Entry-level Jobs for Aspiring Navy Meteorology and Oceanography Officers
Colleen highlights that entry-level meteorology positions in the Navy for those with a bachelor's degree range from "support" roles like down-road meteorologists on ships to providing support at fleet weather centers or working at the fleet numerical center. The Navy's meteorology officer pipeline is not linear, leading to diverse career paths where individuals go to different commands and gain experience in various environments.
Meteorology, Oceanography, Entry-Level Positions, Naval Officer, Career Paths
Advizer Information
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Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Colleen Wilmington
Meteorology and Oceanography Officer
United States Navy
University of Kansas
Naval Postgraduate School
English, Writing & Education
Government & Public Sector, Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Veteran, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions for undergraduates in meteorology range from providing support on ships as a down-the-road meteorologist to working at fleet weather centers or the fleet numerical center in Monterey for climatology.
2. The meteorology field in the Navy is relatively small, with only about 300 meteorologists from entry-level to admiral, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and filling multiple roles.
3. Career paths for Meteorology and Oceanography Officers in the Navy are diverse, with officers going to different commands, including aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, or completing graduate studies before setting foot on a ship.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
Specifically for undergraduates, you need a degree to be commissioned as a Navy officer. So, as an undergraduate or graduate with a bachelor's entering meteorology, the positions offered range from support roles, like I did on the ships as a meteorologist, to providing support at fleet weather centers. You could also work at the Fleet Numerical Center in Monterey for climatology.
There are only about 300 meteorologists in the Navy, from junior officers up to admirals. We really depend on each other to fill as many roles as possible. We have what's called a pipeline, but it's more of a scatterplot that loosely follows a general path.
You would be hard-pressed to find any officer who had the same career path. We all go to different commands. Some of us go to aircraft carriers, some to Amphibious Ready Groups. Some of us don't set foot on a ship until we're an O-4 after completing graduate studies.
It's a really broad range of opportunities. There are subsets and specialties available, but it's really about learning how we can apply information across the environmental domain.
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