1 of 25

Career Paths For Physics Degree Holders

Dr. Ayushi Vashistha

Applied Materials Inc.

APS Career Mentoring Fellow

ayushivashistha@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayushi-vashistha-0303/

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

Slide 1: Suggested title slide. Add name, title, pronouns (if comfortable), and your affiliation.

How to use this slide deck:

Start with 1-2 introduction slides about yourself

Edit the remaining slides as you like, to tell the story from your point-of-view.

Example: remove BS/BA slides if audience is grad students only
Example: remove slides 3-6 and only discuss what physicists do and skip how many there are
Example: pick your 3 favorite physicist profiles
Example: add salary and/or job satisfaction slides from backup

Add your own insights, advice, career path.

Please make sure AIP Statistical Research Center is given credit each time their data is used.

Please keep the footer to give APS credit for slides.

Suggestions for giving a virtual talk:

Have your video on to help audience feel connected to you. Remove any distracting items in the background

Encourage discussion in the chat feature (if enabled in platform)

Build in 1 or 2 polls to increase audience engagement, e.g. “have you heard of informational interviews”? Zoom has an easy Yes/No voting feature under “Participants” for quick polls

Adding animations to slides can help with the talk flow and reduce information overload. Some animations are already built into the slides.

2 of 25

A little bit about me

Completed my Bachelors and Masters in Physics from University of Delhi
Earned PhD in Plasma Physics from Institute For Plasma Research, Gandhinagar.
Currently working with Applied Materials Inc. for Plasma modelling and simulations.
Thrive to bridge the gap between industrial and academic research.

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

3 of 25

A little bit about me

Physics knowledge and skills used in current job

Plasma simulations
Knolwledge of fundamentals of plasma physics
Data analysis, scientific writing and communication, basics of programming languages etc.

New things learnt in the current job

Fundamentals of low-temperature plasma
Fluid code, commercial softwares etc.

Advice: Never hesitate to try new things

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

4 of 25

What are they doing (PhDs)?

2015-2016 graduates: 1 year after PhD

About half of Physics PhDs are initially employed in academic sector.

However, ~73% of the potentially permanent jobs were in the private sector.

Out of the total PhDs

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

5 of 25

What are they doing (PhDs)?

Source: NSF Survey of Doctoral Recipients, 2001 - 2013

A majority work in the private sector

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

Slides 7-12: overview of employment sectors of physics degree holders.

Slide 8

Shows the shift from academia to industry as the largest employer of physics PhD’s, over a period of 1-15 years after degree attainment.

Please note that there are two layers of data on this slide. The animations show one after the other.

Also note that this data is from NSF for the years of 2001-2013.

Main point: 15 years later, ~36% of physics doctorates are employed in academia, while 55% are in the private sector.

Reference (also provides data on gender, rac/ethnicity and job satisfaction)�https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/infographic2/?yr=2013&fd=Physics&cs=None

Notes from NSF: Values are estimates and have associated standard errors. Percentages may add up to > 100% due to rounding and the ability to select more than one answer. Some data may be suppressed due to data reliability or confidentiality concerns. In some cases, non-numerical values are displayed due to data reliability, availability, or confidentiality concerns:

* is where the value rounds to zero. NA is used when no information is available for that particular case. S is suppressed for reasons of confidentiality or reliability.

6 of 25

What are they doing (PhDs)?

To break the myth that going into industry means you are no longer a physicist, or that you no longer do physics/research

Most still perform research in private sector jobs!

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

7 of 25

Industry demand

Source: NSF Survey of Doctoral Recipients, 2001 - 2013

Industry has been the largest employment base for Physics PhDs for decades.

Percentage of Physics PhDs* Employed in the Private Sector

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

8 of 25

Examples of Successful Physicists’ Careers� aps.org/careers/physicists/profiles

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

9 of 25

Neha Pachauri, PhD, Process Engineer

Neha first pursued science due to her natural inquisitiveness. After a Master’s degree, teaching physics made her want to dig deeper and get a PhD.

Looking to apply her training to real-world applications, Neha joined Intel’s fabrication facility. She found working on cutting edge technology to be intellectually stimulating.

Advice for students: Try new things and make time for a hobby.

Learn more: aps.org/careers/physicists/profiles/pachauri.cfm

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

10 of 25

Jessica Kirkpatrick, PhD, Director of Data Science and Digital Exploration

Though Jessica often struggled in courses due to a learning disability, she discovered her talent for physics in high school and got a PhD.

Currently, Jessica uses machine learning to predict locations with new sources of battery minerals. Her long-term goal is to start a company to solve social problems.

Advice for students: Learn to build projects with code, and start networking early.

Learn more: aps.org/careers/physicists/profiles/kirkpatrick.cfm

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

11 of 25

Driven by a passion for understanding the fundamental aspects of Plasma Physics, Rupak pursued his Ph.D. at the renowned Institute For Plasma Research, where he made significant contributions to the field. Thereafter, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Currently he is an assistant professor specializing in physics education research with a focus on equity and inclusion.

Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupak-mukherjee/

Dr. Rupak Mukherjee, Assistant Professor,

Sikkim University

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

12 of 25

Driven by a passion for understanding the fundamental aspects of Plasma Physics, Devshree pursued her Ph.D. at the renowned Institute For Plasma Research, where she made significant contributions to the field. Thereafter, she joined at Applied Materials Inc. as a Plasma Physicist for modelling and simulation of low- temperature plasmas, relevant in the semi-conductor industry.

Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devshree-mandal-65855413b/

Dr. Devshree Mandal, Computational Plasma Physicist

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

13 of 25

Surbhi pursued her Ph.D from University of Delhi , where she made significant contributions to the field of thin film deposition and characterization techniques.

