Newsroom Meteorologist

Job Description

Newsroom Meteorologist

The San Francisco Chronicle has an opening for a creative meteorologist to anchor its weather science team, writing daily forecasts, and reporting on severe California weather events, while explaining the science behind it all. We're looking for someone who has a degree in meteorology and is a science communicator. This means you'll use experience in daily forecasting to write not only clear, engaging forecasts, but also compelling science stories.

As the first digital-focused weather team made up of science journalists in California, we're looking for a meteorologist who can explain the why and how of California weather, monitor breaking weather news and pull out longer-term trends and put extreme events in a broader climate context.

The Newsroom Meteorologist will write daily forecasts for the Bay Area and California more broadly when active weather occurs. In this role you're a scientific expert in the newsroom, focused on explaining complex weather concepts in writing to a general audience in an engaging and smart way. This may include appearing on radio and TV, as well as creating social videos for the Chronicle. Establishing trust and consistency with our readership in this public-facing role is critical.

We're looking for someone who will embrace experimentation in new formats for local news and weather information, while developing an original voice and pushing the boundaries of traditional newsroom storytelling. You'll have the opportunity to partner with top-notch teams of developers, data and graphic journalists to bring these ideas to life.

What it will take to be successful:

• Five to ten years experience working on a forecasting team.
• B.S. or M.S. in meteorology. AMS certification is a plus.
• Prior experience in journalism, writing articles, forecasts, or in an on-air position where stories have gone through an editorial process.
• Experience with severe weather coverage, communicating complex and extreme weather events to the general public.
• Demonstrated judgment of when to shift plans and put an emphasis on public safety ahead of severe weather events.
• Curious mindset, and openness to adapt and be reader-focused.
• This position is full-time. Weekend and evening work may be required as news warrants.
• The successful candidate must be based in the wider Bay Area region or willing to move to the region.
• Editing experience in a newsroom is a plus.

Qualities:

• Self-starter that is able to work independently and consistently pitches story and forecast ideas.
• Collaborative, team-player. We're looking for someone who works hand-in-hand with another staff meteorologist and the Weather Science team, proactively gives feedback and looks for it.
• Communication skills are vital. You value the editorial process to create strong work.
• You're excited to work with the weather science editor and to make forecasts and stories accurate, compelling and understandable to a wide readership.
• Eager to jump in to cover severe storms, wildfires and heat waves, contributing to live updates as needed.
• Innovative thinker - comes up with ideas for data visualizations, social videos and weather tools.
• Demonstrated professional and warm communication.
• Upholds responsibility of providing accurate forecasts and news stories.

In accordance with applicable law, Hearst is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role if hired in California. The reasonable estimate is between $90,000 and $100,000. Please note this information is specific to those hired in San Francisco. If this role is open to candidates outside of San Francisco, the salary range would be aligned to that specific location. A final decision on the successful candidate's starting salary will be based on a number of permissible, non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to skills and experience, training, certifications, and education.

About The San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfchronicle.com) is the largest newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. Acquired by the Hearst Corporation in 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. The staff won ONA Online Journalism Awards for General Excellence in 2020 and for Breaking News coverage in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Follow us on Twitter at @SFChronicle.

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