Physics in the Workplace
Are you considering a career outside of academia? A degree in physics offers a world of opportunties for working in industry, on wall street and more.
Career Options
- The National Society of Physics Students web site gives one of the most comprehensive discussions of career options for physicists.
- Our Physical Sciences Library staff have compiled a list of career resources.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for physicists.
- The Cornell Physics Department is trying to highlight teaching high school physics as a fulfilling career. For more information, see the PhysTec Program. This site also has some more general career advice.
Society and Institution Web Pages
- American Institute of Physics Career Network, PhysicsToday
- APS Careers
- Institute of Physics in Wales
- Society of Physics Students
- Physicsworld.com Jobs Page
- Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
Cornell Specific Resources
You don’t have to be in Arts and Science or Engineering to use the respective Career Services.
- College of Arts and Science Career Services
- College Engineering Career Services
- Health Careers Advising
- Cornell Teacher Education
Women in Physics
- Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics
- AIP statistical data
- APS Women in Physics
- Women in Physics Conference — A conference aimed at female undergraduate students held this year at the University of Nebraska. Register now if you want to attend.
- She is an Astronomer
General Career Resources
- Career Voyages — Government sponsored site on careers, narrowed by state
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outloook Handbook
- Academic Keys
- CalTech Alternative Careers — seems to be mostly aimed at graduate students, but is still valuable
Job Databases
Books
- Career Services hosts an excellent library of job-search tools, and you can search their collection online.
- Peter S. Fiske, To boldly go : a practical career guide for scientists, Washington, D.C. : AGU, 1996. Q148 .F57x 1996
- Nick Basta, Careers in high tech [electronic resource] TA157 .B3418 1999eb
- Cynthia Robbins-Roth, Alternative careers in science : leaving the ivory tower, Amsterdam ; Boston : Elsevier Academic Press, c2006. Q149.U5 A66 2006
Dionysios Anninos was recently an undergraduate physics major at Cornell. "The range of possibilities offered at Cornell is overwhelming. One can end up studying the most disparate fields and end up well versed in them. Personally, I tried to exploit this feature to the maximum. I ended up learning a lot of great physics by sampling a large set of physics courses offered at a unique level, as well as exploring economics and mathematics." "Furthermore, through its advanced courses and research opportunities, Cornell offers the student a unique ...