If you're thinking about your next career move, Physics World Careers is an annual guide that offers valuable careers advice, insightful case studies showcasing possible career options, plus a comprehensive employer directory. And jobseekers with a background in science, technology, engineering or mathematics can explore all the latest opportunities on Physics World Jobs, a recruitment website from the publishers of Physics World.
Latest articles
Levelling up: from student to mentor to trainee physics teacher
Ellie Whitehall describes her move from student to teacher in physics, reflecting on her experiences of education
Ask me anything: Zahra Hussaini – ‘We’re working on autonomous driving technology that has the potential to transform lives’
Zahra Hussaini is a senior software reliability engineer at Waymo, an autonomous driving technology company that started as Google’s Self-Driving Car Project
Quantum careers
Physics World Jobs
Whether you’re still working out your career pathway or have a specific role in mind, we’re here to help. Bringing a diverse range of opportunities for jobseekers at all career stages, we’ll help you take the next step in your career and find your perfect job.
Training for your future
From ATLAS to the control room: a high-school student’s week at CERN
Sixth-form student Annabelle Gill discusses a week-long internship at CERN
Physics World Careers 2022 guide is now out
From quantum technology to green jobs, Physics World Careers 2022 showcases the range of career options open to physicists
Read article: CityU physics: undergraduate students prioritize connection and collaboration
CityU physics: undergraduate students prioritize connection and collaboration
City University of Hong Kong’s undergraduate physics programme wants to attract ambitious international students as they take their next step towards a scientific career in resea...
Read article: Summer internships: Claire Houghton – ‘I got to see real scientific experiments, where no-one knows exactly what’s going to happen’
Summer internships: Claire Houghton – ‘I got to see real scientific experiments, where no-one knows exactly what’s going to happen’
Laura Hiscott speaks to Claire Houghton, an early-career physicist who did summer internships at Kurt J Lesker and Adaptix
Read article: Summer internships: Marion Cromb – ‘I learnt good coding practice, and the code was actually sold to customers at the end’
Summer internships: Marion Cromb – ‘I learnt good coding practice, and the code was actually sold to customers at the end’
Laura Hiscott speaks to Marion Cromb, a physics PhD student who did an internship every summer of their undergraduate degree
Careers in medical physics
Cutting-edge accelerator technologies are key to success for the MYRRHA research reactor
The MYRRHA project in Belgium is seeking enthusiastic scientists, engineers and project managers with a talent for cross-disciplinary collaboration
Studying physics to improve healthcare systems
Suman Shrestha, who is doing a PhD in medical physics in the US, on why he wants to return to Nepal with his new-found skills and expertise
Video showcase: physics graduates share their stories
Physics World Careers
The 2023 edition of Physics World Careers is packed full of advice for early-career scientists. Including a range of valuable advice, informative case studies and recruiter profiles, it demonstrates the variety of jobs that use a physics degree.
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Read article: ‘I see a piece of myself in every student that I’ve mentored, and we motivate each other’ – Wen-fai Fong on supporting the next generation of astronomers
‘I see a piece of myself in every student that I’ve mentored, and we motivate each other’ – Wen-fai Fong on supporting the next generation of astronomers
Wen-fai Fong talks to Rob Lea about shaping the future of astronomy
Read article: Graduate training powers offshore renewables sector
Graduate training powers offshore renewables sector
A doctoral training centre in wind and marine energy aims to equip PhD students with the skills and knowledge needed to drive continuing expansion in the offshore renewables industry
Read article: Ask me anything: Jessica James – ‘I am never happier than with my head down doing maths and coding’
Ask me anything: Jessica James – ‘I am never happier than with my head down doing maths and coding’
Jessica James is managing director at Commerzbank AG in London, UK
Read article: The joy of connecting quantum black dots
The joy of connecting quantum black dots
Mark Richards describes how his search for a community of fellow “quantum black dots” led him to found the Blackett Lab Family – the UK’s first national network of Black physicists
Read article: A journey of joy and uncertainty in physics
A journey of joy and uncertainty in physics
Joyful Mdhluli describes the joy that a career in physics brings, even after hitting rock bottom during her PhD
Read article: Ask me anything: Janina Moereke – ‘I wish I’d known how beneficial a healthy amount of self-doubt is’
Ask me anything: Janina Moereke – ‘I wish I’d known how beneficial a healthy amount of self-doubt is’
Janina Moereke is a development engineer who uses optical and electrical techniques to characterize and develop thin-film solar cells
Read article: Ask me anything: Sara Fry – ‘There are always opportunities to develop simple solutions for complex problems’
Ask me anything: Sara Fry – ‘There are always opportunities to develop simple solutions for complex problems’
Sara Fry is the head of sustainability and of safety, health and environment at a multinational engineering solutions company
Read article: Ask me anything: Nicholas Attree – ‘With the basic toolkit of physics techniques…you can approach any new research areas’
Ask me anything: Nicholas Attree – ‘With the basic toolkit of physics techniques…you can approach any new research areas’
Nicholas Attree is a postdoctoral researcher studying comets through the European Space Agency’s Rosetta and Comet Interceptor missions
Read article: Oliver Grimston: from intern to chief of staff at bp
Oliver Grimston: from intern to chief of staff at bp
Petrophysicist Oliver Grimston talks about his career at British oil and gas company bp, from its graduate programme to his current role as the firm’s chief of s...
Read article: Ask me anything: Taghi Amirani – a physicist turned documentary-film maker
Ask me anything: Taghi Amirani – a physicist turned documentary-film maker
From studying physics to making documentary films, with his latest being Coup 53, about the 1953 coup in Iran orchestrated by the British and American secret services
Read article: Freya Blekman: on the particle pathway of big science
Freya Blekman: on the particle pathway of big science
Experimental physicist Freya Blekman talks to Tushna Commissariat about the joy of working on big science collaborations
Read article: Using physics to fuel fibre-optic innovation
Using physics to fuel fibre-optic innovation
Engineering physicist Christine Tremblay on making fibre-optic networks cheaper, smarter and more resilient, and opening the way to send voice, data and video streams at eve...
Read article: High-power lasers promise new defence strategy
High-power lasers promise new defence strategy
Physicists at QinetiQ are developing systems that combine and control high-energy laser beams to provide a powerful and cost-effective countermeasure against drones and other uncre...
Read article: Opening up innovation and change
Opening up innovation and change
Roland Harwood on open innovation, how he's helped organizations from Lego to the UN to implement change, and why he believes physics is leading the way in collaboration
Read article: Ask me anything: Martin Weides – ‘I love working in large, international teams; understanding problems and pushing boundaries to shape the future’
Ask me anything: Martin Weides – ‘I love working in large, international teams; understanding problems and pushing boundaries to shape the future’
Martin Weides is head of the quantum-circuits group at the University of Glasgow and consultant technical director to the firm Oxford Instruments Nanoscience
Read article: Using physics to patent inventions
Using physics to patent inventions
Having originally done a PhD in quantum computing, patent attorney Katherine Brown explains why a scientific background is an asset in this area
Read article: Ask me anything: Maksym Sich – ‘The quantum-technology sector is very new and there’s a lot to be discovered, in terms of science and business’
Ask me anything: Maksym Sich – ‘The quantum-technology sector is very new and there’s a lot to be discovered, in terms of science and business’
Maksym Sich is co-founder and chief executive of Aegiq, a quantum-photonics spin-out company
Read article: Industry or academia? How to choose your path
Industry or academia? How to choose your path
Quantum scientist Joanna Zajac spent three years in industry before returning to fundamental research. She advises on how academia and industry differ and deciding which one...
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