Careers in Physics—Getting a Job with Your Degree

John Sohl

Adrienne Cook

Stephen G. PaytonCartoon from: http://www.spherion.com/careerblog/hot_topics/

Overview• National Physics Job Data

• WSU Physics Job Data

• How to Prepare Now Class Choices Projects Research Experience: Internships, Jobs

• How to Look for a Job

Source: Amer. Institute of Physics (AIP), Statistical Research Center

Salaries by Discipline

(2005 data)

Source Data: salary.com and www.JupiterScientific.org

Graduate Studyin Other Fields is mostly engineering. (39% of “Other Fields” group)

Bachelors classes ’03 & ‘04

• 13% part time positions (39% in teaching)

• Full Time Employment: 40% got >1 offer 2-7% Still Seeking Winter after grad. (multi yr) <10% Continue job held before degree Parallels US Economy

Source: Amer. Institute of Physics, Statistical Research Center

Major Physics Employers

• Department of Defense (Civilian)

• DoD Military Branches

• Military Industrial Complex

• Aerospace

• High Schools

• Colleges & Universities

• Federal and State Agencies

Source: Amer. Institute of Physics, Statistical Research Center

Utah Employers 2003-’05 (Partial List) of New Physics Bachelors

Ceramatec, Inc.Easiest MathHobbytronLumenisMission Support Inc./Photogenics DivisionMoxtekParvus CorporationSensory SweepThoughtForm Corporation

Source: AIP Statistical Research Center, Initial Employment Surveys, 2003-2005

Employers that Hired Multiple Physics Bachelors

BoeingConstellation Energy GroupDepartment of Defense (DoD)Epic Systems CorporationGeneral DynamicsHoneywellIBMIntelJet Propulsion Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL)Lockheed MartinLos Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)Massachusetts GeneralMicrosoft

MIT Lincoln Laboratory  MITRE CorporationNASA Glenn Research CenterNational Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)National Institutes of Health (NIH)Northrop Grumman RaytheonSAIC (Science Applications International Corp.)SchlumbergerUnited Space AllianceUS Patent and Trademark OfficeVeritas DGC, Inc.

Source: Amer. Institute of Physics, Statistical Research Center

WSU Physics Alumni Job Data Examples of Positions

• Corporate President • Engineer Consultants -- self employed with own

consulting firms• Design Engineers• Systems Engineers• Research and Development Managers• Technical Sales and Service• Civil Engineers• Test Engineers• Teachers• Statisticians

Source: Lisa Largent, WSU Development Office

WSU Physics Alumni Job Data Sample of Employers

• JR Simplot• Bureau of Reclamation• KempTriel • ATK Thiokol• Boeing• Olson Peterson• Northrup Grumman• Autoliv• InfoCore, Inc• Ball Aerospace

Source: Lisa Largent, WSU Development Office

DEFENSE CONTRACTORS (UT)• Northrop Grumman - HAFB• Boeing – Little Mountain/HAFB• Lockheed Martin – HAFB• General Dynamics - Clearfield• ATK – Clearfield/Promontory• Aerojet - Clearfield• L3 Communications – SLC• SAIC – Layton/Roy/SLC• Sierra Nevada Corporation – SLC• Sumaria – Layton• Rockwell Collins – SLC• Jacobs – Dugway• Infinite Technologies – Layton• Barnes Aerospace – Ogden• ARINC - Layton

Source: Adrienne Cook, List of Utah engineering based companies.

DEFENSE CONTRACTORS(UT)• Andrews Space – SLC• General Atomics Aeronautical• Honeywell - SLC• MTC – Layton/HAFB• ML Technologies – Layton/HAFB• SoBran - Layton• Parker Hannifin Aerospace – Ogden• Moog – SLC• CH2M Hill – HAFB• Mission Support Inc – Layton• Logistic Specialties Inc – Layton• Innovative Logistics Techniques – Fruit Heights• ES3 - Clearfield• Aerospace Engineering Spectrum – Ogden• Space Dynamics Laboratory - Logan

Source: Adrienne Cook, List of Utah engineering based companies.

COMMERCIAL (UT)

• Westinghouse – Ogden• Autoliv – Roy• Newell Rubbermaid – Ogden• Jetway – Ogden• Fresenius - Ogden• GE Healthcare – SLC• Hilti – SLC• Fairchild Semiconductor – SLC• Micron Semiconductor - Lehi• Think Resources – SLC• Chevron - SLC

• Edge Products – Ogden• Boston Scientific Corp – SLC• Hexel – SLC• Black Diamond – SLC• 3Form – SLC• Siemens Government Services

– SLC• Kimberly-Clark – Ogden• Williams International – Ogden• S&S Arrow – Clearfield• Adam Aircraft - Ogden

Source: Adrienne Cook, List of Utah engineering based companies.

How to Prepare Now• Reference Letters Mirror What You Do Now

• Class Choices & Performance

• Projects Flashing LED ornament or warp drive?

• Research Be aggressively involved Present your work every chance you can Attend all seminars

How to Prepare Now• Public Speaking

Ott Planetarium Teach in the labs Toastmasters COMM HU1020. Principles of Public Speaking

• Experience… Internships Jobs

Internships• Hill AFB, ATK, L3, Black Diamond

• NASA

• REU

• National Laboratories

• Industrial AT&T, IBM

• Congressional & Technical Law Firms

• Search Terms: internship physic

• Board by SL 240

How to Look for a Job

• Think “Engineering” • Do not say “no” for them: apply for any job

that looks honestly interesting. (use caution) • Apply before you Graduate! (at least 2 months) • Google “engineering jobs” • Visit corporate web sites• Many states have jobs web sites

Jobs.utah.gov Careers.utah.gov

Job Search Engines

• nationjob.com → PJ Scout emails you

• Dice.com (One of the best for engineering)

• Monster.com

• Careerbuilder.com

• Hotjobs.yahoo.com

• Physicstoday.org → mostly PhD jobs

• USAjobs.opm.gov

Resumes and Interviewing• Learn to write a resume – careers office

• Do a mock interview with Greg Nielsen Will video it for review http://weber.edu/careerservices/

• Learn to speak in front of groups