For those of you who found a job with just a B.Sc in physics

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the career paths of individuals who have obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physics. Participants share their job experiences, roles, and transitions into other fields, including health physics, medical physics, microelectronics, and civil engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants describe their roles in various jobs, such as a research technician in a private lab and a health physicist serving as a radiation safety officer.
  • One participant mentions working in R&D labs focused on paper physics and resin, leading to a current position as a chemist.
  • Another participant discusses their transition to civil engineering, indicating they are taking undergraduate courses and considering a master's program.
  • Concerns are raised about the requirements for becoming a licensed civil engineer in the US, particularly regarding the necessity of a Bachelor's degree.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants share diverse experiences and career transitions, with no consensus on the best path or the implications of licensing requirements in civil engineering. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the feasibility of transitioning into civil engineering without a Bachelor's degree in that field.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying degrees of uncertainty about job market conditions and the requirements for professional engineering licensure, which may affect their career transitions.

Ryuk1990
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I'm just curious, but what exactly are you doing?
 
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After getting my BS I worked in a private lab for about 3 years. I would say my job was about 50% lab monkey (clean, organize, etc) and 50% research technician (plan/run experiment, document etc). I found the job networking within the physics dept I got my degree at.

Eventually I left and went back to grad school.
 
I got a job as a health physicist and am now a radiation safety officer.
 
An acquaintance of mine completed their B.S. in Physics and then got a Medical Physics "Assistant" position such as this one.
 
I don't know if this counts, but after a BS in Physics, I got an MSEE and went to work in microelectronics.
 
I've worked in R&D labs.

First I was in a paper physics lab, doing lab work like setting up and running experiments. Corrugated boxes, milk cartons, that sort of thing.

Then I worked in a resin R&D lab - basically the same kind of work, but with stickier stuff :biggrin:.

That job (and a significant amount of relevant coursework) allowed me to work at my current job as a Chemist.

But I'm transitioning now to Civil Engineering.
 
lisab said:
But I'm transitioning now to Civil Engineering.

Just curious here: how are you trying to make that transition? Through another job, or are you trying to get an additional degree?
 
Hobin said:
Just curious here: how are you trying to make that transition? Through another job, or are you trying to get an additional degree?

Kind of both. Where I work, there are a lot of engineers, and I'm hoping that my pestering them with questions will help me move toward that kind of work. But that really depends on market forces (our lab is heavily dependent on US residential building, which is not nearly recovered yet).

Also I'm taking undergrad CE courses, in preparation for entering a CE master's program (haven't really decided on that yet, but I'm enjoying the classes!).
 
lisab said:
Kind of both. Where I work, there are a lot of engineers, and I'm hoping that my pestering them with questions will help me move toward that kind of work. But that really depends on market forces (our lab is heavily dependent on US residential building, which is not nearly recovered yet).

Also I'm taking undergrad CE courses, in preparation for entering a CE master's program (haven't really decided on that yet, but I'm enjoying the classes!).

Aren't most civil engineers in the US required to get a PE license eventually? If so, wouldn't that be impossible in your case since you need a Bachelor's for that?
 

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