Which STEM Jobs are Underrated and Underappreciated?

[StatGuy2000]

Hi everyone! We have seen numerous threads (including a few that I've started) which involves demand for various STEM jobs.

I thought I would pose a different question. Which STEM jobs or careers do you feel are underrated, in the sense that few people know about them or are aware of the options? Or in the sense that there is not much excitement about entering the field, even though it may be challenging, well-paid, and in demand?

I appreciate any feedback you can provide on this regard.

 

[S.G. Janssens]

Which STEM jobs or careers do you feel are underrated, in the sense that few people know about them or are aware of the options? Or in the sense that there is not much excitement about entering the field, even though it may be challenging, well-paid, and in demand?

STEM teaching, at all levels, i.e. both full time teaching in high school and college as well as part-time teaching in a research position.

(I am not a teacher, but I do believe that the above is true, at least in some Western countries.)

 

[Joshy]

I was just discussing with someone about Electronics Packaging and they thought I was talking about the package that people unwrap or a box that they open, but I meant for the actual chips. It has a large impact on the performance of the chips and requires a bit of electronics and mechanical background. I'm an RF engineer, and so it's extra interesting to me because different materials and the geometry of transmission lines matter a lot (will change the characteristic impedance or can be too lossy).

The other one I was looking around for and struggled to find in my undergraduate courses was Instrumentation Engineering. I could find and took my controls classes, but I'm talking about high precision instruments. How does an engineer measure a few femtofarads of capacitance or determine that atoms or within a few angstroms apart from each other? My first internship was in nanotechnology, which sounds really cool (and it is), but I was baffled by the high by how much researcher trusted and relied on the instruments... some gave me the impression they didn't quite understand what was going inside of the box... may have been eager to publish incredible results.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

In most places, teaching does not meet the well-paid criterion, but I consider it to be an underrated STEM job.

STEM talent is in high demand in most districts and at most schools. But in most places, the salary scales are set by degree level and experience and not the relative supply and demand for STEM qualified teachers relative to physical education and history teachers. Teachers and administrators with experience in non-STEM disciplines work hard to prevent STEM teachers from being paid more. So, if one is willing to work for what they pay, finding teaching work is not hard for STEM talent, since most STEM talent is making more doing other things.

 

[Mark44]

But in most places, the salary scales are set by degree level and experience and not the relative supply and demand for STEM qualified teachers relative to physical education and history teachers.

Amen. This from someone who taught in the K-12 system for a couple of years, and at college level for 25+ years.

Teachers and administrators with experience in non-STEM disciplines work hard to prevent STEM teachers from being paid more.

Same is especially true for the US teachers' unions, most prominently NEA and AFT.

 

[pinball1970]

Colourist

 

[symbolipoint]

Colourist

Two more suggestions which people might not too quickly consider:
Flavorist
and
Perfumer

 

[StatGuy2000]

Two more suggestions which people might not too quickly consider:
Flavorist
and
Perfumer

To @symbolipoint and @pinball1970 , what exactly is a "colourist"? This is the first time I have ever heard of this term.

Same question for "flavourist" or "perfumer" -- I have never heard of these terms.

 

[symbolipoint]

StatGuy2000 wants to understand:

Same question for "flavourist" or "perfumer" -- I have never heard of these terms.

Someone whose work is to find or match odors, especially attractive oders or pleasant oders for consumer products (household cleaners, detergents, cosmetics, other personal care products) is a perfumer. This person will usually have a biological science or chemistry degree, or possibly a food science degree. Usually, a company who hires a perfumer is either a large company (who might afford to keep a perfumer on staff) ; OR more obviously a fragrance company which would be in the business of creating the fragrance products which will later become ingredients for the cleaners & personal care products.

 

[Dr Transport]

Although not a BS degree, ultra-sound technicians/technologists are in high demand

 

[pinball1970]

To @symbolipoint and @pinball1970 , what exactly is a "colourist"? This is the first time I have ever heard of this term.

Same question for "flavourist" or "perfumer" -- I have never heard of these terms.

In my industry which is textiles and paper to a lesser extent, a colourist can provide formulation for required shades for production.
Evaluate shades visually and via measurement using a spectro.
It's a broad term and a knowledge of dyes and auxillary chemicals is also required.
In cinema (they always have a colourist in the closing titles) it would involve colouring the film. What you end up seeing.
A good example is Saving Private Ryan, the colours are subdued and appear greyed off.
To give that 1940s feel from news reel, those that did have colour from that time.
It's interesting as it involves a bit of everything, biology, colour physics and chemistry.
Perhaps a bit of an eye for art too, we have to mix and communicate with designers.

 

[Zap]

There are unions for teachers, so they basically get paid more for complaining, but most get a pretty descent check, considering the amount of vacation they get, if they are full time and not assistants. I'm making 75k with a master's in physics as a consultant in the DC metro area. A high school teacher might make around 65k. I'm not exactly sure, but that seems about right. Even if it's 50k, that's not bad considering the amount of vacation days they get. Plus, they will probably work less hours than I do.

You can also work in management consulting with a STEM degree.

 

[symbolipoint]

Plus, they will probably work less hours than I do.

I really, really doubt that. And the vacations are meaningless. On the other hand, some science or physics teachers may be more fortunate (or lucky). Teachers have more work-time and busy-time than just during "class-time".

 

[Zap]

Teachers have more work-time and busy-time than just during "class-time".

I'm aware of that.
I have a friend who is a math teacher.
I wouldn't say that he is working crazy hours. He also gets to enjoy his vacations.
It's also super easy to take a break from teaching, if you want, and then find work in it again.
I think there are a lot of positives to being a teacher that are worth mentioning.

(1) definitely the vacation time.

(2) Another is the flexibility you have. You can get a job teaching pretty much anywhere and there is a steady demand for teachers in the STEM fields. It won't be hard to find a job, and it won't be hard to move and find another job, if you have to or want to.

(3a) Pay is descent. I wouldn't say it's good, but I wouldn't say it's that bad, either. According to indeed, where I am, a teacher can potentially make a six figure salary, probably depending on experience and education level. Even in DC, that's pretty damn good and significantly more than what I'm making right now.

(3b) Honestly, if you compare the starting salary for a high school teacher, which is usually around 40 to 50k, with any other job, it's not significantly different. Am I wrong here??

(4) You will have opportunities to go abroad and apply to internships and other jobs that target educators in STEM fields

(4) Student loan forgiveness

(5) There are probably more but I don't want to spend too much time on here lol

So I'll admit I've never actually been a high school teacher, but I had looked into it and was actively looking for a teaching job not too long ago.

 

[Mark44]

And the vacations are meaningless.

Not necessarily. Many teachers get three months off in summer, plus a couple of weeks around Christmas, and a week or so for spring break, as well as all federal holidays, some of which folks in the private sector don't get.