Happy National Science Week 2021!
National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Each year in August, thousands of individuals get involved in science events across the nation.
This week provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge. It also aims to encourage an interest in science and encourage young people to become fascinated by the world we live in!
So, in honour of the week, we thought, what better way to highlight where an incredible career in science could take you than by highlighting some of the coolest jobs out there!
5 Cool Jobs to Pursue in Science
Jobs in science, technology, engineering and maths have come a long way – even though many roles are grounded in traditional pathways, there’s been such a strong emergence of technology to help grow these areas out of the lab and classroom!
Below are five that we’d definitely put at the top of our ‘cool job’ list:
1. Curiosity Driver
Got a strong interest in space but not so keen on becoming an astronaut? You could pursue a career as a Curiosity Driver! Curiosity is a car-sized Mars rover designed to explore the Gale crater on Mars as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission. Requiring two years of training, you’ll be required to work on Mars time, helping Curiosity cover rough Mars terrain and achieve its mission objectives. You’ll need excellent problem-solving skills, dexterous capabilities, and a strong analytical mind to inform the mission. But how cool would it be to say you drive cars on Mars?!
2. Firework Designer
Otherwise known as Pyrotechnic Designer, these individuals plan and create some of the incredible displays you see at events such as the Olympic Games and the city-led New Year celebrations! It takes more than simply lighting a spark to ensure the kind of breath-taking, coordinated displays you see at these large-scale happenings. Chemistry lies at the heart of these spectacular shows – who said the lab had to be boring?!
3. Volcanologist
You guessed it, the study of volcanos is a full-time gig, offering the right mix of science, technology, and geology knowledge with a dash of daredevil! Volcanologists study dormant and active volcanos across the world to better understand how, when and why they erupt. Volcanologists often travel around the world, traversing some of the most unique and vicarious landscapes that exist!
4. Ethical Hacker
If computers are more your thing and you’ve got a sharp mind for fault finding, ethical hacking could be the role for you. As every business and government organisation becomes more reliant on integrated networks, hackers are becoming more volatile at attempting to gain access to private and valuable information. Ethical hackers work for businesses, organisations, and governments to hack their systems and find issues before someone more troublesome does. They also advise on the best ways to protect and secure systems. Pretty cool!
5. Nanosystems Engineer
Although a relatively new area, it’s one that’s expected to grow in the coming decade! Nanosystems engineers work with materials that are 1/100,000th the width of a strand of a human hair! They design and manipulate these materials to determine how they behave, interact and uncover ways to use them practically in real-world applications. Carbon nanotubes are a great example of the work nanosystems engineers do – carbon nanotubes are considered the strongest material discovered!
Get Involved this Science Week!
Don’t take our word for it! These jobs are a tiny snippet of some of the incredible stuff happening in the world of science, engineering and maths!
National Science Week is your chance to get involved and learn more – who knows what you’ll uncover?
To find out more about what’s happening this week, head on over to the dedicated website and take a look at:
- What’s happening in your local state
- Booking in for something on this list of online and in-person events.
- Some super fun DIY science projects you can do at home.
If you’re still itching to learn more about the industry overall and where a career can take you, then you’re in luck! Our industry profile pages will help you uncover everything you need to know.
Why not take a peek at the whole Science, Technology and Analytics page now!
