Physics: Now What?

Physics…NOW WHAT?

A physics degree can lead you to a broad range of science, engineering, and technology careers. 

About one out of six physics bachelor’s degree recipients in the United States go on to earn a physics or astronomy PhD, and only about 30% of those work in academia. 

The others have fulfilling careers in the private sector, in government agencies or national laboratories, and in other sectors.

Check out the American Institute of Physics (https://www.aip.org/career-resources) for more information on careers in physics.

WHAT DOES A PHYSICIST DO?

Physicists study the interactions of matter and energy. Theoretical physicists and astronomers may study the nature of time or the origin of the universe. Some physicists design and perform experiments with sophisticated equipment such as particle accelerators, electron microscopes, and lasers. Physicists typically do the following:

  • Develop scientific theories and models to explain the properties of the natural world, such as atom formation
  • Plan and conduct scientific experiments and studies to test theories and discover properties of matter and energy
  • Write proposals and apply for research grants
  • Do complex mathematical calculations to analyze physical and astronomical data, such as finding new planets in distant solar systems
  • Design scientific equipment, such as telescopes and lasers
  • Develop computer software to analyze and model data
  • Write scientific papers that may be published in scholarly journals
  • Present research findings at scientific conferences and lectures

Physicists explore the fundamental properties and laws that govern space, time, energy, and matter. Some physicists study theoretical areas, such as the fundamental nature of atoms and molecules and the evolution of the universe. Others design and perform experiments with sophisticated equipment such as particle accelerators, electron microscopes, and lasers. On the basis of their observations and analysis, they try to discover and formulate laws that explain the forces of nature, such as gravity, electromagnetism, and nuclear interactions. Others apply their knowledge of physics to practical areas, such as the development of advanced materials and medical equipment.

Many physicists do basic research with the aim of increasing scientific knowledge. For example, they may develop theories to better explain what gravity is or how the universe was formed.

Others do applied research, using knowledge gained from basic research to develop new devices, processes, and other practical applications. Their work may lead to advances in areas such as energy, electronics, communications, navigation, and medical technology. For example, lasers are now used in surgery and microwave technology is now in most kitchens.

If you are considering graduate school, be sure to find research opportunities as part of your undergraduate work. 

Selection of First Jobs for recent (Class of 2024-2026) UMass Amherst Physics alumni:

  • Intern Consultant at Cross Spectrum Acoustics
  • Research Fellow at UMass Amherst
  • Medical Device Engineer at Francis College of Engineering
  • Software Developer at Epic
  • Test Engineer at Blue Origin
  • Academic Tutor at Huntington Learning Center
  • Post-bacc Research Assistant at University of California, San Diego
  • Volunteer at AmeriCorps 
  • Application Field Engineer at CenoBots
  • Physics Departmental Assistant at UMass Amherst
  • STEM teacher at various K-12 schools
  • Software Engineer at CERN
  • Optical Test Engineer Intern at Coherent Corp.
  • Marketing Analyst at Dell Technologies
  • Optical Test Engineer at L3Harris Technologies 
  • Water Quality Analyst at New York City Water Department 
  • Clean Energy Innovator Fellow at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
  • Engineer at Avanti Engineering
  • Systems Engineer at Raytheon 
  • Technical Specialist, Physics Department, UMass Amherst
  • Engineering Physicist at Communications & Power Industries 
  • Post-bacc Researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Computational Intern at Sapientai LLC
  • Chemist at FUJIFILM Electronic Materials

Selection of Graduate Programs for recent (class of 2025 & 2026) UMass Amherst Physics alumni:

  • MS in Physics at UMass Amherst
  • MS in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
  • Masters in Engineering at University of Washington
  • MS in Medical Physics at Purdue University
  • MD in Medical Physics at Hofstra University
  • MS in Medical Physics at Duke University 
  • MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering at UMass Amherst
  • MS in Quantum Science at Technical University of Munich
  • MS in Accounting at UMass Amherst
  • Masters in Education at UMass Amherst
  • PhD in Physics at Georgia Tech
  • PhD in Physics at University of California Berkeley 
  • PhD in Physics at University of California San Diego
  • PhD in Aerospace Engineering at University of Illinois 
  • PhD in Aerospace Engineering at University of Florida
  • PhD in Physics at Ohio State University
  • PhD in Physics at Boston University
  • PhD in Applied Physics at University of Michigan
  • PhD in Physics at Colorado State University 
  • PhD in Physics at University of Oregon
  • PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Stanford University

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A PHYSICS BACHELORS DEGREE?

