Can a non-traditional astronomy student find an astronomy-related career?
Well…That depends on how ‘non-traditional’ you mean. If it means not having taken a single physics or science course at the college-level, your chances are virtually non-existent. The kinds of non-research jobs available include manuscript editor, planetarium guide, museum guide, telescope operator but even these require some background in astronomy and physics. Most require that you have at least a BA or Masters degree in astronomy. With the job situation in PhD-level astronomy being what it is, there is now a pool of young astronomers willing to consider some of these kinds of jobs for themselves, so there is quite a pool of talent for prospective employers to look through. You might consider writing books or articles, but there you may not find much of a career especially if you freelance. The bottom line is that finding astronomy-related work is very hard. It isn’t always a ‘given’ that one can turn a hobby or intellectual enthusiasm into a career. Astronomy is such a small caree
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