Astronomers
Astronomer, Astrophysicist, Research Scientist, Scientist
Astronaut
Army Astronaut
No similar titles were found.
No similar titles were found.
No similar titles were found.
No similar titles were found.
What they do:
Observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge or apply such information to practical problems.
On the job, you would:
- Mentor graduate students and junior colleagues.
- Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals.
- Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects.
Knowledge
Math and Science
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
- physics
Engineering and Technology
- computers and electronics
- product and service development
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Education and Training
- teaching and course design
Skills
Basic Skills
- reading work related information
- using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems
People and Technology Systems
- thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
- figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Abilities
Math
- choose the right type of math to solve a problem
- add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- communicate by writing
Ideas and Logic
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
- use rules to solve problems
Attention
- pay attention to something without being distracted
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Analytical Thinking
- Initiative
- Achievement/Effort
- Integrity
- Attention to Detail
- Persistence
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- The MathWorks MATLAB
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Development environment software
- Abstraction plus reference plus synthesis A++
- National Instruments LabVIEW
Education
Education: (rated 5 of 5)
post-doctoral training or
doctoral degree
usually needed
doctoral degree
usually needed
Get started on your career:
Find Training
Apprenticeship.gov
Job Outlook
Average
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Explore More
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about astronomers.