The Role

You thrive in environments that value precision, reliability, and collaborative harmony — and you bring that same care to everything you do. You're comfortable with technology and computer systems — perhaps you're skilled in spreadsheets, familiar with no-code tools like Retool and Notion, or have some coding experience. Above all, you are highly organized, detail-oriented, and take pride in delivering accurate, dependable work.

You will work closely with Sofar's Wayfinder team on mission-critical operational tasks. These include ship routing support, critical operational tasks for data and service products, helping the ocean science team integrate new data sources for analysis, and improving internal tooling. You have strong time management skills, can work independently when needed, and are confident in your decision-making — including when navigating the nuances of cross-cultural communication between Japanese clients and our global team.

**NOTE: This position requires regular overnight shift coverage. Candidates must be available and willing to work overnight hours as part of their standard schedule. Specific shift hours and scheduling expectations will be discussed during the interview process.

Minimum Qualifications

• Previous experience in meteorology, oceanography, or a maritime-related field

• Bachelor's degree in oceanography, climatology, geography, or a related discipline

• Experience in the shipping or maritime industry, particularly with ship routing or weather routing

• Familiarity with observation and forecast data including WaveWatch III, HYCOM, and ECMWF

• Strong understanding of mid- and long-range forecasting and weather patterns

• Comfortable with data analysis and modern web applications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills — experience working with Japanese maritime companies or institutions is a strong plus

• Ability to work weekend rotations

• A genuine passion for and/or connection to the oceans

Bonus Points

• Data visualization skills

• Proficiency in additional languages beyond Japanese

• Experience collaborating across time zones and with internationally distributed teams

• Familiarity with Japanese maritime regulations, shipping culture, or relationships with Japanese port authorities and logistics companies

• Native or near-native fluency in Japanese (verbal and written)