NWS Weather Forecast Offices

There are a lot of different positions that can be filled at local offices, although not all offices have every position. The staff may include:

Meteorologist-In-Charge (MIC)

The MIC carries full managerial, supervisory, and technical responsibility for the provision of weather warnings, forecasts, services, and support activities within the area served by the WFO, and for the conduct of important scientific development work which is undertaken in an operational weather forecast environment. In other words, "The Boss."

Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM)

Serves as the principal interface between the forecast office and the users of the forecast office products and services. This position is fully responsible for planning, coordinating, and carrying out area-wide public awareness program designed to educate the public to ensure the mitigation of death, injury, and property damage or loss caused by severe natural hydrometeorological events.

Science & Operations Officer (SOO)

Ensures the scientific integrity of the products and services provided to the public by the WFO and leads or participates in joint research projects and developmental efforts conducted with any collocated university/research center.

Information Technology Officer (ITO)

Serves as a software and information technology expert with responsibility in three primary areas: application development/integration, information technology management, and systems analysis. The ITO provides overall guidance and coordination for the computer-related focal points.

Data Acquisition Program Manager (DAPM)

Supervises a technical staff of three or four hydro-meteorological technicians or interns in activities which can be divided into three major categories: data management and acquisition, public service and user interaction, and forecaster assistance. An office has a DAPM or Observation Program Leader, not both.

Observation Program Leader (OPL)

The OPL ensures that a full range of technical support and assistance is provided for WFO operations and other basic activities, especially the incorporation of timely, high quality observational data into WFO forecast and warning decision-making processes.

Service Hydrologist (SH)

The Service Hydrologist is responsible for providing the primary NWS hydrologic support and interface to the state emergency management and other water resources-related agencies. The hydrologist serves as the "resident expert" on WFO hydrometeorological technologies as they relate to mesoscale hydrologic forecast problems and their application to meeting the diverse requirements existing in the designated support area.

Senior Forecasters

Serves as shift leader. Ensures the provision of general weather information, warnings, advisories, and forecasts to the general public and special user groups in the WFO service area. As shift leader, is responsible for all NWS service products, warnings, and advisories produced on the shift and for their coordination with other NWS offices.

Meteorologists

The meteorologist provides weather information, warnings, advisories, and aviation and public forecasts to the general public and to special user groups in the forecast office's service area. They are responsible for the coordination of NWS products, warnings, and forecasts with the Senior Forecaster on duty, the Service Hydrologist, and the hydrometeorological technicians on duty.

Incident Meteorologist (IMET)

An IMET is a volunteer National Weather Service (NWS) forecaster who provides on-site weather and environmental information, normally at an Incident Command Post (ICP). This information is used to maintain the safety of the responders as well as to allow the incident management team (IMT) to make tactical decisions based on current and expected fire environment conditions.

Hydrometeorological Technicians (HMT)

The HMT performs technical work related to weather forecasting, observations, research, climatology, and/or other areas of meteorology.

Facilities Engineering Technicians (FET)

Regional headquarters managed position services facilities engineering operations and maintenance (O&M) needs supporting NWS objectives within an aligned area in any of the several states comprising the region. Serves as representative for the region (i.e., focal point) for all facilities field activities in areas assigned and is a broadly trained specialist especially versatile and innovative in adapting, modifying, or making compromises in facilities engineering methods and techniques to meet situation specific dynamics.

Electronic System Analyst (ESA)

Serves as the site's lead technical focal point for maintenance on all electronic systems and electronic equipment for assigned local and remote areas and serves as the immediate supervisor for the site's field maintenance electronics staff.

Electronic Technicians (ET)

The ET provides specialized support for scientific or engineering operations or research, serving as a specialist in a narrow aspect of electronic engineering.

Administrative Assistant (ASA)

Principal administrative assistant to the MIC and performs a wide range of administrative functions for the staff management team.