Astronomy: Now What?

Check out the American Astronomical Society and the American Institute of Physics for more information on careers in astronomy. 

Quick Facts: Astronomers

Found on the Occupational Outlook Handbook

  • 2023 Median Pay: $149,530 per year
  • Entry-Level Education: Doctoral or professional degree
  • Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
  • On-the-job Training: None
  • Number of Jobs, 2022: 23,600
  • Job Outlook, 2022-32: 5% (Faster than average)
  • Employment Change, 2022-32: 1,100

A PhD in physics, astronomy, or a related field is needed for most jobs, especially those in basic research or in independent research in industry. A typical PhD program takes about five to seven years to complete. After receiving a PhD in physics or astronomy, many begin their careers in a temporary postdoctoral research position, which typically lasts 2 to 3 years.

Selection of Employers for recent UMass Amherst Astronomy alumni:

  • Busek Co. Inc.
  • City Year Boston
  • Cosmic Dawn Center
  • Digital Development Management Inc
  • Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
  • Nativity School of Worcester
  • SchoolSpring
  • STAR Analytical Services
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst – Astronomy Department
  • US Navy
  • Walker Inc

Previous Internship Sites as self-reported by UMass Amherst Astronomy students (2019 – 2022)

  • Five College Astronomy Department
  • Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
  • Kennedy Space Center
  • Lowell Observatory
  • National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center – Arecibo Observatory
  • Science Camps of America
  • Texas A&M University
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst – Astronomy Department

(More information on students’ past internships can be found here)

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH AN ASTRONOMY OR PHYSICS BACHELORS DEGREE?

  • Continue to an Advanced Degree: The UMass Amherst Astronomy department offers an extensive program in astrophysics to prepare students who want to become professional astronomers. This includes a thorough background in physics, and advanced courses in astronomical observations and astrophysical theory.
  • Careers in the Space Sciences: Many astronomy majors go directly into positions at NASA research centers and industry, after strong technical preparation in research, computing, and laboratory skills.
  • Science Teaching and other Careers: Astronomy incorporates elements of all the sciences, providing an excellent basis for science education, science writing, and work at museums and planetariums. The skills of scientific deduction developed in astronomy even make it an interesting alternative to prepare for medical or law school. 
  • Technician or research assistant in fields of astronomy, engineering, and computer science
  • Support personnel at observatories (for example NASA centers such as the Space Telescope Science Institute) 
  • Medical doctor (the science you take anyway make it fairly simple to fulfill pre-med requirements)
  • Lawyer (astronomy majors understand complicated arguments from principle)
  • Business (an astronomy background will make the quantitative parts of business school curriculum pretty straightforward)

WHAT DOES AN ASTRONOMER DO?

Astronomers typically do the following:

  • Develop scientific theories and models to explain the properties of the natural world, such as atom formation
  • Plan and conduct scientific experiments and studies to test theories and discover  properties of matter and energy
  • Write proposals and apply for research grants
  • Do complex mathematical calculations to analyze physical and astronomical data, such as finding new planets in distant solar systems
  • Design scientific equipment, such as telescopes and lasers
  • Develop computer software to analyze and model data
  • Write scientific papers that may be published in scholarly journals
  • Present research findings at scientific conferences and lectures

Astronomers study the motions, compositions, origins, and other properties of planets, stars, galaxies and other celestial bodies. They use ground-based equipment, such as radio and optical telescopes, and space-based equipment, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, to make observations and collect data. Some astronomers focus their research on objects in our own solar system, such as the sun or planets, while others study distant stars, galaxies, and phenomena such as neutron stars and black holes.

If you are considering graduate school, be sure to find research opportunities as part of your undergraduate work.

