Physicist Career Profiles

Discover how much you can do with a degree in physics by seeing how others have put theirs to use.
Franklin Chang-Diaz in orange NASA flight gear
Franklin Chang-Diaz earned a degree in plasma physics before crewing seven space shuttle missions and founding his own rocket company.
NASA

Start your career exploration

From the smallest particles of matter to the vast expanses of space, physics covers so much that it can be hard to know where to start. If you're just beginning to think about a career in physics, these profiles can help you get started.

Thomas Hefner

Thomas is a teacher who shares his love of physics and other sciences with his high school students.

Claudia Alexander

Claudia Alexander is a leader in space science.

Paul Markoff-Johnson

Paul Markoff-Johnson's work impacts items that power our daily lives, from disc drives to solar panels.

Private sector and industry

From entrepreneurship to media to medicine, a physics degree opens up possibilities far beyond traditional research and academia.

Government and national labs

From exploring advanced energy research to discovering new worlds in the depths of space, a physics degree offers a wide range of opportunities in government service.

Teaching physics

A physics degree opens up many rewarding career opportunities in teaching elementary, high school, or colleges-level physics.

Academia and research universities

Many physicists choose to take the traditional route, conducting research in a university setting, teaching, and publishing their work to push science forward.

Related

Studying physics opens up your future to a range of career paths. You can do almost anything with a physics background!

Students speaking with a exhibitor at March Meeting

Discover your path to career success, your comprehensive companion offering valuable insights, practical tools, and personalized guidance.

A person writing equations

Physics teaches foundational lessons about the natural world with useful applications for many careers.

Two young women, one seated and one standing, study a physics experiment on the table in front of them.

Tools and resources for students and teachers to explore physics education and career options.

Join your Society

If you embrace scientific discovery, truth and integrity, partnership, inclusion, and lifelong curiosity, this is your professional home.