimate proxies for assessments.
- • Analyze historical temperature, precipitation, and extreme events to identify trends and variability.
- • Develop and run numerical climate models and scenarios for global, regional, or sectoral projections.
- • Conduct data assimilation, bias correction, and statistical downscaling to translate global projections to local scales.
- • Create visualizations and maps of past, present, and future climate conditions using GIS and graphics tools.
- • Estimate impacts of climate change on specific regions or sectors over various time horizons.
- • Interpret atmospheric, oceanic, cryospheric, and land-surface data to formulate climate outlooks.
- • Prepare scientific reports, technical assessments, and peer-reviewed articles on climate findings.
- • Consult with government, industry, and communities on the interpretation and application of climate information.
- • Prepare stakeholder briefings and climate services products tailored to user needs.
- • Design or refine methods and instruments for climate observations and remote sensing.
- • Collect and analyze air or trace-gas samples to study greenhouse gases and aerosols.
- • Conduct attribution studies to evaluate drivers of observed climate changes and extremes.
- • Evaluate and validate model performance against observations and reanalysis datasets.
- • Develop computer programs, scripts, or workflows to process, analyze, and present climate data.
- • Create and maintain climate databases and quality-control procedures.
- • Research the influence of natural variability (e.g., ENSO) and teleconnections on regional climate risks.
- • Estimate wind, solar, and hydroclimate resources using climatological analyses for energy planning.
- • Teach or deliver training on climatology, climate modeling, or climate risk.
- • Speak to the public and media about climate topics and answer questions.
- • Collaborate with meteorologists, oceanographers, ecologists, and public health experts on interdisciplinary studies.
- • Manage projects and staff, including scheduling, training, and performance evaluation.
- • Develop or update methodologies and standards for climate data collection and metadata.
- • Conduct paleoclimate research to extend records and benchmark modern changes.
- • Assess interactions between climate, air quality, and pollution control or mitigation strategies.
- • Perform risk assessments to inform adaptation and resilience planning.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
