About this role
Part-Time Storm Chaser (Field Weather Coverage)
KOCO-TV is looking for a part-time Storm Chaser to join one of our many two-person severe weather chase teams. This is high-pressure, real-time work supporting on-air meteorologists during rapidly changing conditions. One team member drives. The other monitors radar, data, and communications. Precision, calm judgment, and ethical decision-making are non-negotiable.
Role Overview
Storm Chasers provide critical, ground-level reports during severe weather events. This position may serve as either the driver or the radar/data operator, depending on assignment.
Key Responsibilities
- Safely operate a vehicle or monitor radar, weather data, and communications from the passenger seat during severe weather.
- Capture live and recorded video using station-authorized equipment for on-air and digital platforms.
- Report live on-air observations when directed.
- Relay accurate, timely storm details to station meteorologists, including severity, movement, and real-time conditions from the field.
- Monitor weather conditions before and during deployments to anticipate storm development.
- Adhere strictly to journalistic ethics, safety protocols, and station policies at all times.
Work Schedule
- No fixed schedule. Hours are dictated by weather conditions.
- Availability required on short notice when severe weather is forecast.
- Assignments are made at the direction of station meteorologists or news management.
Important Note
This is not a casual field position. Severe weather coverage is intense, unpredictable, and safety critical. Teamwork, judgment, and professionalism are essential.
Required Qualifications
- Clean driving record (required for all team members).
- Strong situational awareness and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Understanding of and commitment to journalistic ethics and accuracy.
- Ability to follow direction precisely and communicate clearly in fast-moving situations.
- Willingness to work in all weather conditions.
Values in Action
At Hearst Television we tell stories every day. Stories about people of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. That’s why, behind the scenes, we believe in being an organization that fosters collaboration and open communication, ensuring that the content we create is authentic, accurate, and connected to the communities we serve.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. we do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, creed, national, origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Other facts
About Hearst Television
We’re ambitious. We’re smart. We want to be the best, to put our mark on every story we tell and every project we take on. We have an uncompromising sense of integrity and an insatiable hunger for quality. And we’re looking for people like us. When you work at Hearst Television, you’ll have the opportunity to create your own Hearst career story. The opportunity to be developed, empowered, and rewarded.
We set a certain standard of excellence for ourselves. But don’t worry, you won’t be trying to meet that standard alone. Our employees enjoy some of the best support in the industry. We foster a culture of diversity, stability and support – you’ll really feel like part of the Hearst Family.
You’ll be able to rely on of one of the largest, most stable news and broadcasting organizations in the country. Hearst Television has been privately owned for over a century - we’re here to stay. We own and/or operate 35 television stations and two radio stations. We reach 21 million U.S. television households across 39 states. Our stations operate web and mobile platforms which reach 25 million unique visitors every month.
Hearst Television has been honored with numerous awards for journalism and innovation, including the Walter Cronkite Award for political journalism, the Edward R. Murrow Award, the DuPont-Columbia Award and the George Foster Peabody Award. Our community service has been widely acknowledged, including our support for organizations like the Emma L. Bowen Foundation for Minority Interests in Media, the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation and the Broadcasters Foundation of America.
If you seek to excel in your role, whether it’s in news, sales, marketing, engineering, IT, production, graphics/design, radio or technical, a career at Hearst Television could be the perfect opportunity for you. If you can not only see the bigger picture, but be a part of shaping it, we want to hear from you.
What you'll do
- Storm Chasers provide critical reports during severe weather events, either driving or monitoring radar and data. They must capture live video and relay accurate storm details to meteorologists.
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