A degree in physics is a brilliant starting point for a diverse range of careers, be it in scientific research, industry, finance, education, IT and much more besides. But the broadness of the discipline means that picking the right path for you is not always straightforward. For the past three years, we have been curating a special, free-to-read annual Physics World Careers guide (2018, 2017), to help to focus your mind.  The 2019 guide is packed with careers advice and analysis; insightful case studies showcasing career options; and a comprehensive employer directory, full of companies looking to hire physicists just like you.

Our case studies have been penned by real physics graduates, working in everything from materials science and astroparticle physics, to environmental studies and terahertz imaging. If you’re a physics student with an eye on a career in nuclear physics, then have a look at the Nuclear Technology Education Consortium (NTEC) and the University of Bristol’s South West Nuclear Hub. The 2019 guide also includes a bumper article on careers in medical physics. As well as giving you an overview of what’s on offer in the field, you’ll get to meet eight physicists working in nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, detector physics, computational simulations and more. The article reveals what the day-to-day life is really like for medical physicists in a diagnostic, clinical or industrial setting. And if you’re tempted by a future in medical physics, take a look at employers and institutions such as the Christie Medical Physics and Engineering centre; Elekta; and the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Joint Department of Physics, who are all looking to employ you.  

Another new offering in the 2019 guide is the “Start-up stories” section, in which you can meet the bold researchers who’ve taken the plunge and set up their own businesses. Coming from research fields such as printable electronics and neutron science, these researchers share the lessons learned from their brave ventures – and if you feel inspired to take the leap yourself, be sure to take check out our career-development article about setting up a successful business. 

But if you’re looking for a real change of scenery, then take a peek at our “Beyond physics” section, where we interview trained physicists who are now in very different careers, ranging from public health and science policy, to film making and photography.

From defence and security to laser technology and data science, the 2019 Physics World Careers guide is truly representative of the wide scope of stimulating and inspiring careers available to physicists all over the globe, and I hope that it helps you on your own special path. You can read Physics World Careers free online here or via the Physics World app, available for iOS and Android.