Careers Guide
A guide to careers in physics, produced in partnership with Physics World
Welcome to the seventh edition of APS Careers, a guide to opportunities for physics graduates.
APS is excited to present the next edition of the annual Careers guide featuring highlights from scientific research and industry developments around the world. Over the past few decades, physics has evolved into an increasingly interdisciplinary field, driving collaboration across sectors and fueling the creation of innovative technologies through cutting-edge research and global partnerships. This evolution has expanded and diversified the range of career opportunities available to physicists.
Your physics training uniquely qualifies you for a wide variety of roles spanning employment sectors, from conducting research at academic institutions or national laboratories, developing and improving technologies at companies, all the way to launching your own startup — and these opportunities exist not only here in the US, but also around the world. Within this guide, you will find profiles of physicists making an impact in industry, articles on interdisciplinary technologies, and intriguing stories showcasing the power of international collaboration.
As AI becomes deeply embedded across scientific and industrial workflows, physics graduates are uniquely positioned to shape this transformation, whether by building AI models, using AI to accelerate discovery, or integrating it responsibly into research and engineering. The analytical, mathematical, and modeling skills you gain in physics align directly with emerging needs in AI-driven fields such as quantum computing, advanced materials, climate modeling, and automated experimentation.
Our goal for this guide is to inspire and inform you as you explore the many career paths open to physicists today, and to help you connect with your future career. We also encourage you to further explore the information and resources available through the APS careers website and many jobs listed on the APS physics job board.
We hope that you find this guide valuable, and wish you every success in building a rewarding and fulfilling career.
Mohammad Soltaniehha
Founding Chair, APS Topical Group on Data Science (GDS)
APS Board of Directors
Clinical Assistant Professor, Information Systems, Boston University
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