Let’s get right to the point.  The top 5 cities that hire Energy meteorologists (wind, solar, and energy trade floor)  are as follows: (Read why wind meteorologists are so valuable).

 #5:  San Francisco Bay Area:  Due to a lot of Venture Capital investment in solar and wind energy companies in the Bay Area, San Francisco is starting to become a renewable energy hub.  There are a few smaller companies sprouting up that are hiring wind and solar meteorologists.  One of the top employers of wind, solar, and trade floor meteorologists in the Bay Area is PG&E.   Another smaller wind energy company that is looking for wind energy meteorologists is NaturEner.  (Read about the new jobs in weather: Solar)

#4:  Greater Washington DC area:  Exceptional talent in this metropolis makes Greater DC an attractive place to work.  There are plenty of employers that hire energy meteorologists here.  First and foremost…MDA Federal Earthsat corporation.  Earth Sat is one of the leading energy vendors on the planet.   Why?  1) Well they were one of the first companies to provide services  2) because their forecasts actually drive market perception on the NYMEX.  Northrop Grumman is also hiring wind and solar meteorologists in their Information Systems group.

#3:  Tie:  Between Boston, MA and Seattle, WA:  Boston and Seattle are two cities on the upswing in hiring (mainly) renewable energy meteorologists.  3 Tier is one of the top wind and solar energy resources for many energy companies. (See why weather matters for Solar plant operators).  Genscape is based in Boston and is also another major vendor for energy companies.  WSI is a large corporation that hires a good chunk of  meteorologists in Boston for a variety of weather sectors including TV, Energy, and Aviation.  First Wind in Boston was named “Breakout company of the year”.  Both hire wind meteorologist in their groups.  The local governments of Boston and Seattle are both pushing for a greater renewable presence as well.

#2:  Greater Portland, OR:  Portland is quickly becoming the hub of the renewable sector.  There are about 85+ renewable and solar companies now in the Greater Portland area. I worked in Portland, OR at Iberdrola Renewables…the largest wind developer in the world.   Iberdrola Renewables hires wind meteorologists, solar meteorologists, and Energy Trade Floor meteorologists.  Other companies/government agencies like Bonneville Power Administration, PGE and Pacific Corp also hire meteorologists.    With the abundance of wind and hydro projects in the NW, it makes Portland a fantastic place to get into the renewable sector.

And the winner is….

#1:  Houston, TX:  Houston is THE HUB of the energy world.  Hands down, no competition!  If you want to a job in energy, Houston is the place to be.  There are many hedge funds, large energy companies,  and banks that are setting up shop in Houston and hiring trade floor meteorologists.   It used to be a lot of the banks would hire in NY, but a lot of the talent remains in Houston so they’ve moved a lot of their commodities groups to Houston.  But it’s very competitive to get in, so make sure you read my post before you “send” your resume: (Don’t just “Send “ your resume.)

Trade floor meteorologists generally make an excellent living here…no income tax and a very affordable real estate prices makes Houston very attractive.   Texas also has the largest wind presence in the US, mainly due to lots of available land (and wind .  If you want to get into all types of Energy, I’d recommend starting a career in Houston.

 The next weather sector that I’ll discuss in my Top 5 cities list….Aviation.  Stay tuned! (Photo credit: Energyelectricity.com)