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.
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)
Sofar's Commitment to Climate Justice
We at Sofar Ocean acknowledge that careers in the marine sciences have traditionally been — and remain — non-diverse work environments, limiting the entry and prosperity of underrepresented groups. Many of these same groups are disproportionately affected by climate change and are often excluded from decision-making that directly addresses their interests and needs.
We are committed to addressing these climate injustices and highly encourage people who identify as women, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to apply.