Physics majors find jobs in a wide variety of settings including companies doing technical research or development, insurance or finance companies doing large-scale data analytics, national labs, hospitals, law firms, engineering firms -- many places where creative thinking, quantitative analysis and model building are needed. Other physics majors teach in schools at K-12 or college levels. Other students go to graduate school first to earn a PhD or Masters in Physics or something close to physics.

  • Technician or research assistant in fields of physics, engineering, and computer science
  • High school math or science teacher - For advice on becoming a high-school physics teacher, please see the document: High-school teaching careers for physics majors. The UMass Physics Department and College of Education can help you in this process - you can take education courses here as well as practicum (i.e., teaching in local schools).
  • Healthcare fields
  • Legal work (physics majors understand complicated arguments from principle)
  • Business (a physics background will make the quantitative parts of business school curriculum pretty straightforward)
  • Banks, investment firms, insurance agencies, etc are drawn to science and math majors because of their strength with numbers and computers

INTERNSHIPS AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT

Start your search early.  Begin with a game plan to increase your career potential and obtain a summer internship or research experience.

  • To see where other Physics students have completed internships, research projects, and career-related jobs, check out the Student Experiential Learning Database.  On the right, click on Departments, then check off Physics to filter the results to Physics majors.         
  • Check out this list of currently available projects in the different research groups in the Physics department. This is not a comprehensive list, since not all researchers choose to post positions online, so do not feel limited by this - if you are interested in working with a particular faculty member, you should feel free to contact that person directly.
  • Here is a Guide to finding research positions with UMass faculty. 
  • Physics majors also get paid internships with companies, national labs, or other universities over the summer.
  • Teaching assistantships are sometimes available to undergraduates, and can be found at the Jobs link for the Physics department, especially just before or after the start of each semester.

Some large organizations fill summer internships in the fall.  Consider starting with these places:

JOB SEARCH RESOURCES

Use this tool from the American Institute of Physics to find companies that have recently hired physics bachelors by state.

Some of the largest companies and industries that hire Physics Bachelors. (Check out their employment pages for internship or job opportunities.

  • Raytheon
  • IBM
  • Lockheed Martin Corporation
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Boeing Company
  • Epic Systems
  • L3Harris
  • Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
  • Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard
  • Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • AT&T
  • Amazon
  • Department of Defense
  • MITRE
  • Seagate Technologies
  • Brookhaven National Lab
  • Edmund Optics
  • Eurofins
  • Boston Consulting Group

Physics Professional Associations 

Joining professional associations provides good opportunity for networking and creating professional relationships, broadening your knowledge, and accessing job listing available only to members.

  • American Association of Physics Teachers                                                        https://www.aapt.org/
  • American Astronomical Society                                                                                            www.aas.org
  • American Institute of Physics                                                                   https://students.aip.org/
  • American Meteorological Society                                                                                www.ametsoc.org
  • American Physical Society                                                                                                       www.aps.org
  • Institute of Physics                                                                                                                   www.iop.org

Physics Job Boards & Career Exploration Resources

IMPORTANT TRANSFERABLE SKILLS TO INCLUDE ON YOUR RESUME 

  • Advanced mathematical skills. Physicists perform complex calculations involving calculus, geometry, algebra, and other areas of mathematics. They must be able to express their research in mathematical terms.  
  • Analytical skills. Physicists need to be able to carry out scientific experiments and studies. They must be precise and accurate in their analysis because errors could invalidate their research.
  • Critical-thinking skills. Physicists must carefully evaluate their own work and the work of others. They must determine whether results and conclusions are based on sound science.
  • Interpersonal skills. Physicists must collaborate with others in both academic and industrial research contexts. They need to be able to work well with others towards a common goal.
  • Problem-solving skills. Physicists use scientific observation and analysis to solve complex scientific questions.
  • Speaking skills. Physicists present their research at scientific conferences, to the public, or to company management and other employees.
  • Writing skills. Astronomers write reports that may be published in scientific journals. They also write proposals for research funding.

What Do Employers Look For? (NACE 2026 Job Outlook for Students)

Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on a Candidate’s Resume:

  1. Teamwork
  2. Problem-Solving
  3. Communication (verbal)
  4. Technical Skills
  5. Communication (written)
  6. Work Ethic
  7. Analytical/Quantitative Skills
  8. Initiative
  9. Leadership Potential
  10. Detail-Oriented