Are there job opportunities in general relativity for theoretical researchers?

[tylerfarzam]

Are there a lot of theoretical research jobs in general relativity or would that be too hard to find?

 

[Vanadium 50]

As a 12th grader, you need to be focusing on getting to (and later succeeding) at college. Nobody can predict the job market 15+ years from now.

 

[tylerfarzam]

As a 12th grader, you need to be focusing on getting to (and later succeeding) at college. Nobody can predict the job market 15+ years from now.

Well I get that but the only way I would even go into physics is if I would be able to get a job in something particle physics or relativity related, so wether jobs are common in these fields are not is the determining factor between majoring in computer science and majoring in physics.

 

[ZapperZ]

Well I get that but the only way I would even go into physics is if I would be able to get a job in something particle physics or relativity related, so wether jobs are common in these fields are not is the determining factor between majoring in computer science and majoring in physics.

Then you should major in computer science.

Zz.

 

[Mark44]

Then you should major in computer science.

Seems like good advice in this case.

the only way I would even go into physics is if I would be able to get a job in something particle physics or relativity related

 

[Vanadium 50]

Then you should major in computer science.

Agreed.

 

[berkeman]

is the determining factor between majoring in computer science and majoring in physics.

Have you been accepted to university yet? Can you say which one? Some universities in the US do not require you to declare your major until you start your Junior year. That gives you a couple years to take classes that are common to both potential majors, to see which one you like best.

 

[PAllen]

At present, with the success of LIGO, there are significant opportunities in computational GR. Thus, I would say it is safe to pursue physics with a concentration also in applied computer science courses, and see how you progress as you watch opportunities. At the undergraduate level this leaves you open to many possible career paths, depending on you and future developments.

 

[FactChecker]

IMHO, theoretical research jobs in GR will be reserved for only the best PhD students from elite universities. But that is not my field (and not my level of capability), so I will defer to others.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Have you been accepted to university yet? Can you say which one? Some universities in the US do not require you to declare your major until you start your Junior year. That gives you a couple years to take classes that are common to both potential majors, to see which one you like best.

Having mentored physics majors at a number of different schools, there are several second year courses that are required of physics majors that are not usually required of computer science majors: Modern Physics, Mathematical Methods in Physics, Classical Mechanics, and E&M. Often Differential Equations also. Likewise in a Comp Sci major, one really needs some second year courses that are not required of Physics majors.

From a practical point of view, to graduate in 4 years without taking several unneeded courses, one really needs to have decided whether or not to major in physics by the time one is scheduling courses for their third semester at most universities. At some schools, one can be significantly disadvantaged if one has not picked a major by the first or second semester, but this is less common. Schools where one can complete 4 semesters without having picked a major and not be inconvenienced are uncommon in my experience. There simply is not enough overlap between course requirements for physics and common alternatives, and the way the pre-requisites and course offerings stack up makes it difficult.

 

[berkeman]

Having mentored physics majors at a number of different schools, there are several second year courses that are required of physics majors that are not usually required of computer science majors: Modern Physics, Mathematical Methods in Physics, Classical Mechanics, and E&M. Often Differential Equations also. Likewise in a Comp Sci major, one really needs some second year courses that are not required of Physics majors.

Upon further review, I think you are right. I was thinking more along the lines of EE and Physics, rather than the CS and Physics that the OP was asking about.

My experience was back in the mid-1970s at UC Davis, where my Physics roommate and I took many of the same classes up through the middle of our 2nd year. My EE emphasis was already on E&M and Solid State, so I was taking as many Physics classes as I could and still qualify for my EE major. Things may well be different now -- I have heard that flexibility in class selection has been limited more in the UC system, and scheduling has gotten a lot more difficult. Thanks @Dr. Courtney

 

[robphy]

Are there a lot of theoretical research jobs in general relativity or would that be too hard to find?

Sorry, but to put it bluntly, the answer is "no"... not a lot of jobs.

Maybe it depends on the definition of "a lot"... but compared to (say) condensed matter physics,
there aren't a lot of faculty positions for theoretical GR in the U.S. (There may be more opportunity outside.)
Have a look through https://jobs.physicstoday.org/jobs/ and https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/category/Jobs/
which lists postdocs as well as faculty positions.
Maybe things will change, especially with LIGO's successes and other advances.
But I think (as others have mentioned) computational/numerical GR might be more active.

As I was going through grad school in the 90s-00s, I noticed that there were fewer relativists in faculty positions.
Relativity groups in the US that were active in the 60s and 70s were getting smaller
(due to retirements and likely a shift in the market that new hires were made in other departments).
Centers formed at places like at Penn State, LSU, and Perimeter.

Recently, In helping my undergraduate research student apply to grad school for GR,
there were fewer places to apply (compared to when I was applying to grad school)
--any since he wasn't interested in LIGO-related or numerical-GR, his choices were limited.
One can search https://www.gradschoolshopper.com/gradschool/search_results.jsp?q=relativity&bh=no&sa=Search
but one has to read carefully to gauge activity in your specific interests.

Probably the best advice is to try to prepare yourself well and broadly to give yourself choices.
As they say, don't put all of your eggs in one basket.

 

[BPHH85]

I don't know much about the US educational system and the job market. But from my (German) experiences, your studies and degree schould qualify you to be able to think abstract, to adapt you to new situations and problems. This schould be independent from the branch you are specialzied in. Otherwise you will become a so called "Fachidiot" who has only a narrow view on the world that is based on what he or she already knows. For your personal happyness it is most important to choose a branch or major that you are interessted in. For your working life it is also important to have some clue where you might see you after your graduation. It is naiv to make life long decisons just based one job ad.