Career possibilities
An undergraduate major in physics and astronomy can lead to a variety of exciting careers. Physicists and astronomers find work in industry, the government, universities, in the military, at high schools and colleges, in science museums, and as journalists and science writers. Recent graduates have pursued graduate study at top public and private institutions such as the University of Michigan, University of Chicago, Dartmouth, Texas A & M, Duke University, University of Wisconsin, University of Minnesota, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of California, San Diego, Ohio State, University of Washington, Washington University, Cornell University, University of Illinois, University of Maryland, SUNY, Stony Brook and Northwestern.
External career resources
Career planning
- AAS Career Services — Great resource for those looking at careers in astronomy.
- APS Careers in Physics — Physics career information and guidance resources.
- Careers in Science & Engineering — Student planning guide to grad school and beyond.
- Physical Sciences Resource Center — Geared towards physics teaching.
- Physicist/Astronomer Occupational Outlook — General details pertaining to a physicist/astronomer career from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Latest employment data for physicists, astronomers, and related scientists from the American Institute of Physics
Education programs
- AAS Astronomy Education Review — Astronomy education resource on both formal education and informal educational outreach.
- Astronomical Society of the Pacific Education and Outreach Programs
- Argonne National Laboratory Educational Programs and Outreach
- Iowa Space Grant Consortium — Intrastate project operated by ISU, UI, UNI, and Drake University to conduct research and educate the general public.
Preparing resumes/cover letters and interviewing
- Curriculum vitae advice
- Kaplan — Test prep, admissions and tutoring.
- Quintessential LiveCareer — Career and job hunting resources guide.
Placement
Physics and Astronomy jobs
- Physics Today Career Resources
- brightrecruits — Dedicated jobs website from Institute of Physics Publishing.
- AAS Job Register — Job listings from the American Astronomical Society.
- WORKinOPTICS.com — Optics and photonics career website from the Optical Society of America.
- NatureJobs — Online scientific recruitment, published by Nature, the international weekly journal of science.
- ysfine.com — Links to JOBMENU, a worldwide listing of academic and research positions in physics.
- Fermilab Career Opportunities — Job openings at the Fermi National Laboratory.
- Jobs @ LLNL — Job opportunities at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Careers at SLAC — Careers at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.
- STScI Employment Opportunities — Job listings at the Space Telescope Science Institute.
- Academic Careers Online — Career opportunities in education and academia.
- CareerOneStop — General database for searching all kinds of jobs.
- Jobted — General database for job searching plus other career resources.
- Job-Hunt.org — Job hunter's online super list of the best job sites on the web.
- JobsCity.net — Search, post global jobs, resumes, careers.
- Monster Jobs — Search for jobs worldwide.
Contacts
Corporate
- 3M United States
- Boeing
- Collins Aerospace
- DuPont USA
- Hewlett Packard
- Honeywell
- Lockheed Martin
- Nokia
- Oracle
- Raytheon Technologies
Research organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
- American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)
- American Astronomical Society (AAS)
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- American Physical Society (APS)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO)
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Office of Naval Research (ONR)
- Optical Society of America (OSA)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Office of Science
- European Organization for Nuclear Research — CERN homepage
Career resources for UI undergraduate students
The Pomerantz Career Center provides high-quality resources and services to students, alumni, and employers. The site has information designed to help you move through the various stages of the job search process, including the Handshake@UIowa website as well as information on upcoming employer visits, internships, and careers after college.
Meet with a career coach
All undergraduates can meet with a career coach to explore interests, skills, strengths, and values as you plan for after graduation.
Participate in a mock interview
Experience first-hand what an interview might be like by participating in a Mock Interview where you can practice interviewing, ask questions about the interview process, and be critiqued by volunteer employers from surrounding communities.
Attend a career fair
Network with employers and learn more about job and career opportunities in a variety of areas right here on campus.
Write an effective resume
Learn the level of detail needed to get noticed in the applicant pool and by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software, including tips on how to format your resume, effective use of power verbs, a formula for crafting bullet points, and more.
Find or create an internship
We'll guide you through the process of finding an internship, creating your own opportunity, and evaluating internship offers.
Explore majors and careers
Learn more about how your personal attributes impact potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments. Or, start by exploring career fields and find majors that align with your interests and skills.