Careers
in Mathematics & Computer Science
Will you have a BA with a major
in mathematics or computer science, but not sure what the possibilities
are? Want some time away from academia before graduate school,
but still want to work in a mathematics- or computer science-related
field?
The good news is that you are
qualified for many jobs in these fields with a Bachelor's degree.
But where do you look? Professional
societies, university
job postings, non-profit
organizations, national
laboratories, industry, and other
job posting sites are all promising avenues to explore.
Not really sure where to start
or just want more information on mathematics or computer science
careers? Compiled here are some
ideas on where to start.
Professional Societies
Professional societies offer
the opportunity to network with professionals in your field.
Many have their own web pages with job postings. In addition
to posting jobs, professional societies' web pages give information
for undergraduates on how to prepare for a career in math- and
computer science-related fields. Below are some examples; however
this is far from a comprehensive list. Ask your professors which
societies they belong to for more ideas.
By becoming a student member
of a professional society, you gain all the benefits of membership
at a much reduced student price (around $15-$20 compared to the
$40-$60 regular membership). These benefits include reduced
registration costs for attending and presenting at annual
society meetings, reduced journal subscription costs,
and newsletter subscriptions. Student members gain access
to society job listings as well.
American
Mathematical Society
- Employment and Careers Page -- Scroll down to find undergraduate
links with information about career opportunities, fellowships
and grants, student membership and more.
- Employment
Listings -- jobs for
a variety of education levels.
Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Mathematical
Association of America
- MAA Student's Page -- Links to information on careers, graduate school,
summer opportunities, MAA activities and more.
- Jobs Listings
-- Mostly advertises academic positions requiring Ph. D., but
a few are advertised for BA level.
Society
for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
- Career
Information -- Careers
in applied mathematics and computational sciences.
- Graduate
School -- Information
on grad school in applied mathematics and computational sciences.
University Job Postings
If you are interested in a Technician
or Research Assistant position, the job postings of the university
or college you want to work for are the most promising places
to look, though professional
societies and industry will advertise
these positions as well.
Once you've decided where you
might like to work, visit that university's website and look
for the Job Opportunities or Employment Opportunities page. If
it is not immediately obvious on the university's main page,
often the quickest way to locate it is by accessing the site
index. In addition to checking the job listings, it is a good
idea to research the professors working at the institution and
to contact them directly (telephone, email, letter) about working
with them.
Below are a few examples of job
listing sites from universities. Though you may not want to work
specifically at one of the listed schools, you can access them
to compare job responsibilities and pay scales. While there are
a number of Technician and Research Assistant positions advertised,
note that these are not the only types of jobs available to graduates
at universities.
Non-Profit Organizations
Many non-profits need computer
and mathematics people to work for them. They offer year-long
or shorter internships or positions for recent graduates. These
can give you great experience using your degree in a non-academic
setting. Ask professors, alumni, friends about other possible
non-profits you might be interested in working with or visit
the CDO's Non-Profits web page.
- Student
Conservation Association
-- Offers short- to long-term positions with national parks,
non-profit organizations, and private preserves for undergraduates
and graduates. Some positions carry education awards upon completion
to be used for further study or loan repayment. Many are field
positions, but some are office or development positions.
- The Nature Conservancy -- This site lists jobs all over the
country for a variety of education levels and skills.
With a national non-profit, such
as The Nature Conservancy or Audubon
Society, it is a good idea to contact the specific local
chapters you would like to work with to inquire about job opportunities.
Positions may be filled locally and therefore never even be listed
on the national job databases.
National Laboratories
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab --
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a world-renowned research
and development center. The mission of the Laboratory is to serve
as a national resource of scientific, technical, and engineering
capability with a special focus on global security, global ecology
and bioscience. LLNL is operated by the University of California
under a contract with the US Department of Energy.
