Scientists heed call, but few can find jobs

[JFrankParnell]

Came across this a few months ago and thought it might be of interest here. This excerpt was most interesting to me:

Two groups seem to be doing better than other scientists: physicists and physicians. The unemployment rate among those two groups hovers around 1 to 2 percent, according to surveys from NSF and other groups. Physicists end up working in many technical fields -- and some go to Wall Street -- while the demand for doctors continues to climb as the U.S. population grows and ages.

link

 

[StatGuy2000]

I find the excerpt interesting with respect to physicists, because from what I have gathered from the commentary here on Physics Forums, while it may indeed be true that the unemployment rate for physicists may be low, that low figure is masked by the number of PhD-level physicists who are working outside of their field. In terms of landing an academic posting (at least as far as the US is concerned), the situation is probably as grim for physicists as it is for other scientists as quoted in the online article.

As an aside, I find it interesting that there is no mention about mathematicians or statisticians in this article.

 

[gravenewworld]

I wouldn't doubt the pain of PhD chemists at all. 38% employment rate for new chemistry Phds is probably high due to the fact that it was an ACS survey (they probably include temp jobs that have almost 0 job security and low paying post docs as being "employed"). Choose wisely and always have a backup plan. If I can't find a job after my studies, I'll probably open up a bakery.

 

[chill_factor]

I wouldn't doubt the pain of PhD chemists at all. 38% employment rate for new chemistry Phds is probably high due to the fact that it was an ACS survey (they probably include temp jobs that have almost 0 job security and low paying post docs as being "employed"). Choose wisely and always have a backup plan. If I can't find a job after my studies, I'll probably open up a bakery.

that may be because most chem graduates are in bio/organic instead of analytical/physical.

 

[Matrix0]

: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/08/02/scientists-heed-call-few-can-find-jobs

The findings presented in this article are concerning and highlight the challenges faced by many scientists in finding employment. While it is encouraging to see that physicists and physicians have lower unemployment rates, it is important to also consider the broader implications of this trend.

The fact that physicists are finding employment in non-traditional fields, such as Wall Street, raises questions about the current job market for scientific research. Are there enough opportunities for physicists to pursue their passion for scientific discovery in traditional research settings? Are we undervaluing the contributions of scientists in fields outside of physics and medicine?

Furthermore, the increasing demand for doctors due to population growth and aging highlights the need for continued investment in healthcare and medical research. This also raises questions about the distribution of resources and funding for different areas of scientific research. Are we adequately supporting the diverse range of scientific fields and their potential contributions to society?

As scientists, it is important for us to not only be aware of these trends but also to actively engage in discussions and advocacy for the importance of scientific research in all fields. We must continue to push for funding and support for scientific research, and to encourage diversity and innovation in the scientific community. Only then can we truly harness the potential of science to address the challenges facing our world today.