The primary employment sector for PhD graduates in Astronomy remains research at universities and public research institutions (in Italy or abroad), as confirmed by the career paths of our alumni. In the most recent survey conducted by us (February 2019, including PhD graduates up to the XXIX cycle), 76% (144 out of 190) of our PhD holders remained in academia or research in various roles (from postdoctoral researchers to full professors, in Italy or abroad), and none were reported as unemployed.

Specifically, potential professional opportunities for PhD graduates in Astronomy include:

• Research and teaching activities at universities;
• Research activities at national or international research institutions and in industry;
• Start-up initiatives and development of industrial enterprises;
• Software development;
• Research and development at public and private organizations for the management of large databases;
• Analysis and forecasting of complex systems in public institutions and private industries;
• More generally, research, innovation, training, production, forecasting, and prevention activities in the tertiary and advanced tertiary sectors;
• Positions as technical staff at astronomical observatories or laboratories;
• Roles in scientific publishing;
• Science outreach activities in planetariums, astronomy centers, and online;
• Teaching positions in secondary schools.