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.
Make1
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design and build a lightweight portable instrument to sample temperature, humidity and pressure at 1 Hz for…
Develop new data collection instruments
+Design and build a lightweight portable instrument to sample temperature, humidity and pressure at 1 Hz for field trials, include sensor specifications, data logger schema, and a two-week battery-life target so I can prototype and order parts this month.
The tools that do the workC++ESCOjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Analysing3
Interpret meteorological data
+Analyze the past 30 days of surface observations and upper-air soundings to identify significant synoptic…
Interpret meteorological data
+Analyze the past 30 days of surface observations and upper-air soundings to identify significant synoptic patterns, compute basic statistics for temperature, wind and humidity, and write a two-page technical brief with charts for the research lead by Thursday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob 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 a clean dataset of the last five years of atmospheric soundings, surface obs and buoy records,…
Compile atmospheric data for research
+Assemble a clean dataset of the last five years of atmospheric soundings, surface obs and buoy records, harmonize timestamps and units, run QC checks, and produce a master CSV and a one-page metadata summary for the research archive by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob 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
+Investigate the reported nocturnal low-level jet event: collate radar, lidar and sounding profiles for the…
Investigate atmospheric phenomena
+Investigate the reported nocturnal low-level jet event: collate radar, lidar and sounding profiles for the 24-hour period, identify shear and stability changes, draft a diagnostic note with annotated plots for the science team by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workLinuxIBM SPSS Statisticsjob 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 record1
Compile data and prepare reports
+Compile last month's observation logs, model output comparisons and verification scores, draft the monthly…
Compile data and prepare reports
+Compile last month's observation logs, model output comparisons and verification scores, draft the monthly meteorology report with key graphs and an executive summary, and circulate to the science director and operations manager by Friday noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob 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 air samples from the coastal monitoring station at 06:00, follow chain-of-custody notes, label vials…
Collect air samples from monitoring stations
+Collect air samples from the coastal monitoring station at 06:00, follow chain-of-custody notes, label vials with station ID 12A and sampler initials, record temperature and barometric pressure on the sample log, and deliver samples to the lab by 09:00.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob 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.
+Prepare a 15-minute briefing for the offshore wind operators with expected wind windows for the next 48…
Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.
+Prepare a 15-minute briefing for the offshore wind operators with expected wind windows for the next 48 hours, include confidence bands, high-impact timing for maintenance on Thursday, and send the brief to operations and the regional duty meteorologist by 16:00.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelO*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.
+Create next month's shift roster matching senior samplers to morning shifts, assign two trainees per weekend,…
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 shift roster matching senior samplers to morning shifts, assign two trainees per weekend, schedule a one-hour instrument training session on Tuesday, and flag any coverage gaps for the regional manager by Friday noon.
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?
Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Draft a two-page lecture for Tuesday's class explaining jet stream interactions with turbine wakes, include…
Teach college-level courses on topics such as atmospheric and space science, meteorology, or global climate change.
+Draft a two-page lecture for Tuesday's class explaining jet stream interactions with turbine wakes, include three case study charts and an assignment to validate wake dissipation times using last winter's dataset, and circulate to the department by Monday evening.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft PowerPointO*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.
+Design a wind integration validation plan comparing modelled and observed hub-height wind at the test farm…
Conduct wind assessment, integration, or validation studies.
+Design a wind integration validation plan comparing modelled and observed hub-height wind at the test farm for June–August, specify metrics, sampling cadence, and QA thresholds, and email the draft to the lead analyst and project manager by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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 change temperature, precipitation, and heatwave…
Estimate or predict the effects of global warming over time for specific geographic regions.
+Estimate how rising greenhouse gas concentrations will change temperature, precipitation, and heatwave frequency for the Lower Mississippi Valley from 2030 to 2080, using station records, regional climate model outputs, and uncertainty bounds, then summarise key impacts for planners.
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?
Analyze satellite imagery
+Inspect the latest visible and infrared satellite passes over Hurricane Corridor 12, identify cloud-top…
Analyze satellite imagery
+Inspect the latest visible and infrared satellite passes over Hurricane Corridor 12, identify cloud-top temperature patterns and convective bursts, flag any developing shear signatures, and produce annotated stills for the duty forecaster.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob 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 Python script that ingests hourly surface and radiosonde observations for the past five years, cleans…
Write Python scripts for data processing
+Write a Python script that ingests hourly surface and radiosonde observations for the past five years, cleans and merges records, computes humidity and wind shear profiles, and outputs daily CSV summaries and a diagnostic log.
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?
Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce morning and evening weather graphics for the regional briefing: surface map, 48-hour temperature…
Generate weather graphics for users
+Produce morning and evening weather graphics for the regional briefing: surface map, 48-hour temperature anomaly, precipitation probability, and an advisory banner for dense fog, sized for the operations display and mobile feed.
The tools that do the workAdobe Photoshopjob 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 north radar's reflectivity and Doppler velocity using the annotated calibration target run,…
Calibrate remote sensing equipment
+Calibrate the north radar's reflectivity and Doppler velocity using the annotated calibration target run, step through alignment offsets, update gain and noise floor settings, then log calibration parameters and flag sensors needing field inspection.
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?
Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Coordinate with the river basin data team to merge their hydrology outputs with our precipitation grids,…
Collaborate with environmental data analysts
+Coordinate with the river basin data team to merge their hydrology outputs with our precipitation grids, agree on variable definitions and temporal resolution, set a joint QA checklist, and schedule weekly syncs through the storm season.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions
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 atmospheric analysis, highlight recent extreme-event trends, attach the validated…
Present findings to government agencies
+Present the regional atmospheric analysis, highlight recent extreme-event trends, attach the validated ensemble forecasts and uncertainty notes, and send to the Department of Environment and the Emergency Management Division with a Thursday briefing request.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Outlookjob 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 short theory note proposing mechanisms for atmospheric retention and loss, include key equations,…
Develop theories on atmospheric retention and loss
+Draft a short theory note proposing mechanisms for atmospheric retention and loss, include key equations, observational constraints, and testable predictions, then circulate to the planetary atmospheres group and chief scientist for review on Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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
+Quantify how observed magnetospheric strength alters charged-particle flux to the upper atmosphere, produce…
Evaluate the influence of magnetospheres on atmospheres
+Quantify how observed magnetospheric strength alters charged-particle flux to the upper atmosphere, produce charts and a one-page executive summary, and send both to the Magnetosphere Research Unit and the climate modelling lead by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Study climate processes
+Compile the latest observations and model runs into a concise study of the climate processes driving regional…
Study climate processes
+Compile the latest observations and model runs into a concise study of the climate processes driving regional seasonal shifts, include methods, anomaly maps and confidence statements, and send to the Climate Assessment Team and regional planner by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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