Caltech Resume Template

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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 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.

• 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.