A Guide for Astronomers Applying to Positions in Industry

• March 30, 2026: The Expression of Interest Form opened, and we were amazed by the number of responses; thank you to everyone who filled this out!

• June 1, 2026: Registration opened! Complete the Registration Form to receive connection details for the sessions. This form will remain open until the last session. You do not have to be at a Canadian university to register; participation is welcomed from one and all!

• June 29, 2026 (12:00-1:30pm EDT): The Job Search

• July 8, 2026 (12:00-1:30pm EDT): Marketing Your Unique Skillset

• July 15, 2026 (12:00-1:30pm EDT): Where to Go From Here

Session 1. The Job Search

Monday, June 29, 2026, 9am PDT / 10 am MDT / 11 am CDT / Noon EDT / 1 pm ADT

• Basic strategies for job searching, positions that suit astronomer's skill set; networking and connecting with recruiters

Session 2. Marketing Your Unique Skillset

Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 9am PDT / 10 am MDT / 11 am CDT / Noon EDT / 1 pm ADT

• Translating astronomy and research skills to industry; what catches a recruiters eye

• Succeed in interviews; writing a CV/résumé for industry

Session 3. Where to Go From Here

Wednesday, July 15, 2026, 9am PDT / 10 am MDT / 11 am CDT / Noon EDT / 1 pm ADT

• Transitioning into industry; why industry was the right path

• Current state of the job market; the process of finding a job today

• Featuring invited panelists: Stories and insights from folks who have recently left academia for industry

• Adrien Hélias (Western University)

• Andre Fogal (University of Victoria)

• Breanna Crompvoets (University of Victoria)

• Emily Rock (McMaster University)

• Isabel Sander (University of Manitoba)

• Lauren Foster, CASCA Graduate Student Committee (McMaster University)

• Nolan Dickson (Saint Mary's University)

• Samantha Lambrier (Western University)

• Solveig Thompson (University of Calgary)

Job Boards for Astronomy Backgrounds

• GC Jobs is the Government of Canada job board that includes a variety of jobs across government agencies.

• Work With Indies is a job board dedicated to small, independent video game development studios.

• The AAS Job Registry is a job board run by the American Astronomical Society that includes non-academic jobs.

• Women in Games is a non-profit dedicated to building a fair and equitable playing field for women and girls in games. They also run a Discord server where many job opportunities are shared (allies of all genders welcome!)

• Tech Jobs For Good is a tech job board dedicated to postings for mission-driven companies and non-profits working on pressing social and environmental issues.

Turning Science

• Turning Science aims to bridge the academia-industry gap to help PhDs market their skills and prepare for the hiring proces with interview practice, networking strategies, and more. They offer short 90-minute workshops along with more intensive day-long trainings.

The Erdős Institue

• The Erdős Institue is a multi-university collaboration dedicated to helping PhDs secure fulfilling jobs at every stage of their career. The programming is offered in cohorts, 3 times per year, and runs entirely on-line. There are both recorded and live lectures for their certificate programs available!

• There is one more cohort this year scheduled for Fall 2026 with an enrollment deadline of September 9th. The EXPLORE Level Programs are free to register!

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentives

• The SR&ED tax incentives are one of the government's largest programs for funding industrial research and development. Companies use these credits to fund research departments, often testing developments on large datasets like astronomical data. Targeting companies partially funded through these credits is a great strategy for finding research positions.

Research Computing Teams Newsletter

• The Research Computing Teams Newsletter Archive is an archive of a weekly newsletter with nearly 200 entries all about research computing in industry.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Development Network Career Symposium

• The Graduate and Postdoctoral Development Network Career Symposium is an annual virtual symposium aimed at professional development and career exploration. Previous years' programs and agendas are available on the site, with the 2026 symposium expected sometime in the Fall. Other resources are also available on their website.