Career Planning Resources & Websites

Career Exploration Tools: https://www.umass.edu/careers/career-journey/self-discovery 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/ooh

Massachusetts Career Information System: http://masscis.intocareers.org 

(Click Mass Resident to login with “Amherst/01003”  Then click “Occupations” or “Assessments”)

Careers in Astronomy (AAS): https://aas.org/careers/career-in-astronomy

Career Profiles in Astronomy (AAS): https://aas.org/careers/career-profiles   

NOIRLab’s Astronomer Careers: https://noirlab.edu/public/about/careers/ 

 

Astronomy Internship Resources 

UMass Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies: https://www.umass.edu/ours/ 

National Science Foundation REUs: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/ 

Physics Department Undergraduate Research Opportunities: https://www.physics.umass.edu/undergraduate/research/opportunities

Internship Advice and Opportunities (AstroBetter): https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/Summer+Internships

AAS Internships/Scholarships (both REU and non-REU’s): https://aas.org/careers/internships-summer-jobs 

NASA Internships and Fellowships: https://intern.nasa.gov/

NASA/JPL Internship Programs: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/intern/apply/

Space Telescope Science Institute Summer Program: https://www.stsci.edu/opportunities/space-astronomy-summer-program

Department of Energy Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) Program: https://science.osti.gov/wdts/suli

Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research (SURF) Program: https://sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduate-research/programs/surf

MIT/Lincoln Lab Undergraduate Research Program and Internships: https://www.ll.mit.edu/careers/student-opportunities/summer-research-program

UTRIP: The University of Tokyo Research Internship Program: https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/utrip/overview/

ASIAA Summer Student Program: https://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/outreach/summerstudent.php

 

Astronomy Job Search Resources

UMass Handshake Database         https://umass.joinhandshake.com/

AAS Astronomy Jobs                     https://aas.org/careers  

Space Jobs in Europe                    https://www.hespace.com/vacancies

Astronomy/Astrophysics Jobs       https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/jobs/astronomy-astrophysics/#browsing

EU Jobs in Sci Lang Translation     https://epso.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application

 

For Graduate Students Only

European Space Agency                                         http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA

Eur Astro Society Non-academic Jobs                   http://eas.unige.ch/jobs.jsp

European Patent Office Examiner Jobs                  http://www.epo.org/about-us/jobs/vacancies.html

Astronomy/Astrophysics Jobs in Higher Ed

https://www.higheredjobs.com/faculty/search.cfm?JobCat=98

European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics

http://www.efomp.org/index.php/component/content/article/83-staticcontent/123-job-opportunities

 

IMPORTANT TRANSFERABLE SKILLS TO INCLUDE ON YOUR RESUME 

Advanced mathematical skills. Astronomers perform complex calculations involving calculus, geometry, algebra, and other areas of mathematics. They must be able to express their research in mathematical terms.  

Analytical skills. Astronomers need to be able to carry out scientific experiments and studies. They must be precise and accurate in their analysis because errors could invalidate their research.

Critical-thinking skills. Astronomers must carefully evaluate their own work and the work of others. They must determine whether results and conclusions are based on sound science.

Interpersonal skills. Astronomers must collaborate extensively with others—in both academic and industrial research contexts. They need to be able to work well with others towards a common goal.

Problem-solving skills. Astronomers use scientific observation and analysis to solve complex scientific questions.

Speaking skills. Astronomers present their research at scientific conferences, to the public, or to company management and other employees.

Writing skills. Astronomers write reports that may be published in scientific journals. They also write proposals for research funding.

Some information taken from Occupational Outlook Handbook and Dartmouth College Department of Physics and Astronomy

What Do Employers Look For? 

(Source: NACE Job Outlook 2024, Courtesy of the National Association of College and Employers | www.naceweb.org)

Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on Candidate Resumes

  1. Problem-solving skills
  2. Ability to work in a team
  3. Communication skills (written)
  4. Strong work ethic
  5. Flexibility/adaptability
  6. Communication (verbal)
  7. Technical Skills
  8. Analytical/Quantitative Skills
  9. Initiative
  10. Detail-oriented

Top 7 Attributes that can positively influence employers the most

  1. Internship with the organization
  2. Internship within the industry
  3. Major
  4. General work experience
  5. Leadership experience
  6. Extracurricular activities
  7. High GPA (3.0 or above)