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Astronomy Major Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Regis

Affiliate Faculty, Physics (Labs)

Denver, CO

The Astronomy, Mathematics, and Physics Department is seeking affiliate faculty to teach in-person ... basis.` Major Duties and Responsibilities: * Provide instruction and facilitate active problem ...

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How much do astronomy major jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for astronomy major in the United States is $26.07, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $22.36 and $28.61 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What career paths are available to someone with an astronomy major, and how can one advance in this field?

Graduates with an Astronomy major can pursue careers in research, education, data analysis, aerospace, and science communication. Entry-level roles may include research assistant, observatory technician, or planetarium educator. Advancement often requires further specialization, such as obtaining a master's or PhD for research and academic positions, or gaining experience with advanced data analysis and programming for industry roles. Networking through internships, conferences, and professional organizations can also provide valuable opportunities for career growth.

What is the difference between Astronomy Major vs Astrophysicist?

AspectAstronomy MajorAstrophysicist
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in astronomy, physics, or related fieldMaster's or Ph.D. in astrophysics or related field
Work EnvironmentUniversities, observatories, research institutions, planetariumsResearch labs, universities, government agencies, observatories
Employer & Industry UsageEducational institutions, research organizations, planetariumsResearch institutions, government agencies like NASA, academia

While an Astronomy Major provides foundational knowledge in astronomy and related sciences, an Astrophysicist typically holds advanced degrees and conducts specialized research. The major prepares students for entry-level roles or further study, whereas astrophysicists focus on scientific discovery and analysis in professional research settings.

What jobs are in the field of astronomy?

Jobs in the field of astronomy include astronomer, astrophysicist, planetary scientist, and observational astronomer. These roles often require strong skills in data analysis, programming, and the use of telescopes or other scientific instruments, and may involve research, data collection, and public outreach.

Is it worth it to major in astronomy?

Astronomy majors can pursue careers in research, education, or science communication, often requiring strong skills in mathematics, physics, and data analysis. Job prospects may be competitive, and advanced positions typically require graduate degrees, but the field offers opportunities for those passionate about space and science. Gaining experience through internships and developing technical skills can improve employability.

What is an astronomy major?

An Astronomy major is a course of study at a college or university focused on the scientific study of celestial objects such as stars, planets, comets, galaxies, and the universe as a whole. Students learn about the fundamental principles of physics and mathematics as they apply to space, and often gain hands-on experience with telescopes and astronomical data. This major prepares students for careers in research, education, data analysis, or further study in graduate school. Astronomy majors may also work in observatories, planetariums, or science communication.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an astronomy major, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Astronomy major, you need a solid background in physics, mathematics, and analytical problem-solving skills, usually supported by coursework in calculus and classical mechanics. Familiarity with scientific programming languages (such as Python or MATLAB), telescopes, and data analysis software is typically required. Curiosity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills help students excel in research and collaborative projects. These abilities are crucial for understanding complex astronomical phenomena and effectively sharing insights with both scientific and public audiences.
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Astronomy Major jobs near you
Infographic showing various Astronomy Major job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 53% Full Time, and 47% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $54,230 per year, or $26.1 per hour.

