Elite Engineer Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I have a degree in biotechnology. I run assays, do research, I'm a lab technician. Most people in my field will generally do this for a living. What do people with bachelors in physics do for a living? I like to think they do the following: -Do research at a university/company -some kind of programmer? -Teaching Assistant -Tutor -teach (some where) ~is this right? ~EE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACG52 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 When I got my BS in physics (31 years ago) I went into mainframe programming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Most I would say are doing something along the lines of engineering, understood quite widely. People I know are involved in computer programming, business analysis and banking. Most will not be physicists in the sense that they are doing scientific research. Maybe the IOP careers website can give you more information http://www.iop.org/careers/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I think a lot go into finance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I think a lot go into finance. I have no idea of the numbers, but yes, banking and finance seem a popular direction. Plenty of PhD graduates in physics and mathematics go down that route. I am not sure how fulfilled they are, but for sure they get better pay-packets than they would staying in science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 When I got my BA is physics I joined the navy and taught (physics and principle of reactor operation). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiot Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) Physics in the UK suffers from the lack of an upper level offering a career path as in Chartered Engineer. Many physics graduates used to join one of the many government research eastablishments, but our government in its wisdom has dismantled most of these. Of the pure physicists I have come across over the years. Two went in to the building and construction industry and one eventually became a director of a multinational and a director of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. One took a Phd and now works at CERN And one became an undertaker. Edited June 22, 2015 by studiot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Physics in the UK suffers from the lack of an upper level offering a career path as in Chartered Engineer. The Institute of Physics offers chartered status CPhys and CEng. http://www.iop.org/membership/char-sta/page_61582.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite Engineer Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Maybe the IOP careers website can give you more information http://www.iop.org/careers/index.html Thanks! Physics in the UK suffers from the lack of an upper level offering a career path as in Chartered Engineer. Many physics graduates used to join one of the many government research eastablishments, but our government in its wisdom has dismantled most of these. Two went in to the building and construction industry and one eventually became a director of a multinational and a director of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. And one became an undertaker. I'm one to LOVE science, and I can't see myself not doing it. Why take a degree in a really demanding field that needs the personnel and go down a completely different path? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Why take a degree in a really demanding field that needs the personnel and go down a completely different path? Before you have a degree you don't really know what the subject is or what it involves. I guess a lot of people decide enough is enough. Also you have the lack of suitable jobs. Many STEM subject graduates have to take up jobs not directly related to their degrees. This get steadily worse with higher qualifications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I'm one to LOVE science, and I can't see myself not doing it. Why take a degree in a really demanding field that needs the personnel and go down a completely different path? The training you get in physics crosses disciplines. Problem solving skills, for example. So it's not like the experience is wasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MigL Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Mainframe programming ACG52 ? That seems like a 'dead end' career. And studiot, of the four physicists you were aquainted with, I'd be willing to bet the undertaker earns the best renumeration. But who am I to talk, with my BSc, I make toxic, pyrophoric chemicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACG52 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Mainframe programming ACG52 ? That seems like a 'dead end' career. Not 40 years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MigL Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Did a little bit myself with Hollerith punch cards and Fortran IV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Angel Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I got a BS in Physics in 1970. When I got out of the Navy in 1973 I went to work for the National Bureau of Standards developing electronic instrumentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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