Climate scientist
Climate scientists study changes in the Earth's climate over time and how they might affect the planet in the future.
Typical Salary
£15,609 – £55,000
per year
Working Hours
37–42
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
You could:
- gather and analyse data from the atmosphere, oceans and land
- create computer models to simulate the effects of climate change
- design and build scientific instruments and sensors
- study past climates to understand what might happen in the future
- monitor ice, sea levels and temperatures
- look at how global climate affects regional weather
- attend conferences and publish research findings
- investigate ways to tackle climate change
- advise policy makers
- teach or lecture in education
Skills needed
- maths knowledge
- knowledge of geography
- knowledge of physics
- excellent verbal communication skills
- science skills
- knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
- the ability to work well with others
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to get into this role
You can get into this job through a university course.
Career progression
You could specialise in an area of climate science, for example polar research, rainfall patterns or ocean changes. You might do this through research and teaching at a university or by working for a government department.
You could also work as a palaeoclimatologist, studying historic variations in climate and how the Earth adapted to these.
Other career options include working as a consultant for science publishers or broadcasters.
You may be able to apply for chartered environmentalist status. You can find out more about being a chartered environmentalist from the Society for the Environment.