How can I find a physics related job?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the pathways to finding a job related to physics for someone with a background in mathematics and teaching. Participants explore the necessity of further education, potential job roles, and the current job market for physics graduates.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses interest in transitioning to a physics career and questions whether further education is necessary and what job opportunities exist.
  • Another suggests obtaining a master's degree in physics or related fields to access various professional STEM roles.
  • Some participants argue that without a physics background, securing a physics job is unlikely, and emphasize the importance of relevant education for advanced roles.
  • There is a viewpoint that "physics-related jobs" do exist outside of research, such as teaching or engineering, but these roles may still require additional qualifications beyond self-study.
  • One participant mentions that in California, it is possible to obtain a teaching credential for physics with a bachelor's degree and passing specific tests, although finding a job may be challenging.
  • Another participant challenges the notion of "physics-related jobs," suggesting that many who fail to become physicists rebrand themselves in other fields.
  • Concerns are raised about the oversupply of PhDs in physics and the implications for job availability in academia.
  • There is a discussion about the requirements for teaching credentials in California, including the need for background checks and passing tests.
  • Some participants express differing opinions on the relevance of a physics degree for various jobs, with one asserting that every job is physics-related to some extent.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the necessity of further education for entering physics-related jobs, the definition of "physics-related jobs," or the implications of the current job market for physics graduates. Multiple competing views remain on these topics.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of clarity on the specific job roles available to someone with a math background transitioning to physics, as well as the varying requirements for teaching credentials across different states.

PhillipWong
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Ok, here it goes. I graduated with a degree in math in 2010, and so far to now, I have been teaching chess, and math at college prep tutoring centers. I am interested in getting a job in physics, because I think physics is cool. My first question is: Do I need to go back to school, if I choose physics as a career. My second question is: If I do choose Physics, what sort of stuff can a person like me do? My prefer answer is that I can get a physics job by learning something myself, and putting it in my resume. My third question is: Out of curiosity, it seems to me that there is a oversupply/glut of PhD, and a lack of university position jobs. I would guess this also applies to physics, right. I am curious what exactly these people do if they fail to secure a job in universities?
 
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Some options: get a masters degree in physics or a related discipline like Optics/imaging science or medical physics. That would open doors for you in the optics/imaging industry, medical physics, and a few other professional STEM fields (scientific programming corps like MathWorks, Wolfram, etc.).

If by physics you mean "pure academic research with tenure at a university", then yes that is about as narrow and picky you can possibly get, and you will not make it anywhere near that without a phd and several years of relevant experience.
 
Why are you interested in physics? Did you take any physics classes in college? With virtually no physics background, you won't be hired to do a physics job. What kind of job did you have in mind? Not everyone earning a PhD in physics wants to work for a university. Many if not most get jobs in industry, labs, or for the government and contractors. But you're not eligible to apply to a masters or PhD program in physics with no background in the field. They don't start over from the beginning.
 
My opinion is that there is no such thing as a "physics related job". You are either a physicist doing research or you are not. Many people who try and fail to become physicists rebrand and remarket themselves as engineers, computer programmers or teachers.
 
I did study some physics on my own.
 
There are certainly "physics related jobs" that are not directly involved in doing research. High school physics teachers and engineers supporting physicists doing research are two that come to mind. However, these may or may not be "close enough" for your taste.

If you want to be directly involved in research, you need a Ph.D. in physics, period, end of sentence. Less would be required if you wanted to teach high school or work as an engineer, but they would both require more education than "I've studied some physics on my own".
 
TMFKAN64 said:
Less would be required if you wanted to teach high school or work as an engineer, but they would both require more education than "I've studied some physics on my own".
Not really. At least in California you could take and pass the CSET for physics after "studying some physics on your own" or even just remembering AP Physics B . Biology and Chem grads do it all the time to teach physics in addition to chem or bio to be more marketable in getting a teaching job because they can be assigned courses in different subjects. Physics grads do the same for chem or bio.
 
Yes, you are right. I somehow didn't think the OP had a bachelor's degree, which is a requirement for a teaching credential in CA, so I thought he'd need to finish a degree. But since he said he has already graduated with a degree in math, passing CSET is all that's required.
 
TMFKAN64 said:
Yes, you are right. I somehow didn't think the OP had a bachelor's degree, which is a requirement for a teaching credential in CA, so I thought he'd need to finish a degree. But since he said he has already graduated with a degree in math, passing CSET is all that's required.

I want to understand this more. You mean to say If I pass this CSET for physics, I can find a job teaching physics in High School, or some other places?
 
  • #10
This is in California.

What you need is a "Single Subject Teaching Credential" for physics, or at least an "Emergency" version of this. When my wife did this for math five years ago the credential required:
* A bachelor's degree
* Giving your fingerprints to get a criminal background check clearance
* Passing a general reading/writing/arithmetic test (CBEST)
* Passing the CSET in the subject you are interested in.
* Completing a one year approved teacher credentialing program..

