Operational Meteorologist

Roadrunner Studios; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Roadrunner Studios in Albuquerque is seeking an Operational Meteorologist to support rainfall enhancement technology development. This hands-on role involves forecasting and field operations, translating atmospheric data into decisions for field teams.

The ideal candidate has a background in meteorology or related fields, along with experience in operational forecasting and weather models. Candidates should be comfortable working in a startup environment and be ready for in-person collaboration with teams. Travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in meteorology, atmospheric science, or related field.
• Experience in operational forecasting and field meteorology.
• Familiarity with meteorological data formats like NetCDF and GRIB.

Responsibilities

• Produce daily and event-based weather forecasts.
• Translate atmospheric data into operational decisions.
• Analyze meteorological datasets after deployments.

Skills

Operational meteorology

Atmospheric science

Applied forecasting

Weather models

Python

Environmental monitoring

Data analysis tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in meteorology or related field

Tools

Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)

Global Forecast System (GFS)

High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR)

GIS

Job description

Roadrunner Venture Studios is the nation’s leading platform for founding breakthrough ventures in frontier technology. We partner with scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to turn deep tech into real companies across energy, manufacturing, semiconductors, quantum computing, aerospace, advanced materials, AI, and high-performance computing.

Roadrunner Venture Studios is recruiting an Operational Meteorologist for one of our portfolio companies developing rainfall enhancement technology. Roadrunner is the nation’s first venture studio purpose-built for hard science company creation. The studio works with national labs, research institutions, and venture capital firms to turn research in advanced energy, robotics, precision manufacturing, and quantum into scalable, venture-backable companies.

As a Meteorologist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, you'll work at the intersection of forecasting and field operations, translating atmospheric data into operational decisions for science and field teams. This is a hands‑on role for someone comfortable with daily forecasting and field reality and energized by a startup environment.

Before and during deployments, you'll produce daily and event‑based forecasts, identify favorable and unfavorable windows using observations, model output, satellite imagery, radar, soundings, and surface data, and provide live weather monitoring for field teams across New Mexico and other operating regions. You'll help design and refine field observation protocols and keep data quality tight.

After deployments, you'll analyze meteorological datasets, compare forecast expectations against observed atmospheric behavior, and feed findings back into operational criteria. You'll work with the modeling team on WRF, GFS, HRRR, and similar systems, evaluating forecast performance, identifying improvements, and supporting the development of internal forecasting tools, dashboards, and data workflows.

Qualifications

• The right candidate may come from operational meteorology, atmospheric science, applied forecasting, field research, aviation weather, hydrology, numerical weather prediction, or a related background.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in meteorology, atmospheric science, physics, environmental science, hydrology, or a related field.
• Experience in operational forecasting, applied meteorology, field meteorology, aviation weather, hydrology, or atmospheric research.
• Experience with weather models such as Weather Research and Forecasting, Global Forecast System, High Resolution Rapid Refresh, or similar systems.
• Familiarity with meteorological data formats such as NetCDF and GRIB.
• Working knowledge of Python, geographic information systems, or other data analysis tools.
• Experience with field campaigns, instrument deployment, or environmental monitoring.
• Experience in the Southwest United States, especially New Mexico.
• Experience with cloud microphysics, convective clouds, precipitation processes, or weather modification.
• Experience working with remote sensing datasets.
• Experience building lightweight forecasting tools, scripts, dashboards, or automated data pipelines.

This role is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We expect regular in‑person work with the operations team, field teams, and deployment hardware. Some travel will be required.