This Ohio Gem Has a Wealth of Career Opportunities

Sylvia Stahl

There’s a lot to love about the Dayton region, from its enviable arts and culture scene to its legacy of innovation dating to the Wright brothers and the birth of aviation. That legacy has spawned economic growth, particularly in its education, health care and government sectors and has opened the doors to plenty of great jobs in Dayton, Ohio.

Opportunities in Education 

Home to major institutions including the University of Dayton, Miami University and Wright State University, among others, the Dayton area excels when it comes to education. That’s not only in terms of the high concentration of institutions of higher learning, but the collaboration and interaction that comes along with it. 

Christopher Roederer, interim dean of the University of Dayton School of Law, emphasizes the rich partnerships and community engagement fostered by the concentration of educational facilities in the area. 

Originally from Florida, Roederer is a professional globe-trotter who’s lived and worked in places including Florida, South Africa, New Guinea and the Czech Republic. Yet he says life in the Dayton area, where he’s been since 2018, is among his favorite places he’s lived. 

“The law school community here is really dedicated, and the quality of individuals and families in the area make it friendly,” he says. 

Seemingly mundane things, like the area’s weather, are also a draw. “It’s nice to have four distinct seasons,” he says, laughing. 

He also deeply appreciates the area’s array of diverse restaurants and museums. With its thriving culture, Dayton is a unique and fun place to live. 

Lyons Photography

Calling All Medical Professionals 

Ohio, and the Dayton region in particular, has seen considerable population growth over the last decade or so, with job-related relocations being a major decision-making factor. 

Among those transplants is Dr. Sara Higginson, chief of staff at Shriners Children’s Ohio, a pediatric hospital specializing in burn care and craniofacial conditions including cleft lip and palate.

She relocated to Dayton for work in 2021 and says, as a California native, one of the city’s huge selling points is how relatively easy it is to travel in the area. 

“As a West Coast transplant, the top things I notice are the ease of life without all the traffic, the low cost of living, and how you can go from downtown and big buildings to farms in what feels like an instant,” Higginson says. 

She says Dayton blends a close-knit, family-friendly atmosphere with the advantage of access to world-class health care. 

“That is truly the best scenario when deciding on a place to live,” Higginson says. 

She also notes the area is teeming with fantastic museums and antique shops. Like Roederer, Higginson praises the quality of local chefs and their restaurants. Among her favorites are Salar Restaurant and Lounge, Sueño and CULTURE. 

Federal Jobs Around the Region

Dayton is the home base of several vital federal defense installations. These include the renowned Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which is not only a center for Air Force research, development and acquisition, but it is also the largest single-site employer in the Buckeye State and one of the largest Air Force bases in the world. This makes it fundamentally important to national securIty and space exploration. 

The Wright Brothers Memorial also stands at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, recognizing their achievement of the first manned, powered flight. 

And that’s not all: Several major government contractors, including Northrop Grumman, Applied Research Solutions and Lockheed Martin, have a presence in the region. These businesses bring significant economic impact to Dayton and help solidify the region’s reputation as a worldwide leader in defense technology. 

Whether your passion lies in shaping minds through education, healing bodies through medicine, or contributing to national security through federal service, it’s clear that Dayton offers a unique and thriving landscape for career advancement.