Other careers
A Physics degree may be useful in the following career areas:
Physics Related Jobs
A large proportion of physics graduates entering permanent jobs after graduation go into research, design and development. Although you can get a job as a trainee research scientist with a good first degree, for those wanting a long term career in research it may be advisable to study for a doctorate as promotion within research may be hindered without one. However, many junior research staff use research as a stepping stone to other functions within the company, such as marketing, patent work and production management, and for graduates with these ambitions a postgraduate degree would not be necessary. Many of these jobs are with electronics, telecommunications and defence companies and may be nearer engineering than pure physics.
Areas of growth include nuclear and renewable energy, environmental jobs and defence but employers such as Rolls-Royce, AWE and RM Consulting also actively seek to employ physicists.
A survey by the Institute of Physics asked physicists "What do you do for your living?"
- 46% were doing research
- 16% Teaching
- 15% Engineering
- 12% IT
- 6% Communications
- 5% Business
By industry the largest proportion were in AEROSPACE, followed by:
- Electronics/IT software,
- Instrumentation,
- Telecoms,
- Electrical
- Nuclear fuel processing
- Manufacturing
- Petrochemicals/oil
- Transport
- Publishing
- Information systems engineering
- Construction
- Chemical
- Food, drink and tobacco
The main function of their job in 2007 was, in order:
- Research
- Teaching
- Development
- Management
- Technical support
- Consultancy
- Administration
- Other
- Production
- Marketing/retail/distribution
Teacher
A Postgraduate Certificate of Education Course (PGCE) lasts one year. It's still not that difficult to obtain a place on a science PGCE provided that you can show some evidence of interest in teaching such as voluntary work at a school. Remember though that you need to apply well in advance for courses. Remember that you can also teach physics in Colleges of Further Education, private schools and the Armed Forces. There is a shortage of science teachers, who are eligible for an enhanced bursary during training.
Medical Physicist
These use a variety of physics and computing skills in diagnosis and treatment of illness including such techniques as radiography and ultrasound. Tasks include introducing, calibrating, using and maintaining medical equipment. Entry is sometimes direct into a job, but often now after a relevant Masters dege. Normal entry route is via the National Scheme for Training Clinical Scientists advertised in February each year with a closing date in March. There are also jobs with medical equipment suppliers in designing, developing and marketing equipment. Related jobs include Health (Radiation) Physicist in the nuclear industry (see below) and Biomedical Engineer - designing heart valves, artificial limbs etc.
See the websites below for more information on what the jobs involve
- Clinical Scientists Training Programme
- Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
- Society of Radiographers
- Audiological Scientists
- Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI) the trade association for medical device technology in the UK
For more information see the Prospects overview of the science and pharmaceuticals sector
You may be interested in graduate roles outside of physics. There are many employers who are looking for graduates with good degrees but that don’t have a preference for the subject studied. To explore different career options see:
Skills gained
As well as subject-specific knowledge and skills, a graduate in physics will typically have gained:
- Problem solving
- Thinking logically and high level quantitative and numerical skills.
- Analysing
- Investigating
- Numeracy
- Communication
- Cooperating and Advising
This is not an exhaustive list of skills – you will develop many skills from your course, extra-curricular activities and work experience. You can find out more about the skills employers look for and how you can develop them here.
Find a job
The Careers and Employability Service provides information and advice on job searching to University of Kent students and recent graduates. This includes a vacancy database advertising a range of graduate jobs, sandwich placements and vacation work/internships and online resources. These websites may be useful in job searching and for providing further information on jobs and careers specifically related to Accounting and Finance.
Nuclear Energy
The nuclear energy industry recruits large numbers of physicists. See our energy industry page for full details of jobs and employers.Trident Nuclear SubmarinesThe Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) supplies and maintains the warheads for the submarines. Other players are the Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems, Babcock and Rolls Royce
- Atomic Weapons Establishment recruit for design physics, chemical technology, materials science research, plasma physics and radiation science.
- Babcock International engineering support services company.
- Rolls Royce
- BAE Systems global aerospace and defence
Nuclear and Alternative Energy Recruiters
- See our page on Oil, Energy and Utilities
Communications
Radio, optoelectronic and microwave communication are all important here, and there are jobs with both equipment manufacturers and suppliers of services.
