The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Monday that it will begin hiring for “mission-critical field positions” to help stabilize National Weather Service (NWS) operations, following significant workforce reductions earlier this year.
The agency said the roles will be advertised under a temporary exemption from the federal hiring freeze. NOAA also stated it is addressing field office shortages by reassigning current staff and utilizing temporary hires. The agency did not specify how many jobs will be posted and declined to release further details.
Earlier this year, cuts implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, resulted in the termination of hundreds of weather forecasters and placed many other NOAA employees on probationary status. A subsequent round of layoffs eliminated more than 1,000 additional positions.
By April, nearly half of all NWS forecast offices had vacancy rates of 20% or more. The staffing reductions have also impacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The National Weather Service is responsible for daily forecasts, real-time storm warnings, climate monitoring, and extreme weather tracking. The announcement to hire comes just as the hurricane season begins, amid concerns from experts about the agency’s capacity to maintain essential services.
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