Manager, Meteorology Operations - Wildfire Risk

Are you looking for an exciting job where you can put your skills and talents to work at a company you can feel proud to be a part of? Do you want a workplace that will challenge you and offer you opportunities to learn and grow?  A  position at Xcel Energy could be just what you’re looking for.

Position Summary: 
As the Meteorology Operations Manager in the Wildfire Meteorology & Fire Science Department, you will lead a specialized team of meteorologists focused on predicting and mitigating wildfire risks to grid operations. You will oversee daily meteorological data integration from diverse sources to predict ignition risks, fire behavior, and extreme fire environments on community safety and Xcel Energy’s assets. Collaborate with key stake holders during high impact events, serving as lead forecaster and advising on high-stake decisions to improve forecasting accuracy, validate grid safety setting thresholds, align strategies with corporate safety initiatives, and ensure community safety and grid reliability during extreme events.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of meteorologists focused on fire weather forecasting, specializing in ignition risk assessment, fire spread modeling, and extreme event prediction.

• Guide team growth in predictive risk assessment and high-impact event coordination, refining briefing strategies and forecast delivery to match ICS protocols and operational team needs. 

• Plan and execute year-round staffing and oversee workforce schedules (shift rotations, on-call availability) during events aligned with Incident Command System (ICS) protocols.

• Oversee real-time data integration from all relevant meteorological sources, including the integration into operations of 100s of newly installed weather stations to generate actionable insights for grid management.

• Collaborate with key stake holders to align team outputs with corporate wildfire safety goals, including PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) and WSO (Wildfire Safety Operations) validation, and grid hardening projects.

• Serve as lead fire weather meteorologist during crises, advising on high-stakes decisions (e.g., PSPS activation and re-energization) while directing emergency protocols, resource coordination, and incident briefings for operational teams.

• Oversee skill-building programs and crisis simulation drills to maintain team expertise in fire weather risk mitigation. Mentor staff in utility-specific strategies, prioritizing cross-departmental collaboration to align meteorological insights with infrastructure vulnerability assessments.

• Drive predictive model refinement via cross-functional data science partnerships, leveraging ensemble forecasting data. 

• Assist in the design and implementation of risk communication systems for executives, regulators, and field crews, emphasizing clear, time-sensitive alerts for critical thresholds (e.g., wind, humidity, temperature) impacting fire conditions.

• Conduct post-event analyses to calibrate forecasting models, refine risk matrices and communication strategies. Partner with ICS teams to update operational playbooks using forecast validation metrics (e.g., wind, fuels and ML indexes) during staff debriefs.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, or related field.

• 7+ years of experience in operational meteorology, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.

• Demonstrated experience in forecasting, emergency response, or utility operations.

• Exceptional written/verbal communication, leadership, and interpersonal abilities, demonstrated through cross-departmental collaboration.

• Extensive experience leading and managing cross-functional teams, organizations, or work groups. 

Preferred Skills:

• Graduate degree in Meteorology, Fire Science, Atmospheric, Environmental, or Geosciences preferred.

• Operational experience in oil/gas/electric sectors, with regulatory knowledge and communications to senior leadership/regulators preferred.

• Familiarity with PSPS protocol, ICS structure, and utility wildfire mitigation strategies.

• Proficient in fire weather and behavior tools (e.g., Technosylva, WIMS, NFDRS) preferred.

• Incident Command System certified (ICS-300/400 or equivalent) preferred.

As a leading combination electricity and natural gas energy company, Xcel Energy offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity and 1.9 million natural gas customers across eight Western and Midwestern states. At Xcel Energy, we strive