deaconblues said:
Perhaps stupidly, I quit that job, because I don't want to work in a factory. I do keep an eye out for similar work though. I really wanted to go to grad school this year but it's not going to happen.
Aerospace is interesting. Any kind of lab work I could probably stomach. At this point I think my interest in the work is a low priority.
There may be exceptions to this rule of thumb, but in general, never quit a job without having another situation lined up. A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush. etc.
You may want to sell yourself as an engineer who got a bachelor's degree in physics. Technically speaking, you can't call yourself a professional engineer or even an engineer-in-training. But if you have a BS in physics, then you are certainly competent to do almost any engineering job (unless that job requires a niche skill / knowledge set). Also, when you walk into interviews, you can express a willingness and eagerness to continue learning - both on the job and perhaps through part-time graduate studies.
Always tailor your resume to the job you are applying for, and always emphasize the specific skills, experience, and knowledge that you have that would fulfill the particular job description.
If you advertise on your resume that you are a physicist, a potential employer may think that you won't be happy unless you are doing research in physics, spending hours studying relativity or quantum mechanics, etc. Most employers have no use for any of that.
Part of me wishes that I had majored in physics rather than electrical engineering, but that's just because I wish I could just sit around all day studying relativity and quantum mechanics and doing experimental and theoretical physics, etc. Actual "work" is often just a dull grind.