H-1B Visa Meteorologist Jobs
Meteorologist roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, or a closely related field. Federal agencies, private weather services, and broadcasting companies all file H-1B petitions for this occupation. Find open roles at verified sponsors here.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Posting End Date
05-18-2026
Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.
Job Summary
WHO WE ARE
The power of AEP comes from our valued team of unique employees….the best in the business! We’re proud to be one of the largest electric energy companies in the U.S., powering over 5 million homes and businesses, spanning across 11 states. We’re passionate about making an innovative difference in the communities we serve. We’re powering the future – today!
The Wildfire Meteorologist at American Electric Power (AEP) provides expert analysis and operational support related to fire weather forecasting and wildfire risk. This role plays a critical part in AEP’s wildfire mitigation strategy by delivering timely and accurate meteorological insights that inform risk modeling, Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) decisions, operational readiness, and field response activities. The Wildfire Meteorologist reports directly to the Director of Wildfire Mitigation and works in close coordination with Transmission, Distribution, Emergency Preparedness, and Enterprise Risk teams.
Job Description
This position can be filled anywhere within the AEP Texas footprint
Relocation is offered.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Essential Responsibilities:
- Monitor and interpret fire weather models, forecast data, and satellite imagery to identify emerging wildfire risks across AEP’s service territory.
- Deliver daily and event-driven fire weather briefings to internal stakeholders, including Fire Potential Index (FPI), fire behavior assessments, and meteorological summaries.
- Support PSPS decision-making with weather forecasts, threshold evaluations, and real-time fire weather analysis.
- Contribute to seasonal wildfire outlooks and long-term planning, collaborating with risk modelers and GIS teams to align weather forecasts with wildfire potential.
- Coordinate with federal and state agencies (e.g., National Weather Service, NOAA, USFS) to ensure consistency and accuracy in fire weather messaging.
- Develop and refine fire weather decision support tools and visualization platforms to enhance situational awareness.
- Participate in tabletop exercises, after-action reviews, and incident debriefs to improve forecasting effectiveness and emergency response.
- Provide subject matter expertise for wildfire mitigation plans, operational procedures, and enterprise resilience strategies.
- Educate internal teams on fire weather dynamics, including training sessions and guidance documents.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Minimum Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Meteorology, Fire Science, or Emergency Management and at least 4 years of professional meteorological experience, with a focus on fire weather or emergency operations; OR,
- Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Sciences, or a related discipline and 6 years of experience.
- In-depth knowledge of fire weather indices (e.g., Haines Index, ERC, Fosberg Index), fuels, and topographic influences on fire behavior.
- Experience using tools such as the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS), WIMS, or other fire modeling platforms.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, especially for technical audiences and executive leadership.
- Ability to work under pressure during high-impact weather and wildfire events.
- Proficiency in interpreting numerical weather prediction models and remote sensing data.
Preferred Qualifications:
- AMS or NWA certification.
- Prior experience supporting electric utility operations or wildfire mitigation programs.
- Familiarity with PSPS programs, wildfire risk modeling, and regulatory wildfire compliance frameworks.
- GIS and data visualization experience (ArcGIS, QGIS, Power BI, etc.).
Work Environment and Requirements:
- This role may require non-standard work hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and on-call support during high-risk wildfire periods.
- Occasional travel and fieldwork in fire-prone areas, including utility rights-of-way.
- Must comply with AEP’s safety and operational protocols, including wildfire and emergency response standards.
American Electric Power is committed to protecting the communities we serve. The Wildfire Meteorologist plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and preparedness of our grid against growing wildfire threats.
WHAT YOU’LL GET
INITIAL POSITION FUNDING / BASE SALARY RANGE: approximately ($97,000 - $124,000/year). In addition to base salary, AEP offers competitive Total Rewards including: discretionary annual incentive, 401(k), pension, health insurance, vacation, educational assistance, etc.
Compensation Data
Compensation Grade: SP20-008
Compensation Range: $98,993.00 - $128,688.00
The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.
American Electric Power (AEP) is an equal opportunity employer.
Job Posting End Date
05-18-2026
Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.
Job Summary
WHO WE ARE
The power of AEP comes from our valued team of unique employees….the best in the business! We’re proud to be one of the largest electric energy companies in the U.S., powering over 5 million homes and businesses, spanning across 11 states. We’re passionate about making an innovative difference in the communities we serve. We’re powering the future – today!
The Wildfire Meteorologist at American Electric Power (AEP) provides expert analysis and operational support related to fire weather forecasting and wildfire risk. This role plays a critical part in AEP’s wildfire mitigation strategy by delivering timely and accurate meteorological insights that inform risk modeling, Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) decisions, operational readiness, and field response activities. The Wildfire Meteorologist reports directly to the Director of Wildfire Mitigation and works in close coordination with Transmission, Distribution, Emergency Preparedness, and Enterprise Risk teams.
Job Description
This position can be filled anywhere within the AEP Texas footprint
Relocation is offered.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Essential Responsibilities:
- Monitor and interpret fire weather models, forecast data, and satellite imagery to identify emerging wildfire risks across AEP’s service territory.
- Deliver daily and event-driven fire weather briefings to internal stakeholders, including Fire Potential Index (FPI), fire behavior assessments, and meteorological summaries.
- Support PSPS decision-making with weather forecasts, threshold evaluations, and real-time fire weather analysis.