The "Emergency" credential means you can do away with the credentialing program if a district is willing to hire you and apply for it on your behalf.

So, in theory, since you already have a bachelor's degree, you could be qualified to be a high school physics teacher in the state of California by passing two more tests and submitting to a background check.

Now, the real problem would be finding a job. This is not a great time to become a teacher. And districts are not really thrilled about hiring someone with only an "Emergency" credential, because they have to report statistics on how many teachers are "well-qualified", and only having an emergency credential is not considered good enough.

Even factoring in the one-year credential program though, this is probably your quickest way to a "physics-related" job.
 
  • #11
ha! EVERY job is physics related. Though you may not need a Physics degree for every job, it always helps.
 
  • #12
TMFKAN64 said:
This is in California.

What you need is a "Single Subject Teaching Credential" for physics, or at least an "Emergency" version of this. When my wife did this for math five years ago the credential required:
* A bachelor's degree
* Giving your fingerprints to get a criminal background check clearance
* Passing a general reading/writing/arithmetic test (CBEST)
* Passing the CSET in the subject you are interested in.
* Completing a one year approved teacher credentialing program..

The "Emergency" credential means you can do away with the credentialing program if a district is willing to hire you and apply for it on your behalf.

So, in theory, since you already have a bachelor's degree, you could be qualified to be a high school physics teacher in the state of California by passing two more tests and submitting to a background check.

Now, the real problem would be finding a job. This is not a great time to become a teacher. And districts are not really thrilled about hiring someone with only an "Emergency" credential, because they have to report statistics on how many teachers are "well-qualified", and only having an emergency credential is not considered good enough.

Even factoring in the one-year credential program though, this is probably your quickest way to a "physics-related" job.

I got a misdemeanor in traspassing for punching my roommate at UCLA. Would this be a problem?
 
  • #13
ha! EVERY job is physics related. Though you may not need a Physics degree for every job, it always helps.

As a physics phd working as a statistician, I strongly disagree. Most jobs physics degrees get just don't the degree.
 
  • #14
TMFKAN64 said:
This is in California.

What you need is a "Single Subject Teaching Credential" for physics, or at least an "Emergency" version of this. When my wife did this for math five years ago the credential required:
* A bachelor's degree
* Giving your fingerprints to get a criminal background check clearance
* Passing a general reading/writing/arithmetic test (CBEST)
* Passing the CSET in the subject you are interested in.
* Completing a one year approved teacher credentialing program..

The "Emergency" credential means you can do away with the credentialing program if a district is willing to hire you and apply for it on your behalf.

So, in theory, since you already have a bachelor's degree, you could be qualified to be a high school physics teacher in the state of California by passing two more tests and submitting to a background check.

Now, the real problem would be finding a job. This is not a great time to become a teacher. And districts are not really thrilled about hiring someone with only an "Emergency" credential, because they have to report statistics on how many teachers are "well-qualified", and only having an emergency credential is not considered good enough.

Even factoring in the one-year credential program though, this is probably your quickest way to a "physics-related" job.

Yup, before the budget crisis the state used to be desperate for physics teachers. I imagine nowadays they might just not offer physics in some schools or pack them like sardines.
 
  • #15
Integral said:
ha! EVERY job is physics related. Though you may not need a Physics degree for every job, it always helps.

Couldnt you substitute english/math in for physics and it would still be true?
 
  • #16
PhillipWong said:
I got a misdemeanor in traspassing for punching my roommate at UCLA. Would this be a problem?

Felonies I think are the deal breakers or a trend of recurring misdemeanors.
 
  • #17
Integral said:
ha! EVERY job is physics related. Though you may not need a Physics degree for every job, it always helps.

I'm not sure how "window cleaner" is physics related... Or how it would possibly help.
 
  • #18
micromass said:
I'm not sure how "window cleaner" is physics related... Or how it would possibly help.

I think he's joking... A window cleaner needs to know a bit of the physics of gravity to know which way the cleaning solution is going to run. No degree needed, but physics is needed (in some silly sense).
 
  • #19
micromass said:
I'm not sure how "window cleaner" is physics related... Or how it would possibly help.

Newtonian mechanics and Coulomb's law of friction explains why ladders only slip AFTER you climbed to the top of them :smile:
 
  • #20
PhillipWong said:
I got a misdemeanor in trespassing for punching my roommate at UCLA. Would this be a problem?

After a quick google search, it looks like they are mainly concerned with sex and drug offenses and violent felonies. They apparently have more latitude than that, so they can throw the book at you if they want for less... but they seem to accept arguments that the behavior is unlikely to happen again. So you could always argue you were young and stupid and it won't happen again, and you'll probably be OK.
 

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