Academic Career Advice

For Undergraduate Students

• Astrobites has a number of helpful articles for students interested in an academic career, including:
  Getting Started in Undergraduate Research
  So You Want to Apply for an REU... Here’s How
  Applying to Grad School in the US: A Timeline
  Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
• From student to Professional Astronomer: An example timeline
• AIP's Society of Physics Students Careers Toolbox
• AIP's Grad School Shopper
• Landing Your First Job: A Guide for Physics Students by John S. Rigden. June 2003, Springer-Verlag New York, LLC

For Graduate Students and Postdocs

• AIP Statistical Research Center Data on faculty employment
• AIP Statistical Research Center Data on astronomy and employment
• Navigating the Faculty Job Search – AstroBetter wiki page
• A Career in Undergraduate Education – 2013 AAS post about jobs at non-PhD-granting institutions
• Career Profile: Astronomer to Tenure-Track Faculty – 2013 AAS CSWA interview
• APS Physicists Profile: Careers in Academia & Research Universities
• AAS Career Development Webinars and Workshops
• Physics Today Careers and Education articles
• CSWA Advice for Postdocs Applying for Tenure-Track Positions (scroll down to find)
• Science magazine article "Learn to read between the lines of a job ad" by David Jensen
• Ph.D. Resources for Re-envisioning the Ph.D.
• A PhD is Not Enough!: A Guide to Survival in Science, by Peter J. Feibelman. June, 1993, Basic Books.
• Tomorrow's Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering, by Richard M. Reis. 1997, Wiley-IEEE Press.
• Networking for Nerds, by Alaina G. Levine. 2015, Wiley-Blackwell.
• Jennifer Hodgdon on Leaving Academic Physics - An article covering many aspects of career change.
• The Professor is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your PhD into a Job, by Karen Kelsky. Sugust, 2015, Three Rivers Press.
• Science magazine article "Employment Crisis' for new PhDs an illusion" by Jeffrey Mervis
• AAS member Robin Corbet has provided the AAS with a result from his 2004 survey of academic astronomy and physics programs in the US. It shows the number of assistant, associate, and full professors as a function of years from PhD.
• The Right Startup Package for Beginning Scientists - reprinted from the Chronicle of Higher Education

For Current Faculty

• APS's Tools for Career Advisors
• APS and AAPT Joint Report on Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers
• CSWA Advice on How to Be A Good Mentor
• Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty
• Science.org Careers articles
• SabbaticalHomes.com – A website dedicated to helping academic communities around the world find or list houses for rent, exchange, or house-sit when on sabbatical leave.
• Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers – A Guide for Postdoctoral Scholars, Advisers, Institutions, Funding Organizations, and Disciplinary Societies
• Recommendation Letter Writing Round Up – blog post from AstroBetter
• Best Practices for Reading and Writing Letters of Recommendation – handout from Lehigh University ADVANCE