Application Instructions
Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.
Job Description
The Washington Post is seeking an experienced meteorologist or resourceful science reporter who can help drive our coverage of national and global weather. This reporter will write with urgency about weather events around the world, forecasting and spotlighting extreme weather and demystifying the underlying meteorological science behind everything from polar vortexes to Cate gory 5 hurricane s.
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The Climate and E nvironment d epartment's weather team cover s atmospheric conditions that affect and inform people's daily lives and the disasters that can upend them at any moment. The team produces a wide array of stories, including forecasts, explainers, spot news, FAQs, visual narratives and enterprise stories that deliver distinct and revelatory accounts of weather's outsized impact , all bolstered by data.
The successful candidate will have a boundless enthusiasm for communicating weather's wonder and peril through accessible, engaging and highly conversational prose. This is a high-metabolism role that requires producing stories throughout the week, often on tight deadlines, and the ability to pivot easily between different weather-related developments . In addition to contributing meteorolog y , this role would be expected to help with general news reporting during weather events.
Responsibilities:
- Analyze weather data and identify key moments that will require coverage across the team and newsroom.
- Ahead of weather events, prepare forecasts, write spot news stories or feed meteorological context to related coverage.
- During key weather events, write news stories, provide updates for live files and contribute to reporting anchored by other Post journalists.
- Brainstorm and deliver explainer or enterprise coverage that analyzes weather trends or breaks down extreme weather events in ways that help audiences understand complex phenomena in new ways.
- Embrace a range of storytelling formats, including graphics, video, audio and social media.
- Prior experience with or knowledge of weather forecasting, including hurricanes, major storms, blizzards and extreme heat, is strongly preferred.
- A passion for analyzing the context of weather events and explaining what makes them significant or fascinating to a general audience.
- Strong writing skills and creative ideas for the best ways to communicate both regular and critical weather-related information.
- Familiarity with global and regional prediction models, radar analysis and online tools for obtaining national and international climate and storm data.
- Formal training in meteorology, such as a certification in atmospheric science or related field, is a plus, but a weather-savvy science or climate journalist with serious meteorological chops could also be a fit.
Occasional night and weekend wor k may also be required .
I nterested applicants should upload a r e sum e , a cover letter and three clips (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by Aug. 2 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Managing Editor Scott Vance, Climate and Environment Editor Zachary Goldfarb, Deputy Climate and Environment Editor Juliet Eilperin and Climate and Weather News Editor Paulina Firozi .
Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is: $ 97,400.00 - $142,300.00 . The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.
Compensation and Benefits
Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:
- Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
- Company-paid pension and 401(k) match
- Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave
- Nine paid holidays and two personal days
- 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent
- Robust mental health resources
- Backup care and caregiver concierge services
- Gender affirming services
- Pet insurance
- Free Post digital subscription
- Leadership and career development programs
The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.
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