Job Details

Wildfire and Fuels Expert

The Wildfire and Fuels Expert at CenterPoint Energy provides expert analysis and operational support related to wildfire risk, fuel conditions and modeling. This role plays a critical part in CenterPoint's wildfire mitigation strategy by delivering timely and accurate wildfire science insights that inform risk modeling, Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) decisions, operational readiness, and field response activities. The Wildfire and Fuels Expert reports directly to the Director of Situational Awareness Technology & Wildfire and works in close coordination with Electric Operations, Emergency Preparedness & Response, and Enterprise Risk teams.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Monitor and interpret fire weather models, forecast data, and satellite imagery to identify emerging wildfire risks across CNP's service territory.
• Refine predictive models through cross-functional collaboration with data science teams, leveraging ensemble forecasting data.
• Contribute to seasonal wildfire outlooks and long-term planning by aligning weather forecasts with wildfire potential in partnership with risk modelers and GIS teams.
• Coordinate with federal and state agencies (e.g., NWS, NOAA, USFS) to ensure consistency and accuracy in fire weather messaging.
• Provide subject matter expertise for wildfire mitigation plans, operational procedures, and enterprise resilience strategies.
• Develop and refine fire weather decision support tools and visualization platforms to enhance situational awareness.
• Educate internal teams on fire weather dynamics, including training sessions and guidance documents.
• Advance CNP's Situational Awareness capabilities through the development of complementary environmental predictive models.

Education:

Master's degree in Meteorology, Fire Science or Data Science

Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of professional meteorological experience with a focus on fire weather, or a bachelor's degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Sciences, Data Science, or a related field with 6 years of experience.
• Strong knowledge of fire weather indices (e.g., Haines Index, ERC, Fosberg Index, FPI, FBI, Keetch-Byram Drought Index), fuels, and topographic influences on fire behavior.
• Experience with fire and weather modeling platforms such as NFDRS, WIMS, Climavision and Technosylva.
• Proficiency in interpreting numerical weather prediction models, including very high resolution weather models (<1 km) and remote sensing data.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for technical and executive audiences.
• Ability to perform under pressure during high-impact weather and wildfire events.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Experience designing and implementing predictive models.
• Familiarity with weather forecast modeling, wildfire risk modeling, and regulatory wildfire compliance frameworks.
• GIS and data visualization experience required (ArcGIS, QGIS, Power BI, etc.).

We want you to know: Being a part of the CenterPoint Energy team is more than a career alone. It's an opportunity to make a positive impact. You will be an integral part of enabling everyday life and the pursuit of possibilities for the customers we serve and the communities we share. The vital services we provide are at the core of making our world work, and by sharing your energy with us, we'll create a better tomorrow together.

What we bring to you:

• Competitive pay
• Paid training
• Benefits eligibility begins on your first day
• Transit subsidies
• Flexible work schedule, paid holidays and paid time off
• Access to discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in Houston
• Professional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement
• 401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contribution