Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Astronomer to physicist

An astronomer already meets 72% of what the physicist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From astronomer
72 % overlap
Strong match
To physicist
55 You already bring
7 Still to learn
94 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

45.3/ 100

1 How much of what a physicist is expected to do is already part of an astronomer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the physicist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A physicist role treats 43 of its required skills as things an astronomer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • apply for research funding
  • apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities
  • apply scientific methods
  • apply statistical analysis techniques
  • communicate with a non-scientific audience
  • computational physics

What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 55 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A physicist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an astronomer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held analyse telescope images information skills
  • already held computational physics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
  • already held operate telescopes working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held mathematical physics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
  • already held astronomy natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
  • already held quantum technology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics

All 55 carried skills, including the 43 the physicist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 39 missing skills fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn perform laboratory tests required
  • still to learn use measurement instruments required
  • optional, not held calibrate laboratory equipment optional
  • optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
02 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 10 supplementary
  • still to learn laboratory techniques required
  • optional, not held forensic physics optional
  • optional, not held computational mechanics optional
  • optional, not held nuclear physics optional
  • optional, not held quantum mechanics optional
  • optional, not held Monte Carlo simulation optional
  • optional, not held acoustics optional
  • optional, not held biology optional
  • optional, not held geology optional
  • optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
  • optional, not held thermodynamics optional
03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required, 5 supplementary
  • still to learn spectroscopy required
  • optional, not held continuum mechanics optional
  • optional, not held petroleum optional
  • optional, not held solid mechanics optional
  • optional, not held aerodynamics optional
  • optional, not held materials engineering optional
04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn communicate mathematical information required
  • optional, not held provide information on geological characteristics optional
  • optional, not held communicate with external laboratories optional
  • optional, not held teach physics optional
05 information skills 1 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn analyse experimental laboratory data required
  • optional, not held assist with geophysical surveys optional
  • optional, not held interpret geophysical data optional
  • optional, not held observe matter optional
06 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn supercomputing required
  • optional, not held computer simulation optional

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a physicist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 55 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held apply for research funding skill
  • already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
  • already held apply scientific methods skill
  • already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
  • already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
  • already held computational physics knowledge
  • already held conduct research across disciplines skill
  • already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
  • already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
  • already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
  • already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
  • already held evaluate research activities skill
  • already held execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
  • already held gather experimental data skill
  • already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
  • already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
  • already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
  • already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
  • already held manage intellectual property rights skill
  • already held manage open publications skill
  • already held manage personal professional development skill
  • already held manage research data skill
  • already held mathematical modelling knowledge
  • already held mathematics knowledge
  • already held mentor individuals skill
  • already held operate open source software skill
  • already held operate scientific measuring equipment skill
  • already held perform project management skill
  • already held perform scientific research skill
  • already held physics knowledge
  • already held promote open innovation in research skill
  • already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
  • already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
  • already held publish academic research skill
  • already held quantum computing knowledge
  • already held quantum technology knowledge
  • already held scientific literature knowledge
  • already held scientific research methodology knowledge
  • already held speak different languages skill
  • already held statistics knowledge
  • already held synthesise information skill
  • already held think abstractly skill
  • already held write scientific publications skill
  • already held analyse telescope images skill
  • already held apply blended learning skill
  • already held apply teaching strategies skill
  • already held astronomy knowledge
  • already held design scientific equipment skill
  • already held develop scientific theories skill
  • already held geophysics knowledge
  • already held mathematical physics knowledge
  • already held operate telescopes skill
  • already held perform lectures skill
  • already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
  • already held write research proposals skill
The 5 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 health and welfare 4 supplementary
  • optional, not held densiometry optional
  • optional, not held general medicine optional
  • optional, not held medical laboratory technology optional
  • optional, not held pharmaceutical technology optional
08 business, administration and law 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held intellectual property law optional
09 generic programmes and qualifications 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held multidisciplinary research optional
10 handling and moving 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held collect samples for analysis optional
11 social sciences, journalism and information 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held economics optional
32 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held densiometry optional
  • optional, not held forensic physics optional
  • optional, not held assist with geophysical surveys optional
  • optional, not held computational mechanics optional
  • optional, not held continuum mechanics optional
  • optional, not held interpret geophysical data optional
  • optional, not held nuclear physics optional
  • optional, not held petroleum optional
  • optional, not held provide information on geological characteristics optional
  • optional, not held quantum mechanics optional
  • optional, not held solid mechanics optional
  • optional, not held Monte Carlo simulation optional
  • optional, not held acoustics optional
  • optional, not held aerodynamics optional
  • optional, not held biology optional
  • optional, not held calibrate laboratory equipment optional
  • optional, not held collect samples for analysis optional
  • optional, not held communicate with external laboratories optional
  • optional, not held computer simulation optional
  • optional, not held economics optional
  • optional, not held general medicine optional
  • optional, not held geology optional
  • optional, not held intellectual property law optional
  • optional, not held materials engineering optional
  • optional, not held medical laboratory technology optional
  • optional, not held multidisciplinary research optional
  • optional, not held observe matter optional
  • optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
  • optional, not held pharmaceutical technology optional
  • optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
  • optional, not held teach physics optional
  • optional, not held thermodynamics optional
10 held skills the physicist role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role aeronomy knowledge
  • not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
  • not needed by the target role carry out scientific research in observatory skill
  • not needed by the target role define celestial bodies skill
  • not needed by the target role optics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role optoelectronics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role optomechanical engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role scientific modelling knowledge
  • not needed by the target role teach astronomy skill
  • not needed by the target role types of optical instruments knowledge
26 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • still to learn spectroscopy required
  • still to learn supercomputing required
  • still to learn laboratory techniques required
  • optional, not held densiometry optional
  • optional, not held forensic physics optional
  • optional, not held computational mechanics optional
  • optional, not held continuum mechanics optional
  • optional, not held nuclear physics optional
  • optional, not held petroleum optional
  • optional, not held quantum mechanics optional
  • optional, not held solid mechanics optional
  • optional, not held Monte Carlo simulation optional
  • optional, not held acoustics optional
  • optional, not held aerodynamics optional
  • optional, not held biology optional
  • optional, not held computer simulation optional
  • optional, not held economics optional
  • optional, not held general medicine optional
  • optional, not held geology optional
  • optional, not held intellectual property law optional
  • optional, not held materials engineering optional
  • optional, not held medical laboratory technology optional
  • optional, not held multidisciplinary research optional
  • optional, not held pharmaceutical technology optional
  • optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
  • optional, not held thermodynamics optional
Index

Other moves recorded from astronomer

Full index of moves from astronomer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can an astronomer become a physicist?

Yes, and it is a moderate move. An astronomer already covers 72% of what a physicist is expected to do: 55 skills carry over, 43 of which the physicist role treats as required.

What skills does an astronomer need to become a physicist?

7 required skills are missing, plus 32 optional ones. They fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with machinery and specialised equipment. The single most important is analyse experimental laboratory data.

How hard is the move from astronomer to physicist?

Its learning distance is 45.3 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.