Physics and jobs

 

Richard Muller, Prof Physics, UCBerkeley, author of "Now—The Physics of Time" (2016)

Updated Jan 6, 2016 · Upvoted by Jay Wacker, physicist, phd+postdoc+faculty and Frederic Rachford, PhD Physics, Case Western Reserve University (1975)

Every graduate with a PhD in physics I know, within a year of graduation, had a job that other people would only dream about.  A PhD in physics gives the student a broad background in technology and in determination of truth/falsehood.  Seen in that light, it is the best general education one can get. 

But if you are determined to be a professor, then your odds are poor.  That kind of job depends not just on student quality, but also on luck: what jobs are available.

I know PhDs in physics who went on to become professors, to become head of research units in geophysics lab, director of analysis of planetary science in NASA, patent attorney (earning more than virtually anyone else in this list), analyst for the CIA (e.g. the chief of Russian studies), director of research foundations, consultant for McKinsey (they are always looking for physics PhDs), founder of technical startup companies, teachers, computer experts (working for IBM), technical developers (working for Hewlett Packard), etc.  Most people consider these to be jobs to die for.

I know of several PhDs who are unhappy, not because they couldn't find work, but because they could not get their dream position.  One of these people is earning only $120,000 per year as a computer programmer -- so he is unhappy.  Another quit a good job to begin a startup, and it failed. So he is unhappy.

There is no better degree to earn than a PhD in physics, if you want to have a great range of opportunity in your future life.

As a physicist who left physics — though always having dreamt of returning — and who went on to economics, getting a Ph.D. in the economics of innovation, I can say this as a general answer to your question.

Note: This text is a tongue-in-cheek argument, and to paraphrase what the great economist Ken Arrow said in a different context,

“those believing this is a description of the reality of a former physicist, have completely failed to understand the purpose of the exercise!”

A Ph.D. in theoretical and mathematical physics will provide you with one of the most versatile backgrounds, giving you general tools and ways of analysing problems, that are applicable in almost all types of work later.

While you are pursuing a Ph.D. in this field, you will have some serious fun! You will feel how wonderful it is to be among equals, to be among friends and colleagues that understand — and share — your zest, your complete immersion in fascinating problems. They share your delight in always being challenged, and the joy in solving new problems … together.

They share your concept of aesthetics, of what is beautiful. The simpler the better. Beauty lies in the simplicity of expression and richness in content. In a way, like a Pandora’s box without all the ugliness and evil! If the answer is not beautiful, the answer is wrong.

And you will always look back at your grad.school and post-doc periods as the best time of your life.

When you, eventually, leave academic research — as you very probably, 99 to 100, will — you will discover that your background has completely changed the way you see the world. In fact it will have completely changed your understanding of the world, as well as your total world view.

And this, you will think, is a good thing! Because now you cannot wait to use all of this, to improve the world for your fellowmen and -women. You can’t wait to use your resources and your boundless energy to improve the common good. To improve the Common Wealth, as Adam Smith denoted it, when he spoke as a moral philosopher!

Your personal goals lies in what you can do for the world, not what the world can do for you! By this time in your life the objectives of your own personal and economic gains are not just secondary, they are completely irrelevant.

You are not, as Frank Zappa claimed to be, only in it for the money! Nor are you in it for fame or glory. You are living for those “Heureka!” moments — where the solution to the problem you have been endlessly toiling with, suddenly is revealed to you.

The moments when you suddenly see it in the right perspective — where every piece of the puzzle falls into place. The moment when the overall picture is shown to you. When you know in every fiber of your body that this is the solution. And it is … oh, so simple … oh, so beautiful!

On the other hand, your period in theoretical physics – and your new world view – will have fundamentally changed you. Your new world view will be something you share with a very few others. And you will forever feel that no one understands your position. For the rest of your life, you will feel totally estranged from most other people.

From this point on, you will very often hear that you, quite unnecessarily as the argument goes, complicate things. Even though what — seen from your perspective — you are doing is simplifying the issues. Simplifying it for the decision makers that ask for your advice, as well as for those that don’t … ask!

You will have to live with being ridiculed, and live with the frustration – that people around you do not see the issues clearly, are unable to see the solution lying right in front of them.

You have to accept that whatever you see as simple, and easily understood, those around you will claim is complex, and totally incomprehensible.

You will be good at structuring and solving problems, but you will have to do with a lot what-aboutism. Most of your colleagues and peers will not have any understanding of how to build a simplified model of a phenomenon or a problem. In particular, they will not be able to distinguish between 0.1%- and 10%-factors of input. And when you are certain you finally managed to convince them, yesterday, you are back to square one tomorrow.