Software Engineer (MESA), Center for Computational Astrophysics

Flatiron Institute

Manhattan, NY • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 26 days ago

Job description

Description
The Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) at the Flatiron Institute, a division of the Simons Foundation, is seeking a full-time research software engineer to develop, maintain, and contribute to the community-oriented software instrument tool MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics), and contribute to projects that align with the research directions of the CCA. More information about the CCA can be found on the CCA website. We expect the position to adapt over time to the needs of the broader astronomical community and CCA research community.
Research in astronomy and astrophysics depends critically on open source and other scientific software projects that are largely community driven (i.e. not developed or maintained by specific institutions). The primary role of this position (approximately 60% of effort) is to help support the community-oriented software instrument tool MESA.
The other major role of this position is to support and contribute to projects that align with the current research directions of the CCA, and provide leadership in supporting the larger software community within CCA.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The CCA seeks a full-time research software engineer to support the MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics) software instrument tool, and to help build, improve, and support software efforts within the center.
MESA is a suite of open-source libraries extensively used in computational stellar astrophysics. It uses adaptive mesh refinement and sophisticated timestep controls, and supports shared memory parallelism based on OpenMP. Its wide-ranging capabilities allow the simulation of diverse stellar evolution scenarios, from low-mass to massive stars, including advanced evolutionary stages and binary interactions. See https://docs.mesastar.org/en/latest/ for more information about MESA.
Within the MESA Project, the successful candidate will be responsible for:
  1. Technical Management and Enhancement: Adapting MESA to new technologies and evolving requirements such as compiler updates, library evolutions, operating systems progression, and hardware advances (e.g. GPU-porting).
  2. Code Maintenance and Enhancement: Providing daily care and enhancement of the MESA source code, in collaboration with the MESA-developers team and the MESA user community.
  3. Testing: Participating in the daily MESA testing framework in partnership with the MESA-developer team.
  4. Product Release: Overseeing and collaborating on the public releases of the source code to the MESA community.
  5. Community Support: Responding agilely to the software needs of the MESA user community.
  6. Team Partnership: Becoming a key partner of the mesa-developer team, with a focus on horizontal collaboration rather than hierarchical reporting.

Within the CCA, the successful candidate will be expected to:
  1. Help support various software development efforts of CCA scientists.
  2. Mentor and train junior scientists, including the Flatiron Software Research Fellows
  3. Organize community efforts around software education within CCA and potentially Flatiron

There will also be opportunities for on-going skill development in software development and scientific computing, including mentoring by senior research scientists, discussions and tutorials with the CCA software community and the SCC (Scientific Computing Core), and support for attending external tutorials and conferences. The research software engineer will be part of a growing community of Flatiron scientists and software engineers working on astronomical software, including Flatiron Software Research Fellows (postdocs), CCA-affiliated SCC scientists, and other research software engineers in CCA. Members of this community will be encouraged to collaborate as well as to create and seek opportunities for skill development.
The research software engineer will report to a research scientist (equivalent of faculty) at CCA and will join a growing team of research software engineers across the Flatiron Institute. The position will be based in person at the Simons Foundation office in New York City.
Visit the Simons Foundation career page at simonsfoundation.org/careers to learn more.
Qualifications
Education
  • M.S. or Ph.D. in astronomy, physics, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or a related technical discipline

Essential Qualifications
At least 3 years of experience with software development in a research context, including:
  • Experience developing software in a research environment (including academic contexts like graduate school and postdoctoral appointments, or research-oriented industry).
  • Proficiency with software development in at least one compiled language (e.g., Fortran 95, C, C++ etc.)
  • Proficiency with collaborative version control systems (especially Git & GitHub).
  • Experience with parallel programming (e.g. OpenMP, MPI).
  • Experience working with collaborative software engineering practices, including coding standards and code review.
  • Experience writing documentation and an interest in supporting user communities.
  • Experience with project management and developing multiple concurrent projects.
  • Technical and scientific curiosity with a collaborative attitude.

Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with the MESA software instrument.
  • Experience with commonly-used high-level languages (Python, Julia, MATLAB, etc.).
  • Experience with HPC, GPU, and/or code profiling and optimization.
  • Experience with ML/AI tools (PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow)
  • Working knowledge of applied mathematical concepts and numerical methods.
  • Working knowledge of astronomy and physics core concepts.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
  • The full-time starting annual compensation range for this position is:
    • (3-6 years of experience) $150K-$185K
    • (6-8+ years of experience) $190K-$215K
  • In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with an outstanding benefits package.

Application Instructions
Required Application Materials
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Cover Letter

Deadline to Apply
  • Applications received by April 10, 2026 will receive full consideration. Late applications may be considered at the discretion of the selection committee.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Our Commitment to Expanding Pathways to Science & Opportunities for All:
Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to advancing basic science and mathematics to benefit humankind and expand our collective understanding of our world. As part of our mission, we support partners, programs, and initiatives that seek to broaden the scientific community and open pathways to science and mathematics careers.
The Simons Foundation provides equal opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state, and local law

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