Professor of Physics, Director of MSSL and Head, UCL Department of Space and Climate Physics
Research Fellow in Solar Physics
Research Fellow in Astrophysics
Introduction to careers in space research
Careers in computing and administration
Sources of further information
Careers in Scientific Research
Image of the galaxies NGC 7314 (top left), NGC 7313 (bottom right) and a star in our Galaxy (top right) taken in ultraviolet light by the Optical Monitor telescope (built at MSSL) on the XMM-Newton satellite (courtesy RGS Consortium).
Scientists at MSSL carry out research in Astrophysics, Solar and Stellar Physics, Space Plasma and Planetary Physics, Detector Physics and Climate Physics. A typical career in space science at MSSL will begin, after having gained an undergraduate degree in a physics-related subject, with research towards a PhD. This is a three-year research apprenticeship, supervised by an experienced scientist, which culminates in the writing of a thesis.
This is followed by several years on short-term contracts as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, and finally, with some luck, a permanent appointment with the university.
Permanent academic posts involve university teaching and public outreach as well as research. There are different grades of academic; in increasing order of seniority, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor. The teaching and managerial load can increase along with promotion and this needs to be balanced with scientific research.
After the PhD and Post-doc stage some scientists leave academia and go to work in industrial and governmental research organisations. Some also go on to work for the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA.