Is there any Astronomer jobs available ?

[LittelEurope]

Hi i was just wondering after i got some hard words by a friend of mine, and he said that i should not dream about being an Astronomer in the us or in europe but im thinking over what i should be now cause if i cant get a job what will i do ?
please someone help me :geek:

Ps i do not have a grammar CHECKER YET SO BARE WITH ME

From The Confusede Dude :geek:

 

[ramparts]

Well of course there's some available! It's a little tight but new PhD astronomers graduate every year and at least some of them have to get employed.

How old are you, and what's your educational background? A job as an actual astronomer - that is, a scientist who does research in astronomy - requires a good many years of schooling. First you need a bachelors in either physics or astronomy from some sort of reputable university, and then you get a PhD in one of those two from some other reputable place. The bachelors takes 4 years and the PhD takes usually 5-7 years (3 in Europe). Without that you can't really get a job as an astronomer, although some telescopes and other places do occasionally hire research staff to do more menial tasks (data reduction, handling the telescope, etc.) which I think probably requires a masters (between bachelors and PhD), but I have no idea.

 

[yevaud]

Nope, you pretty much got it, Ramparts.

To my recollection - people I went to school with - there are plenty of professional opportunities for people at the BS and MS levels. Some I knew went to work at the SSI, some became Lab Managers, some ran observatories or planetariums, etc.

 

[orionrider]

Don't forget languages. Assuming English is your mother tongue, mastering Russian, German, French or another international language would really improve your chances. And of course you need to write correctly, without relying on a grammar checker. Most astronomers are also part-time teachers

By the way, welcome to SDC forums!

 

[SpaceTas]

Two more skills:
on the more theorectical side more mathematics beyond that in a physics or astronomy course.
computer programing (C/C++ python, .... mostly under a Unix type OS )

There are a very few jobs as telescope operators, some in scientific programing, electronics in Radio Astronomy, and optics/electronics enegineering for instrument builders. Public outreach has a few astronomy related jobs which don't require such a full on academic track.

After a PhD most people do 2-3 postdoc jobs lasting 2-3 years each (large re-locations job uncertainty). Then try to find a fairly permanent job; most involve some teaching.

But there are many more astronomy PhD's than jobs, so jobs are always competitive. The pay is ok but not what you can get in private industry. Sooner or latter most astronomers face a decision weather to continue doing astronomy of something else ...

 

[thnkrx]

I am continually getting emails from the board attached to the 'ExtraSolar Planets Encyclopedia' concerning job openings in that area, usually in Europe, though sometimes in the US. Most of them require a PHD or doctoral candidate, though. Last one, I think said they were looking for three people.

 

[ramparts]

That's a solid sign that they're good jobs For better or for worse, modern science - especially a math/physics based science like astronomy - requires a ton of training and education, and if you want to make a career of it, so that you can formulate and carry out your own research plans, that education pretty much amounts to getting a PhD.

 

[SpaceTas]

To get an idea of the jobs have a look at the AAS job register. http://members.aas.org/JobReg/JobRegister.cfm
Peak season for jobs is Sept to Nov