- Contribute to seasonal wildfire outlooks and long-term planning, collaborating with risk modelers and GIS teams to align weather forecasts with wildfire potential.
- Coordinate with federal and state agencies (e.g., National Weather Service, NOAA, USFS) to ensure consistency and accuracy in fire weather messaging.
- Develop and refine fire weather decision support tools and visualization platforms to enhance situational awareness.
- Participate in tabletop exercises, after-action reviews, and incident debriefs to improve forecasting effectiveness and emergency response.
- Provide subject matter expertise for wildfire mitigation plans, operational procedures, and enterprise resilience strategies.
- Educate internal teams on fire weather dynamics, including training sessions and guidance documents.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Minimum Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Meteorology, Fire Science, or Emergency Management and at least 4 years of professional meteorological experience, with a focus on fire weather or emergency operations; OR,
- Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Sciences, or a related discipline and 6 years of experience.
- In-depth knowledge of fire weather indices (e.g., Haines Index, ERC, Fosberg Index), fuels, and topographic influences on fire behavior.
- Experience using tools such as the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS), WIMS, or other fire modeling platforms.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, especially for technical audiences and executive leadership.
- Ability to work under pressure during high-impact weather and wildfire events.
- Proficiency in interpreting numerical weather prediction models and remote sensing data.
Preferred Qualifications:
- AMS or NWA certification.
- Prior experience supporting electric utility operations or wildfire mitigation programs.
- Familiarity with PSPS programs, wildfire risk modeling, and regulatory wildfire compliance frameworks.
- GIS and data visualization experience (ArcGIS, QGIS, Power BI, etc.).
Work Environment and Requirements:
- This role may require non-standard work hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and on-call support during high-risk wildfire periods.
- Occasional travel and fieldwork in fire-prone areas, including utility rights-of-way.
- Must comply with AEP’s safety and operational protocols, including wildfire and emergency response standards.
American Electric Power is committed to protecting the communities we serve. The Wildfire Meteorologist plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and preparedness of our grid against growing wildfire threats.
WHAT YOU’LL GET
INITIAL POSITION FUNDING / BASE SALARY RANGE: approximately ($97,000 - $124,000/year). In addition to base salary, AEP offers competitive Total Rewards including: discretionary annual incentive, 401(k), pension, health insurance, vacation, educational assistance, etc.
Compensation Data
Compensation Grade: SP20-008
Compensation Range: $98,993.00 - $128,688.00
The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.
American Electric Power (AEP) is an equal opportunity employer.
See all H-1B Visa Meteorologist Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Meteorologist
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation
USCIS requires your degree field to directly relate to meteorology work. An atmospheric science or geophysics degree supports most roles, but a general physics degree may trigger an RFE. Get a credential evaluation before applying.
Target federal agency and contractor roles
NOAA, the National Weather Service, and DOD weather contractors file H-1B petitions regularly. Federal contractors are cap-subject, but roles housed within government agencies may qualify as cap-exempt through their affiliated research missions.
Search LCA filings for your exact SOC code
Meteorologists fall under SOC 19-2021. Use the OFLC Wage Search to pull Labor Condition Application data filtered to that code, then use Migrate Mate to identify which employers actively filed petitions for that occupation.
Confirm prevailing wage tier before negotiating
Your employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for your work location and experience level. Pull the current wage levels from the OFLC Wage Search before your offer conversation so you know which Level I through IV tier your role should fall under.
Ask whether the role is cap-exempt at interview
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and government research partners can file H-1B petitions outside the annual lottery cap. If a position is lab- or research-based, ask HR directly whether the employer qualifies for cap-exempt filing before the lottery registration deadline.
Prepare for specialty occupation documentation early
Your employer's attorney will need your transcripts, course descriptions, and any professional certifications from AMS or NWA. Gather these before the I-129 filing window opens so the petition doesn't stall waiting on credentials.
H-1B Visa Meteorologist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a meteorologist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. USCIS recognizes meteorologist positions as specialty occupations because the work normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, or a directly related field. O*NET classifies the role as requiring this level of preparation. If your job description lists a preferred rather than required degree, the employer should clarify the requirement in the LCA to avoid an RFE.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for meteorologists?
Federal contractors supporting NOAA, the Air Force, and the National Weather Service are among the most consistent sponsors. Private weather analytics firms, broadcast media companies, and university atmospheric science departments also file regularly. You can browse verified sponsoring employers filtered to meteorology roles on Migrate Mate.
Can a meteorologist position qualify for cap-exempt H-1B filing?
It can, if the employer is a qualifying institution. Universities, nonprofit research organizations, and government research entities can file cap-exempt petitions, meaning your case bypasses the annual lottery. A private weather consulting firm would be cap-subject. Ask the employer directly whether they hold cap-exempt status before timing your job search around the March registration window.
What happens to my H-1B status if my weather forecasting contract ends early?
You have a 60-day grace period after your employment ends to find a new sponsoring employer, file a change of status, or prepare to depart. If a new employer files an H-1B transfer petition before your grace period expires, your work authorization continues while USCIS adjudicates. Acting within the first few weeks gives you the most time to secure a new petition.
How do I know if the wage my employer is offering meets H-1B requirements?
Your employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for SOC code 19-2021 in your work location. You can cross-check the applicable wage levels using the OFLC Wage Search, which publishes wage data by occupation and metropolitan area. The LCA your employer files with DOL certifies this wage before USCIS ever sees the I-129 petition.