- #1
ApeXaviour
- 34
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(Put in a lot of context, and post is long now. Question and TL;DR are at the bottom!)
Recently finished my PhD in Physics: X-ray spectroscopy of transition-metal crystals, a lot of soft X-ray synchrotron and solid state science, vacuum science etc. I knew after a few months of starting the PhD that academic research, while enjoyable as a project, was not where I was interested in going long term. Personally, I just don't possesses that drive or interest to pursue questions and research for the sake of themselves. I'd toyed for a long time with the idea of doing management consultancy... and have decided against it since writing and defending my thesis.
What changed my mind was 1) writing the thesis was oddly enjoyable in a masochistic sort of way and made me nostalgic for physics and wanting to further apply what I've learned. 2) A friend works for ASML in the Netherlands (EUV lithography, design and engineering) and after hearing what he does I became rather excited knowing I would be very well able for it. 3) If you normalise hours worked in the very best consultancy job with my friend's job, the pay was the same... and I would prefer not to be working 60+ hours per week.
I applied to ASML in three different ways. Directly via their website, through a Dutch agency (Xelvin) and via my friend who handed my CV to his boss. None of them have panned out and I know I'm aiming too narrowly.
What I'm lacking is knowledge of what I can do or find in industry. The only place I know for sure would hire me here in Ireland is Intel, but (if you'll forgive my gripes) it's in my old hometown and I've never met anyone who works there who likes working there. I'd love work anywhere on continental Europe, but having only English the most viable places outside academia are in the Netherlands or Scandinavia... I would work in the UK too though. I'm going to make an open application to Philips in the Netherlands today. Does anyone know of any other companies that I can apply to?
TL;DR: Irish X-ray physics PhD graduate, want to work in industry in Europe. Looking for companies to apply to.
Recently finished my PhD in Physics: X-ray spectroscopy of transition-metal crystals, a lot of soft X-ray synchrotron and solid state science, vacuum science etc. I knew after a few months of starting the PhD that academic research, while enjoyable as a project, was not where I was interested in going long term. Personally, I just don't possesses that drive or interest to pursue questions and research for the sake of themselves. I'd toyed for a long time with the idea of doing management consultancy... and have decided against it since writing and defending my thesis.
What changed my mind was 1) writing the thesis was oddly enjoyable in a masochistic sort of way and made me nostalgic for physics and wanting to further apply what I've learned. 2) A friend works for ASML in the Netherlands (EUV lithography, design and engineering) and after hearing what he does I became rather excited knowing I would be very well able for it. 3) If you normalise hours worked in the very best consultancy job with my friend's job, the pay was the same... and I would prefer not to be working 60+ hours per week.
I applied to ASML in three different ways. Directly via their website, through a Dutch agency (Xelvin) and via my friend who handed my CV to his boss. None of them have panned out and I know I'm aiming too narrowly.
What I'm lacking is knowledge of what I can do or find in industry. The only place I know for sure would hire me here in Ireland is Intel, but (if you'll forgive my gripes) it's in my old hometown and I've never met anyone who works there who likes working there. I'd love work anywhere on continental Europe, but having only English the most viable places outside academia are in the Netherlands or Scandinavia... I would work in the UK too though. I'm going to make an open application to Philips in the Netherlands today. Does anyone know of any other companies that I can apply to?
TL;DR: Irish X-ray physics PhD graduate, want to work in industry in Europe. Looking for companies to apply to.