Cosmologist

In this career guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about cosmology as a career, from roles and responsibilities, to work environment and roadmap to becoming a Cosmologist.

Who's a Cosmologist?

Do you want to uncover the secrets of the universe? Would you like to study and analyse meteorites or other extraterrestrial particles? Want to know when and how the solar system was formed? If so, consider a career in cosmology.

As a cosmologist, you would study the chemical composition of the various matter in the universe. For this, you will analyse the chemical composition of meteorites and other physical samples. Click here to find out more about the field of cosmology.

What will you do?

Studying the properties of celestial bodies.

You would utilise ground-based and space-borne telescopes to study facts and get information on different properties of celestial bodies, like meteorites.

Example: You would study movement, physical properties, and other important and defining factors about various bodies.

 

Developing and testing theories.

Once you have collected information, you will use it to develop and test theories about the origin of the universe.

Example: You will study different material to understand how they were formed, and how they are affected by external factors like gravity.

Applying your findings to other fields.

Once you have tested theories and discovered new properties of substances, you can start using this information to help drive innovation in other fields.

Example: Your work can help other fields like vitality, hardware, interchanges, route, and therapeutic innovation.

Helping design scientific instruments.

Since you observe astronomical bodies using various equipment and scientific instruments, you will help design them. You would also help develop software that will be used to analyse the data you’ve collected.

Example: You will help with the designing of telescopes, lasers, and other equipment used for cosmology.

Take the Mentoria career assessment, to find out how well-suited you are as a Cosmologist.

Where will you work?

Research Centre

You would be working out of a research centre or a college depending on the type of job you opt for. Here you would work on understanding different theories, analysing old and new material and try to find out more about the cosmos.  

Laboratory

You would be working with rocks, asteroids and meteor bits found on Earth or in space. You would conduct experiments and learn more about these objects while working in labs.

College

As there is not much of a scope for cosmologists yet, a lot of them also teach whilst researching. You would work with students choosing a geochemistry major or a cosmology major. 

How do you get there?

This stream won’t help you make an entry into this field.

This stream won’t help you make an entry into this field.

STEP 1: Class XII-XII/ Junior College

Cosmology is a relatively new field in India, and hence has no formal courses available. You can, however, opt for science in junior college and pursue a degree in astrophysics or astronomy to have a foundation in space studies. Make sure to choose Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as your subjects.

STEP 2: Entrance Exam

Apply for the JEE. The exams are held twice a year. You will need to have a PCM combo and have at least 60% marks in your Class 12 exams. If you do well in the JEEs, you can apply for the JEE advanced through which you can get into the IITs.

STEP 3: Graduation

Pursue a three-year Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics from colleges like Osmania University (Hyderabad), Andhra University (Visakhapatnam), etc.

Alternatively, you could also pursue a three-year BSc in subjects like Geology, Chemistry, etc. Top colleges for a BSc degree include Miranda House (Delhi), Stella Maris College (Chennai), and Ruia College (Mumbai).

If you choose to pursue engineering, do a BE in Physics from colleges like IIT – Kanpur, IISc – Bangalore, etc.

STEP 4: Postgraduation

Pursue a two-year MSc in the subject of your choosing – Astrophysics, Geology, Chemistry from India Institutes of Space Science and Technology (Trivandrum), Physical Research laboratory (Ahmedabad), etc. You will need at least 55% marks in your graduation to qualify for this degree.

Alternatively, you can pursue a diploma course in Applied Geochemistry from Osmania University (Hyderabad).

STEP 5: Land a Job

Once you are done with your postgraduation, you can look at working as a researcher with a space research organisation, aerospace companies, etc. Congratulation, you are officially a Cosmochemist.

 

Thinking of a career as a Cosmologist? Take the Mentoria assessment & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.

What skills would you need?

Analytical and Data Skills

Analytical and Data Skills

You will receive huge amounts of data from your client. This data will have to be analysed effectively so you can find ways that will help your client reach their customers is the best way possible. While it is true that the more data you analyse, the more insights you generate; analytical thinking will help you narrow down your search and find your key actionable items, thus saving you a lot of time and resources.

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Technical Skills

Technical Skills

As a marketer, you will work on different platforms to communicate with people. If you don’t understand how they work, you won’t be able to come up with the best strategy. You will also use various kinds of software like Google Adwords, MailChimp, SurveyMonkey, etc., during your promotions. You need to know how they work, and how to use them to your advantage.

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Communication Skills

Communication Skills

It’s harder than ever to get people’s attention, what with so much information being thrown at them. But, people cannot resist a good story. Every good marketing campaign has a story to tell their customers and relate to them on an emotional level. Marketers who tell great stories through their marketing campaigns are always in great demand.

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How do you make it to the top ranks?

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Junior Researcher

To begin your career in any kind of planetary or extra-terrestrial science, you can join as a research fellow in any research institute or centre. Public and private organisations both offer good scope for a researcher in such specialised fields.

Research Scientist

As you move ahead in your career, your experience in research can help many cosmochemists working above you, with their projects. You become an integral member of their team, helping them with the basic research for their study.

Senior Cosmochemist

Once you gain experience and expertise in your field, you can kickstart your own research project or head a project for your research institute or centre. Your focus here is to understand the origin and evolution of the Solar System through the study of extraterrestrial material.

Pursuing your career locally VS abroad

Cosmology is a relatively new field and there are no courses to pursue this specialised career in India. Students, however, can pursue courses to related to it and turn towards cosmology later during their career. To become a cosmologist, it is necessary to study maths, physics, and chemistry in Class 12. Following this, you either choose to pursue a BSc in Physics/ Biology/ Chemistry/ Mathematics/ Geology/ Astrophysics. A bachelor’s course may cost up to INR 5000 to INR 5,00,000 and a following post-graduate course in astrophysics, astronomy, or earth science, could cost up to INR 2,00,000. While programming skills are not necessary for cosmology, students with the knowledge of basic languages do have higher chances of landing desirable jobs.

In India, there is a severe shortage of both courses as well as research institutes in cosmology. This prompts many aspirants to look abroad while pursuing courses in the field. While cozmology is still a relatively new field, it had its beginnings around the 1950s-1960s abroad. In India, students who wish to train within this field can find post-graduate opportunities either in the subject itself or in related fields like astrophysics, geochemistry, earth science, geophysics, astronomy, and space instrumentation. The US, Canada, and the UK have some of the best institutions for this field, such as California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, University of Hawaii, University of Western Ontario, University of Manchester, and the University of Heidelberg among others. Most of these colleges offer Master’s programmes along with a PhD, which is essential in a career like this that depends heavily on research. Courses here can cost you anywhere in between INR 5,00,000 – INR 30,00,000.

How much would you get paid?

Since the field is relatively new in India, you can look for jobs abroad to gain more knowledge and a better work environment and opportunity. Your pay would depend entirely on where you're working, your skillset and experience, and your success in the field. However, we can give you a fair idea of how much you can earn as a cosmologist


What are your career options?

*Please Note

Cosmology is a relatively new course and a concentration of planetary science, thus it does not have any more specialised branches within the field.

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