Driven by her passion for scientific writing and communications, she joined as a Science writer at Jove where she creates high-quality scientific content, research animations for global clients.

Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi-jain-0a6149a9/

Dr. Surbhi Jain,

Science Writer

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

14 of 25

Adhishree completed her B.Sc Hons. In Physics from University of Delhi. Driven by her passion to learning new languages, she learnt German language from Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

Thereafter, she worked with Amazon as a financial analyst, later moved to Kantar as a Project lead. Currently she is working with Amazon as a People’s manager.

Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adhishree-khaitan-3302348b/

Adhishree Khaitan, BSc (H) Physics,

Project lead and People’s Manager

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

15 of 25

Promit completed his PhD from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, in the field of nonlinear dynamics and complex systems. He is currently working as a postdoc in the Decision Lab, IIT Kanpur. With close collaboration with industrial groups in neuroeconomics, his current work involves understanding the neural basis of suboptimal decision making.

Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/promitmoitra/

Promit Moitra, PhD Physics,

Postdoctoral Fellow

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

16 of 25

Possible Career option after earning a PhD in Physics:

Post-Doctoral Positions
Permanent positions in Government sector
Permanent positions in Industry
Physics Expert in a foreign Language
Science Journalist
Subject-matter expert
Scientific content writer

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

17 of 25

Possible Career option after a Graduation/ Masters Degree in Physics:

High School Physics Teacher
Physics Expert in a foreign Language
Science Journalist
Subject-matter expert
Scientific content writer

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

18 of 25

Career Options in Physics

Creative Jobs

Science writer (blogs, articles, journalism)
Scientific Content Writier for social media e.g for Youtube channels etc.

Management Jobs

Science communicator
Science Program managers

Research Jobs

Academic/ Indutrial research.
Teaching

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

19 of 25

Example of companies hiring Physicists in India

Data Scientist at Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix etc.
Companies in semiconductor industry- Applied Materials, Lam Research, Micron Technologies, Shell technologies, Intel.
Science writer/ content writer- Chegg, Jove, Hygia Medcomm Solutions Inc, Straive, Cactus
Some other industries – Bellatrix Aerospace, Esgee technologies, AMD, ESI

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

20 of 25

How can you start preparing?

Look Inwards/Reflect

Perform a detailed self-assessment

Includes what you are good at doing and what you enjoy doing. Values are important!
Reflect on your working style: collaborative, independent, goal-oriented?

Keep a Career Notebook/Doc

Track insights, skills, and contacts
Note when you’re happiest and when you are the least happy.
What is important to you?

Work-life balance? Money? Location?
Flexible schedule? Control over research?

Document Skills

Record your skills – technical and non-technical. These will be the building blocks of every resume you’ll write.

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

21 of 25

Use Resources

APS Careers Website

APS Job Board
Professional Guidebook
Physicist Profiles
Common Careers Paths

How can you start preparing?

aps.org/careers

APS Careers 2022 Guide

Breadth of opportunities for physics graduates
Advice from professionals
List of companies hiring physicists

go.aps.org/careersguide

SPS Careers Toolbox

Lists common job titles
Effective job searching tips
Resume, cover letter help
Tips for interviewing

spsnational.org/sites/all/careerstoolbox

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

Slides 27-32: Career Advice and Resources

Slide 28 – APS and SPS resources

Please check out these resources prior to your talk so that you can better answer any questions your audience may have.

Careers 2021 guide: go.aps.org/careers2021

SPS Careers toolbox: spsnational.org/sites/all/careerstoolbox

APS Careers website: www.aps.org/careers

APS Job board: Job postings from multiple job boards; anyone can apply and upload resume for free.

Professional Guidebook: covers topics like networking, resumes, interviewing, negotiating a job offer, etc.

Physicist profiles: profiles of physicists in different sectors.

Common careers: information on common career paths that physicists take, e.g. data scientist, consultant, R&D work in industry, etc. Includes any additional training needed for job as well as salary information and future outlook.

22 of 25

Use Resources

APS Webinars

Free webinars on topics like: professional development during COVID, science policy careers, effective communication, and more:

Success in Industry
Career Exploration
Public Engagement
Professional Development for International Physicists in the U.S.

aps.org/webinars

How can you start preparing?

View Webinars & Sign up:

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

23 of 25

How can you start preparing?

Build Your Network

Join LinkedIn
Attend alumni mixers, career fairs, conferences, etc.
Volunteer or Find internship

Find Career Mentors

Join the APS IMPact program to find industry mentors: impact.aps.org
Ask faculty mentors to connect you to industry professionals/past students

Attend Informational Interviews

Reach out to contacts and ask for a 20-minute chat
Here, you get to ask the questions!

Ask about their career path, their typical work day
Ask what aspects of work they like or dislike

Don’t ask for a job!

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

24 of 25

What about non-US Citizens

Recent US policies hindering international physicists’ employment in the US

APS Government Affairs is advocating for better policies

Important Resources

APS International Affairs Website�aps.org/programs/international/

APS Webinar Series on Career Development for International Physicists �aps.org/webinars

APS IMPact Program – Effort to add more mentors from non-US backgrounds�impact.aps.org

APS Office of Government Affairs Website�aps.org/policy/

Employment Resources for International Members�aps.org/careers/guidance/international/index.cfm

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers

25 of 25

Summary

Hundreds of physics degree holders enter the job market every year
Majority find careers in the private sector, applying their physics knowledge and training
You can start preparing now by expanding your network and using APS Resources

Thank you!

Survey:

tinyurl.com/APS-CareerTalk22

www.aps.org/careers

Slide from APS Careers