The Hurricane Network is looking for volunteers to help us succeed in our mission of keeping the public informed during nature’s worst. Many roles include a seasonal forecaster, social media engagement, and bloggers. Volunteering with The Hurricane Network will also give you experience of working with a private forecasting agency with similar tools to NOAA’s National Weather Service weather forecast offices and NCEP tools. Most positions are temporary seasonal roles which will require you to apply again in the winter season. Our volunteer positions are unpaid roles but will give you great benefits and experience. Join us today by picking your role of choice below!
Atlantic Forecaster – 2016 Hurricane Season
The Hurricane Network’s Atlantic forecaster positions is the most important role because of the amount of population that covers this forecast basin. With this position you will issue and generate forecasts through our forecast softwares AWIPS and NAWIPS. Forecasters must be able to use AWIPS 2 on a CentOS based computer or virtual machine.
Responsibilities
- Applicant must be a team player and can collaborate with other forecasters in the basin and different agencies outside The Hurricane Network including public and private sector.
- Sends out products and forecasts in a timely manner for required times such as outlooks.
- Editing warning products that are posted to public information sources to protect life and property.
- Analyzing imagery and model data to make an accurate forecast for the basin
- All forecasters must attend a weekly meeting every Wednesday at 7 PM EDT from June 1st to December 1st.
Central Pacific Forecaster – 2016 Hurricane Season
The Hurricane Network introduced Central Pacific’s responsibility area during the 2014 Hurricane Season, The Hurricane Network makes two cyclone outlooks per day and several advisories when a cyclone is in the Central Pacific. The Hurricane Network mostly covers the Central Pacific basin because of the Hawaiian Islands. With this position you will issue and generate forecasts through our forecast generating software AWIPS. Forecasters must be able to use AWIPS 2 on a CentOS or Redhat based computer or virtual machine.
Responsibilities
- Applicant must be a team player and can collaborate with other forecasters in the basin and different agencies outside The Hurricane Network including public and private sector.
- Sends out products and forecasts in a timely manner for required times such as outlooks.
- Editing warning products that are posted to public information sources to protect life and property.
- Analyzing imagery and model data to make an accurate forecast for the basin
- All forecasters must attend a weekly meeting every Wednesday at 7 PM EDT from June 1st to December 1st.
Blog Editor – 2016 Hurricane Season
The Hurricane Network blogger helps spread the word through our website of upcoming severe weather events and upcoming tropical landfalls. This position requires a fast-typer and a person with great vocabulary. To begin the blogger role, you must submit a sample article on a current weather event.
Responsibilities
- Applicant must be a team player and can collaborate with forecasters and other Hurricane Network staff.
- A blog editor might need to post more than two articles a day depending on the active situation in the tropics.
- Writing and editing using the WordPress blogging web application.
- Send out a mass email using our MailChimp system once the article is posted. (Situation Warranting).
Requirements and Qualifications
Volunteers must be 16 years of age and participate in a single two-hour training course to learn the logistics of FWX Company and The Hurricane Network. A follow-up training might be required for other roles. Volunteers must have a working microphone (webcam optional) with a high-speed internet connection of over 15mbps download and upload.
Forecasting volunteers must have at least two years in mesoscale and/or tropical system forecasting. Forecasting volunteers must also present a sample of their work. Social media engagement volunteers must have good standing in social media and must present their work. Blogging volunteers must be proficient in spoken and written english.
Blogging volunteers will also need to write a sample article which will be presented to the FWX Company team. All applicants will be contacted by their regional volunteer coordinator notifying them of the status on their volunteer application.
FWX Company matches volunteers with their roles based on the needs of The Hurricane Network, we value the dedication of all volunteers. All volunteers are subject to an interview using the Google Hangouts or Skype platforms. Any questions or concerns should be emailed to volunteers@fwx.co