Description:

  

Astrophysics and the space technology industry offer some of the best career paths for physics, mathematics, engineering and computer science graduates who are seeking a professional career, whilst still maintaining contact with advanced scientific concepts. This industry also gives its employees the opportunity to become intrinsically involved in some of the most exciting and ambitious projects ever conceived by mankind. 

 

 

Career Paths:

 

Astronomy/Astrobiology...

 

• ...can lead to a career in multiple areas, including scientific, technological and operational.

• ...can stand you in good sted to undertake positions available in governmental or transnational space agencies.

• ...can lead to a career in aastrophysical and cosmological data analysis, mission conception, Mission control, Astronautical programmes and advanced conept design at space agencies.

• ...can lead to undertaking projects and research at universities for scientific missions.

• ...can lead to careers in small innovative companies and transnational industrial giants that design and construct all kinds of spacecraft and associated ground systems - getting involved in the entire cycle of a mission, from intial deasibility studies, design, manufacture, launch and eventually the decomissioning stages and disposal.

• ...can lead to a career working with telecommunication satellites.

• ...can lead to acreer working with Earth observation sysetms for disaster response and climate change monitoring.

• ...can lead to a career working with bespokeextra-terrestrial probes and rover vechicles (Just like Howard in the Big Bang Theory).

• ...can lead to a career woring in companies that operate satellites, lease bandwidth and sell data to other companies.

• ...can lead to a career working with the attitude and orbit control of a spacecraft, asa well as more unconventional instances such as collision aviodance.

 

 

 

Education:

 

As a general physics degree there are many institutions which offer it at varying levels. Entry requirements vary from 240 UCAS Points to A*AA.  Applicants with Mathematics and, of course, Physics as A-levels are highly favourable due to the amount of maths required in the degree. Applicants that applied in 2012 had their third A-level as Chemistry or Further Maths.

 

 

Average salary:

 

Depending on which the areas of how you’ve customised your degree, your salary varies with it. It usually starts at a £25,000 starting salary and varying between £30,000 and £60,000 depending on your experience or field. Top end salaries reach £100,000+ but these are often only reached by being the head of a department for research.