Caltech Resume Template — STEM Format

Key takeaways

Research is a distinct, prominent section.
Option (major) spelled out in plain English.
Skills positioned high on the page, grouped by stack.
PI and lab named on every research entry.
One page, single column, no photo.

Format rules at a glance

Length: 1 page (industry); CV for academic
Research section: Distinct from Experience
Option: Spelled out in plain English
Skills position: High, after Education
Photo: Never

Introduction

The Caltech Career Development Center teaches a one-page STEM resume that places Research as a distinct, prominent section — separate from Experience — because for most Caltech undergraduates and graduate students, research is the most material evidence on the page. The layout is conservative single-column; the section ordering is the differentiator.

Caltech resume format

Length: one page for industry applications.
Font: Calibri, Arial, or a clean serif at 10–12 pt.
Margins: 0.5"–1".
Layout: single column, dates right-aligned.
Photo: never.

Personal summary

Caltech samples typically skip a summary section. For PhD candidates moving to industry, a 1–2 line technical-specialism line can sit under the contact block.

Experience section

Caltech splits research from other Experience. Within Research, bullets emphasize:

The PI and lab/group name.
The technical question or system you worked on.
The method or instrumentation.
The measurable result (publication, presentation, performance metric).

Industry-style Experience bullets follow standard verb + scope + result. Each bullet caps at two lines.

Education and certifications

California Institute of Technology, degree (e.g. BS in Applied Physics, option in Computation), graduation date.
GPA on Caltech's 4.0 scale (no scale annotation needed unless your transcript uses a different one).
Senior thesis or SURF project named under the degree.
Caltech option (formerly "major") spelled out — recruiters outside Caltech don't know the term.

Skills guidance

Skills sits high on a Caltech STEM resume, often immediately under Education. Group:

Programming Languages (Python, C++, MATLAB, Julia).
Scientific Tools (NumPy/SciPy, COMSOL, Cadence, ANSYS).
Instrumentation / Lab (SEM, AFM, fab cleanroom, optical bench).
Languages with CEFR or descriptive levels.

Mistakes to avoid

Burying SURF or research work in a generic Experience section.
Listing "option" without spelling out the field. Outside Caltech, "Option in 18" means nothing.
Generic bullets that don't name a method or instrument.
Photos or columns.