Climate scientist

You can do a degree or postgraduate qualification in:

• environmental science
• geography
• physics
• maths and statistics
• oceanography
• meteorology and climate science
• computer science

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and a science for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

You could get work experience through an internship or work placement. This would give you an insight into the different types of work you can do as a climate scientist.

Career tips

You can get information about global climate conditions through NASA and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Further information

You can discover more about working in climate science from the Royal Meteorological Society and the Natural Environment Research Council.

You'll need:

• maths knowledge
• knowledge of geography
• knowledge of physics
• excellent verbal communication skills
• science skills
• knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
• the ability to work well with others
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Your day-to-day duties may include:

• gathering and analysing data from the atmosphere, oceans and land
• creating computer models to simulate the effects of changes to climate
• designing and building scientific instruments and sensors
• studying past climates to understand what might happen in the future
• monitoring ice packs, sea levels and temperatures
• looking at how global climate affects regional weather patterns
• attending conferences and publishing research findings
• investigating ways to tackle climate change
• advising policy makers
• teaching

You could work in a laboratory or at a university.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.