Not exactly related to this thread but, as near as I can make it. I’m applying to grad school for a MSc in CS.
As part of the application process they’re asking me to write a short essay (<4000 characters) on what I plan to do after/with my diploma.
Programming is rather new to me, I’ve been self-teaching for the past two years, and my current job is completely removed from anything related to the field. So my understanding of what jobs are possible is limited.
I know that I want to eventually get to do something related to astronomy, could even be robotics as it pertains to exploration. But, I lack any real understanding of what the day-to-day experience of a programmer would be in such a setting or even the best steps to take now or in a couple years time to get there.
So, have any of you fine folk got any words of wisdom for me? What does a programmer who works with astronomical data do on a daily basis? What does one that works with robots do on a daily basis? How did they get into such positions?
Assuming I get into the course and graduate, where might be a good place to start working? I’ve read that Python is the way things are going in academia, are there any other suggestions on languages?
Thanks in advance,
Doug
TL;DR What does a astronomical programmer do day-to-day and what steps after school did they take to get that job?