Table 1Transition record

computer scientisttoastronomer

A computer scientist already meets 68% of what the astronomer role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.

From computer scientist

68%

Overlap1

To astronomer

37 Skills carried over

9 Required, not held

43.6 Difficulty2

Career overlap Strong match

68%

Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

43.6/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the astronomer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the computer scientist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A astronomer role treats 32 of its required skills as things a computer scientist already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

apply for research funding
apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities
apply statistical analysis techniques
communicate with a non-scientific audience
conduct research across disciplines
demonstrate disciplinary expertise

What stands in the way is 9 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 37 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A astronomer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a computer scientist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held mathematical physics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held quantum computing information and communication technologies (icts)
already held write research proposals communication, collaboration and creativity
already held apply statistical analysis techniques information skills
already held execute analytical mathematical calculations information skills
already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data information skills

All 37 carried skills, including the 32 the astronomer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 28 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 4 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held astronomy required
required, not held mathematics required
required, not held physics required
required, not held statistics required

optional, not held computational physics optional
optional, not held quantum technology optional
optional, not held aeronomy optional
optional, not held geophysics optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held optics optional
optional, not held types of optical instruments optional

02 information skills 3 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held apply scientific methods required
required, not held carry out scientific research in observatory required
required, not held gather experimental data required

optional, not held define celestial bodies optional
optional, not held develop scientific theories optional
optional, not held analyse telescope images optional
optional, not held archive scientific documentation optional

03 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held operate scientific measuring equipment required

optional, not held operate telescopes optional

04 generic programmes and qualifications 1 required

required, not held scientific literature required

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 supplementary

optional, not held perform lectures optional
optional, not held apply teaching strategies optional
optional, not held design scientific equipment optional
optional, not held teach astronomy optional

06 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 supplementary

optional, not held optoelectronics optional
optional, not held optomechanical engineering optional

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a astronomer 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 37 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 statistical analysis techniques skill
already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
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 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 mentor individuals skill
already held operate open source software skill
already held perform project management skill
already held perform scientific research skill
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 scientific research methodology knowledge
already held speak different languages skill
already held synthesise information skill
already held think abstractly skill
already held write scientific publications skill
already held apply blended learning skill
already held mathematical physics knowledge
already held quantum computing knowledge
already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
already held write research proposals skill

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held scientific modelling optional

19 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held computational physics optional
optional, not held define celestial bodies optional
optional, not held develop scientific theories optional
optional, not held perform lectures optional
optional, not held quantum technology optional
optional, not held aeronomy optional
optional, not held analyse telescope images optional
optional, not held apply teaching strategies optional
optional, not held archive scientific documentation optional
optional, not held design scientific equipment optional
optional, not held geophysics optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held operate telescopes optional
optional, not held optics optional
optional, not held optoelectronics optional
optional, not held optomechanical engineering optional
optional, not held scientific modelling optional
optional, not held teach astronomy optional
optional, not held types of optical instruments optional

53 held skills the astronomer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role Apache Tomcat knowledge
not needed by the target role JavaScript Framework knowledge
not needed by the target role LDAP knowledge
not needed by the target role LINQ knowledge
not needed by the target role MDX knowledge
not needed by the target role N1QL knowledge
not needed by the target role NoSQL knowledge
not needed by the target role SPARQL knowledge
not needed by the target role SQL knowledge
not needed by the target role XQuery knowledge
not needed by the target role apply reverse engineering skill
not needed by the target role behavioural science knowledge
not needed by the target role business intelligence knowledge
not needed by the target role cognitive computing knowledge
not needed by the target role computational biology knowledge
not needed by the target role computer simulation knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct literature research skill
not needed by the target role conduct qualitative research skill
not needed by the target role conduct quantitative research skill
not needed by the target role conduct research interview skill
not needed by the target role conduct scholarly research skill
not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
not needed by the target role data engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role data mining knowledge
not needed by the target role data science knowledge
not needed by the target role define technology strategy skill
not needed by the target role develop computer vision system skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role digitization knowledge
not needed by the target role documentation types knowledge
not needed by the target role emergent technologies knowledge
not needed by the target role execute ICT user research activities skill
not needed by the target role image recognition knowledge
not needed by the target role implement anti-virus software skill
not needed by the target role information categorisation knowledge
not needed by the target role information extraction knowledge
not needed by the target role innovate in ICT skill
not needed by the target role innovation processes knowledge
not needed by the target role operational research knowledge
not needed by the target role perform data mining skill

13 further entries not listed here

15 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 acquire Tier

required, not held astronomy required
required, not held mathematics required
required, not held physics required
required, not held scientific literature required
required, not held statistics required
optional, not held computational physics optional
optional, not held quantum technology optional
optional, not held aeronomy optional
optional, not held geophysics optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held optics optional
optional, not held optoelectronics optional
optional, not held optomechanical engineering optional
optional, not held scientific modelling optional
optional, not held types of optical instruments optional

Index

Other moves recorded from computer scientist

Full index of moves from computer scientist

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.