Career with travel opportunities

[JasonZ]

Hey all,

I am graduting this coming year with my B.S. in Physics, and I am struggling with what to do for my career. I really feel like I want to further my education and go for my PhD. As with most people my age however, I am still uncertain as to which path I want to go in life. I am hoping if I can list a few things I know I want to do, and don't want to do, someone can give me some good ideas.

I really want to travel the world and see a lot (I think this is a common feeling at my age). I want to still have opportunities pursue hobbies, and not have to dedicate my lie 100% to one single thing.

I know I don't want to work in a standard corporation. I want some sense of freedom in my work, and the ability to pursue what I so desire. I want my work to be important, and not just menial labor.

I was thinking that environmental physics might be a field that would allow me such a path? I am not sure however, and haven't located too much information on it. I also think there is probably decent travel opportunity working as a professor in a University, but again I am unsure of this.

Thanks for your help and suggestions,
-JasonZ

 

[juvenal]

I have friends in geology/planetary science who travel a lot as grad students, and in post-PhD research. It's more of an outdoorsy, camping-type of travel though, but it does involve different countries.

Another travel-heavy career is management consulting. You often spend more 4-5 days a week living away from home. It's considered fairly intellectual, and you might like it.

Have you traveled at all? You might find that once you travel a bit, you may find that the novelty wears off at some point and that you get sick of it. Anyhow, that's what summers after graduation from college are for - traveling around and seeing the world. What's stopping you?

 

[Astronuc]

There is sort of a Catch-22 here. While you are single (without wife and kids), traveling can be interesting and rewarding. However, most companies do not send a new employee on travel (or at least not much) - unless it is for training perhaps - or one has a job in sales and marketing. I imagine that most companies send the seasoned employees on travel.

One possibility is to look for either a domestic company with divisions overseas, or look for employment in a foreign company. It also helps to be fluent in one or more foreign language, particularly with regard to technical language.

I was fortunate however with the company I joined out of graduate school. They had an international as well as domestic (US) client base. I traveled throughout the US and overseas, with multiple trips to Europe and Asia every year. However, it got to be pretty tedious because I was married and two kids soon after I joined. It was very tough on my wife (and kids) at times - so I owe big time for that.

I have many fond memories traveling overseas and working with people in different parts of the world.

 

[brutus47]

You can do everything you described as a university professor/researcher!

 

[JasonZ]

Hey all. I have traveled a good bit already, and I have lived in germany for a year. I usually go on one big camping trip with my friends each summer, and we spend a lot of time outdoors and hiking, camping etc...

I agree that there is a big dilemma between family life and traveling. That is something I guess I need to really sit down and figure out for myself which is more important. Thanks for the ideas and information, I will play around with them.

-Jason