科學主任主要負責(a)執行天氣預測職務；或(b)督導及訓練員工，以及研究和提供包括天氣、氣候、地震、輻射、水文氣象、海洋物理、航空氣象、海洋氣象和應用氣象等服務。科學主任可能須在本地接受培訓，亦可能被送往海外進修氣象學及/或其他有關課程。他/她也可能須執行戶外職務、輪班、在正常工作時間以外及惡劣天氣情況下工作。

A Scientific Officer is mainly deployed on (a) performing weather forecasting duties; or (b) supervising and training staff and carrying out research in connection with the provision of services in areas including weather, climate, seismology, radioactivity, hydrometeorology, physical oceanography, aviation meteorology, marine meteorology and applied meteorology. A scientific officer may be required to attend training courses locally. He/She may also be sent on an overseas course in meteorology and/or other relevant subjects. He/She may be required to work outdoors, shifts, outside normal office hours, or in adverse weather condition.