Climate scientist
Understand the effects of climate change on our planet. Make a difference and help to improve our environment.
About the job
A day in the life – Climate scientist
What it's like
Working as a climate scientist is an exciting career choice that can make a real difference to the environment around you. You’ll work to understand the effects of climate change. This can improve and protect the livelihoods of people all over the world, as well as helping to preserve nature and the ecosystems of animals.
It can also help us understand and predict the weather and oceans. In fact, the person who created the weather maps used in forecasts every day was a Scottish climatologist called Alexander Buchan!
You could spend months outdoors, doing essential research and recording climate information for long-term studies. Or you could lecture at universities about the importance of climate change and the projects you’ve taken part in.
Another key part of the job is working with software! Most climate scientists have a good knowledge of coding and programming. For example, you could work outside for months to collect climate data. Then, you’d build an online tool to process the data and share it with the scientific community.
You may also get the chance to build your own climate model and test how Earth's climate would react to different conditions. You’ll sometimes work closely with a software engineer. But you'd be expected to have decent coding skills of your own.
What you might do:
gather and analyse data from the atmosphere, oceans and land
work with software to create computer models which simulate changes to the environment
investigate ways of tackling climate change
monitor sea levels and temperature changes – then compare to the past so we can predict the future
publish your own research findings, and attend industry conferences
advise government or corporate policy makers
You could choose to specialise in a certain area of climate science, such as:
polar research
rainfall patterns
ocean changes
You might also choose to lecture in order to share your research.
Other career options can be working as a consultant for science publications or TV documentaries.
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Explore more information about this job
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- analysing
- sorting
- attention to detail
- researching
- observation
- problem solving
- working with technology
- verbal communication
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Computing Science
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Environmental Science
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Geography
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Maths (Mathematics)
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Physics
Not all employers list specific qualification requirements but they do ask for relevant experience, usually work based.
There are different ways to get qualified for this job through college, university or work-based qualifications, such as apprenticeships.
Most climate scientists will have a degree in:
maths
physics
meteorology
computing science or software engineering
Employers might consider applicants without formal qualifications if they can demonstrate knowledge and experience of the industry.
Not all employers list specific qualification requirements but they might ask for relevant experience, usually work-based, that show a range of transferable skills.
This is a small profession and entry is very competitive. Most people starting out in this job have a first degree in maths or physics and a postgraduate qualification in meteorology or a related subject.
It’s helpful to have some previous work experience in computing or in a laboratory, as well as showing an interest in weather and climate.
The Met Office runs a summer placement scheme in areas including science and forecasting, which last for three months. Recent graduates and current students can apply.
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