- BT have a huge research site near Ipswich
- Thales (formerly Thompson CSF and Racal)
- Vodafone
- Siemens
- Roke Manor Research Research Laboratory of Siemens specialising in communications
Computing and IT
A popular area for electronics graduates. Although it has been badly hit by the downturn in the American economy, there are still substantial numbers of jobs here. Employers include:
- Tessella (now part of Capgemini) recruit scientific software developers
- IBM UK jobs
- Sharp Laboratories of Europe
Defence (overlaps with communications)
- GCHQ Government Communications Headquarters - national intelligence and security. BBC article about GCHQ and another
- HM Government Communications Centre near Milton Keynes
- QinetiQ formerly the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (an agency of the Ministry of Defence) - big recruiter of physicists, especially at its Malvern Laboratory
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl). Part of the Ministry of Defence. Farnborough, Porton Down near Salisbury, Portsdown West near Portsmouth and Sevenoaks, Kent (explosives/weapons technology)
- Defence Engineering and Science Group (DESG) big recruiters of physics graduates. Part of the Ministry of Defence.
- BAe Systems global aerospace and defence
- AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment)
- MBDA global missile systems company: designs and produce missiles and missile systems for army, navy and air forces.
- Leonardo
- Defence Jobs
Materials
This includes designing advanced instrumentation/microprocessor controls, integrated circuits and semiconductor materials, also glass technology and metallurgy.
Meteorology
- The Met Office
- The Royal Meteorological Society
- Occupational Profile
- Interview with a research scientist at the Met. Office
- Royal Navy career roles include Meteorological Specialists
- Natural Environmental Research Council Laboratories research global warming.
Nanotechnology
This involves the development and use of novel nanomaterials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes which have the potential to revolutionise fields such as high power batteries, drug delivery, solar cells and computers.
Others
- Optics
- Production and Quality Assurance
- Science Teaching
- Technical Sales and Marketing including Medical sales for pharmaceutical companies
- Patent Work
- European Patent Office
- Marks & Clerk patent attorneys
- Haseltine Lake & Co. patent attorneys.
- Ergonomics (also called human factors) involves making life easier for people. This includes the products you use at home and at work, transport and systems that keep day-to-day life functioning properly. As an ergonomist, you could:
- design products to make them easier or more comfortable to use
- train people to work safely in hazardous places like oil rigs and power plants
- examine the physical strength and endurance of athletes
- analyse pilots’ tasks to ensure maximum performance under stress
- design protective equipment for people working in extreme environments
- improve accessibility for disabled people.
Ergonomists may have qualifications in psychology, science, engineering, design or anatomy.
See the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors
- Clinical Trials
- British Antarctic Survey
- CERN Laboratory for Particle Physics, Switzerland. Current vacancies.
- National Physics Laboratory
- Factory Inspector
- Air Traffic Controller. National Air Traffic Services
Detailed descriptions of many science and non-science jobs can be found at Prospects Web
Other employers of physics graduates include:
- Ultra Electronics group of specialist businesses designing, manufacturing and supporting electronic and electro-mechanical systems, sub-systems and products for defence, security, transport and energy applications worldwide.
- Fraser Nash Consultancy systems and engineering technology organisation with 400 permanent employees Provide advice to customers in the defence, nuclear, power & energy, civil aerospace, rail, marine, petrochemical and industrial sectors.
Astronomy and Space Science Links
Space Science Sites
- Space Careers
contains the Space and Industry Directory, and vacancies. - Space Talent website for space-related jobs.
- International Space University
- UK Space umbrella group representing the industry.
Employers
- European Space Agency develops launchers and spacecraft. Takes about 100 graduates a year as for example software engineers, propulsion engineers, navigation system engineers and launcher systems engineers. Establishments in Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France
- Airbus Space
- BAe Systems global aerospace and defence
- European Space Agency major research centre at Harwell, Oxfordshire
- BT satellite communications
- Logica software design
- Thales (formerly Thompson CSF and Racal)
- Rolls Royce
- Other companies involved include BSkyB, Inmarsat, Pace, Qinetiq, Fugro and Avanti Communications who operate the new Hylas satellite.
Astronomy
- The Royal Observatory Greenwich : How to be a professional astronomer
- The Royal Astronomical Society: Careers in Astronomy, Geophysics and Planetary Science
- NASA news, links to current and past space missions, and a wealth of information on astronomy and space science.
- Astronomy Now – online magazine
- Sky & Telescope magazine
- The Sky at Night news, forums
General Physics Links
- The Institute of Physics Membership for physics students is free throughout the duration of their course.
- Brightrecruits site which offers a range of opportunities for jobseekers with a background in physics or engineering. At all stages of your career - whether you're an undergraduate, graduate, researcher or industry professional.
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council largest funding body for postgraduate study in science.
- Gradcracker Science Vacancies excellent source of jobs for physics graduates
- IP Careers Patent Agency Careers Information
- Physics World has a physics jobs section
More websites offering graduate jobs, internships and placement years
You may also find useful reviews and application/interview tips for specific organisations on the following websites:
Further study
Graduates could continue to the following degrees at Kent
Physics - MSc, MPhil, PhD