Free Mid-level astronomer CV (2026)

Begin with a clean header that includes your full name, optional professional title, and UK contact details (phone and email). Add links to your LinkedIn, ORCID, and institutional profile or GitHub so reviewers can access your work quickly.

Follow with a two to three line professional profile that states your UK job target, years of experience, and core areas such as observational astronomy, data analysis, or instrumentation.

Next, include a Technical Skills section listing software, languages, and instruments. After skills, place Research Experience in reverse chronological order, then Publications and Presentations, Teaching and Mentoring, and finally Awards or Grants.

Consider adding a dedicated Outreach or Impact section if you have relevant experience.

Include a References section or note 'References available on request.' Use DD/MM/YYYY for dates and keep job titles consistent to aid UK committees. If applicable, mention right-to-work status and any visa requirements.

Craft a short profile that tells the reader who you are and what you bring to the role in two to three sentences. State your target position in the UK, a couple of core capabilities, and the types of projects you want to pursue (for example observational programmes, survey science, or instrument development).

Avoid generic statements; tailor the profile to the job posting using UK terminology such as programme(s), observatory, or consortium. Include keywords like spectroscopy, time-domain astronomy, or data pipelines if they reflect your experience.

For example: 'Observational astronomer with 6+ years’ experience in optical/NIR facilities, data reduction pipelines (Python, Astropy) and instrument development; seeking a UK university or national observatory role.'

Present technical skills in compact grouped lines rather than long paragraphs. Use categories such as Programming and Data, Observing and Instrumentation, and Analysis and Modelling to aid quick scanning by reviewers.

Include specific software and tools (Python with Astropy and NumPy, R, SQL, MATLAB, Julia), reduction packages, databases, and telescope or instrument names where relevant. If you are proficient with an instrument or pipeline, add a brief note indicating level of experience or a key task you performed.

Mention UK-specific facilities when applicable (e.g. UKIRT, VISTA, JCMT, or Liverpool Telescope).

For each position, list your title, organisation, location, and dates in DD/MM/YYYY format, then include two to four bullets describing your contributions. Focus on outcomes and your role within the team, methods used, and the impact of your work (e.g. data pipelines you developed, time allocation you secured, or instrument prototypes delivered).

Quantify results where possible (e.g. reduced processing time by X%, increased data yield by Y%). Emphasise collaboration within UK institutions or with national facilities and note any leading roles in projects or consortia.

Publishers and conference presentations should follow a clear citation style and include DOIs. For long publication lists, provide a selected subset in the CV and link to a complete bibliography on ORCID or your institutional profile.

For presentations, list talk or poster titles, conference name, location, and date (DD/MM/YYYY). Wherever possible, include links to full papers or abstracts.

In the UK, it is common to present publications with full author lists and affiliations as they appear in journals.

Create a Teaching and Mentoring section detailing undergraduate or postgraduate teaching responsibilities, supervision of projects, and mentoring of junior researchers or interns. Include any outreach or public engagement activities (e.g. telescope nights, school talks, or citizen science projects) with measurable impact when possible.

In the UK, emphasise collaborations with departments, outreach units, or outreach funding sources and mention involvement with equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives where relevant.

List higher education qualifications first (degree, awarding institution, year of award, and final grade or classification). For UK CVs, include details that align with UK education norms (e.g. degrees from Russell Group universities) and note any UCAS-related or GCSE/A-level context only if recent graduates.

Include relevant professional development, certificates, or workshops (e.g. data analysis, instrument calibration, or safety training). If you hold a certificate requiring ongoing compliance (e.g. data protection or safety), mention it with the expiry date.

Include a note on right-to-work in the UK and any security clearances if applicable.

Follow UK CV conventions: use British English spelling (organise, analyse, colour, centre, programme), employ the DD/MM/YYYY date format, and present the CV on 2-4 pages as appropriate for a mid-level role. Do not include a photo unless specifically requested.

Place education and professional development after research and publications, unless you have a strong reason to place it earlier.

Include a brief section on right-to-work status if you are not a UK citizen and address any visa needs. Use UK job boards (Reed, Indeed UK, Totaljobs, LinkedIn) when applying and tailor the CV to the specific posting; keep NHS pay bands in mind if applying to healthcare-related research roles and align salary expectations accordingly where asked.

If you have a UK address or are applying to UK organisations, mention your eligibility to work in the UK and any relevant clearances.