When we think about what career we would like we usually look at job titles. For example; doctor, lawyer, driver, mechanic. The NSO believes that to find a career you enjoy it is better to think about what interests you and match those interests to a job. By only thinking about job titles it's easy to miss a range of less obvious career opportunities. You might be surprised by how many careers are available working with space. In this careers section we have tried to highlight a diverse set of careers which are all linked to space and astronomy. 

In the careers section you will read about astronomy and astrophysics. Astronomy is the main term we use to talk about the study of the Universe. This could involve space missions, measuring the positions of objects in the night sky, or controlling a telescope. Astrophysics is a branch of astronomy which looks in more detail about the physics going on in space. This could be how stars produce energy through nuclear fusion, the formation of the first elements in the Big Bang, or the laws of physics which define the orbit of planets around stars. Another branch of astronomy is cosmology. Cosmology specifically looks at the Universe as a whole; How did it start? How will it end? And how will it evolve in the meantime. The careers in this section will cover all of these areas.

Instead of using job titles, we have grouped examples by the interests of those working in the different areas. For example - are you interested in influencing people? If so, careers working for international organizations or space agencies might appeal. What about numbers? Many careers in astronomy rely heavily on maths. Interested in making things? What about rocketry? Or working on some of the biggest telescopes on Earth?

By exploring the different interests in the menu you can take a look at what careers are available for those who love space. You can find out some of the skills involved, and read about the journeys people have taken to get their dream careers. It's not always as straight forward as you might expect!

Computers

Explaining

Exploring

History

Influencing

Making Things

Nature

Numbers

Space Flight

Stargazing

Getting more Involved