- Los Alamos National Lab -- Los Alamos lab, located with the town
of Los Alamos approximately 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, occupies
43 square miles of land in Northern New Mexico. Owned by the
Department of Energy, Los Alamos has been managed by the University
of California since 1943, when the Laboratory was born as part
of the Manhattan Project to create the first atomic weapons during
World War II. National security remains the central part of Los
Alamos' mission, but our scientific expertise is very broad and
ranges from innovative biological research to modeling global
climate, and from novel methods for examining material properties
to helping explore the outer reaches of the solar system. We
also boast what is arguably the greatest concentration of scientific
computing power on the planet.
- Oak Ridge National Lab -- ORNL is a multi program science and
technology laboratory managed for the U.S. Department of Energy
by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation. Scientists and
engineers at ORNL conduct basic and applied research and development
to create scientific knowledge and technological solutions that
strengthen the nation's leadership in key areas of science; increase
the availability of clean, abundant energy; restore and protect
the environment; and contribute to national security.
- Sandia National Lab - Sandia National Laboratories is a multi program
laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin
Company, for the U.S. Department of Energy. Sandia is one of
the country's premier research and engineering facilities, employing
about 7,500 people at major facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico
and Livermore, California. Test sites are located in Nevada and
Hawaii.
- Brookhaven National Lab - Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)
is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research facility located
on Long Island, New York, on a 5,300-acre campus just north of
Exit 68 of the Long Island Expressway. (maps) BNL has been around
since 1947, doing world-class scientific research in physics,
medicine, biology, chemistry, environmental science. . . and
more!
Industry
Industry offers not only research
and technical positions, but opportunities in sales and marketing
as well.
- Automation Alley -- based in Oakland
County, Michigan offers job and internship opportunities in the
nation's newest and fastest growing technology cluster.
- CareerCity Computer
and High-Tech jobs
-- Search for computer-related jobs by state.
- Computerwork.com -- Computer jobs
and technical employment in the US & Canada. Search jobs
and submit your resume online.
- Dice.com -- Database for
High-Tech jobs.
- Haystack Group,
Inc.
-- This is a retained executive search consultancy providing
exhaustive executive search and search research services to firms
working within four specific industries: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals,
Biotechnology, Health Care Information Technology.
- JustComputerJobs.com -- This site
is divided into 40 separate categories that focus on a particular
technology, such as Just JavaJobs.com or JustUnixJobs.com.
- Marblejar.com -- A national,
web-based IT recruiting firm.
Other Job Postings
- Nature --
Nature Magazine's searchable database for all types of science
jobs around the world for all education levels.
- Science
-- Science Magazine's searchable database for all types of science
jobs for all education levels.
What else do computer scientists and mathematicians
do?
Want more information about what
kinds of jobs are out there? Here are some good places to start
gaining more information.
- Talk to your professors -- after all they have careers in computer
science and mathematics!
- Talk to alumni who work in
computer or math fields.
It may be especially helpful to talk to alumni who do not have
careers in academia. They can give you an idea of what computer
scientists and mathematicians do outside of academics. A Career
Counselor in the CDO can help put you in touch with alumni.
- Talk to a Career Counselor. They can help you focus your career
and job searching goals as well as give you ideas on where to
look and who to talk to about the type of job you want.
- The CDO library has numerous resources to help you
explore careers in computer science and mathematics. Check
out the sections in the library marked "Careers in Business,"
and/or "Careers in Technology," They contain resources
such as 100 Jobs in Technology, Harvard Business School 1999
Career Guide to Finance, and Peterson's Job Opportunities
for Engineering and Computer Science Majors.
- In addition to print resources, you may want to investigate professional
societies' web pages or these other web-resources:
The Sloan Foundation's Career Cornerstone
for Computer Science
-- Career information and resources for computer science and
electrical engineering students.
The
Sloan Foundation's Career Cornerstone for Mathematics -- Career information and resources
for mathematics students.
National Academy of Science Publication
-- Careers in Science and Engineering
Tips About Graduate School -- Thinking about graduate school? This
web page can help you decide whether or not to go, help you decide
where to go, and how to apply.
Exams
Online -- Exam preparation
and assessment of certification related skills. Enables individuals
to prepare for Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, TompTIA, Sun, Oracle
and other certification programs.