At some time you will say — and trust me, sooner or later you will say this, or something to the same extent — I am simple-minded, I really believe that things are simple, and you will go on to claim that it is a question of having the right tools, and the knowledge of how to use them.

You will truly believe that any individual will see — and accept — what you see! And that they will act on it. Provided they are given the means and tools to understand the issues.

You strongly believe that any individual is open-minded and truth-seeking, and all individuals are, just as you believe you are yourself, focussed on learning new things, on discovering new aspects, on understanding the world around us. Of letting truth decide.

Any debate is – in your mind – about being open, of listening to and developing arguments, based on the quality of the arguments. You abhor and never make ad hominem arguments, and you will never ridicule or misrepresent the arguments of your opponent. You will always be open to having misunderstood his or her arguments. You will always see the debate as providing a potential for learning something new!

You truly believe everyone live — just as you do — by Max Planck’s adage: “The more I know, the more I know that I do not know!” So every new problem, and every meeting with another, is a chance to learn new things. You never approach them with preconceived notions of how problems should be solved, or what the other represents.

At just that moment when you say that you believe in the simple — in effect that you believe “In simplicitate bellitas”, that beauty resides in simplicity — you will immediately come to see the total error of your ways. All of your opponents will grab the chance immediately, to claim you are a simpleton. Whatever you say after this, won’t count. From that moment onwards, it may be completely disregarded.

You are not just simple-minded, you confuse things and do not understand the – political/economical/cultural/social [strike out what is not applicable in the situation] – aspects of the issue. This is what they will say about you! And you will see that most of those around you will accept this.

Whenever this happens, please note that what it really means, is that you have gotten too close to the basis of the powers that reign.

You have to always remember, that it is totally irrelevant if you are right or wrong — if you are alone, you really are alone. The majority always has the right of way whenever political/economical/cultural/social power and Macht are involved. If the majority tells you that you have misunderstood the issues at hand — even if you know this is wrong — the majority has always the right to decide what is «right»!

You have to live with being misunderstood and exploited, getting your arguments and messages ridiculed and turned into jokes. But you will also see, in the end, at several occasions, that you were the one that understood the issues.

However, in those instances – when reality proves you right – no one will remember your inputs into the discussion. Some business school MBA will now probably get the credit for solving the problem, months and even years after you pointed your organization towards the correct solution.

A few of the people around you will also see – and remember – that you were right and they will support you. Value their support and their friendship. And trust their assessments and advice. Even at times when you feel down and out.

Do not get despondent, remember that your real friends will see … and remember your inputs on the issue. And stick to your original goal – it is not about fame, glory or rewards. Revel in a job well done – for the common wealth!

And lastly, whatever you do, do not — ever — write an equation and describe its solution in mathematical terms, to emphasize your points about the problem at hand. To use them to show what you see as the underlying simplicity of the problem — or even worse, to describe the beauty of the solution. If you ever do this, you will experience what it truly means to be an outcast. To watch the blindfolds shutting over the eyes and ears of your audience, to see them blotting you completely out of their perception!

Thinking back, the situation reminds me of the joke on Tricky Dick Nixon in 1974 on the cover of the MAD journal. The cover’s pun played on the three monkeys at one of the shrines in the temple park at Nikko, north of Tokyo. The ones saying resp. “hear/see/speak no evil”. Nixon got the first two right, at the last one he threw his hands up, shrugging his shoulders, and said, “Well, two out of three ain’t bad?”

In the situation you are going to experience, this situation is turned around. As seen from your audience’s position, they get only one right! And they, in contrast to Richard Nixon, never speak evil!

So if you want a life that is frustrating, that many times will feel like struggling uphill with a strong gale in your face, but also a life that will give you lots of personal satisfaction, then, sure, go for it!

Provided one thing. You have to burn for theoretical physics, and I mean: really burn for it. Only do it if you feel – in your heart – that your identity really isbeing a physicist!

And always remind yourself of the theoretical physicists’ light bulb joke:

Q: How many theoretical physicists are needed to change a broken light bulb?

A: I have absolutely no idea! … But what I do know, is that 600 applied for the job!

If you don’t feel the burn, then forget it. Find something else to do!

Common job titles for physics and engineering physics bachelor's degreerecipients include:

1. Accelerator Operator.
2. Applications Engineer.
3. Data Analyst.
4. Design Engineer.
5. High School Physics Teacher.
6. IT Consultant.
7. Lab Technician.
8. Laser Engineer.