Physicists helped design clarinets like this one.
Becoming a physicist is a lucrative and rewarding career possibility. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, as of 2009, a physicist can expect to earn a mean annual wage of approximately $111,000. Physicists in any field require at the very least a bachelor's degree, and many fields require advanced degrees such as a Ph.D. Physics explains virtually every facet of our lives as well as the world around us, so it is no surprise that physicists can find jobs in a wide variety of fields from the music industry to the construction industry.
Geophysics
Geophysics, the study of the structure and dynamics of the Earth, is a potential career path for physicists. One of the most notable and high-profile jobs in geophysics is that of a physicist who looks for oil formations within the Earth. Geophysicists also research and aid in finding aquifers that supply freshwater. Other jobs that a geophysicist does include monitoring pollution and exposing the causes, effects, and potential for earthquakes and volcanoes.
Astronomy
Becoming an astronomer is a career option for physicists. Astronomers use math and science to explore and study the nature of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and other planets. Museums, privately and publicly funded observatories, governments, aerospace companies, satellite manufacturers, and universities all employ astronomers. Astrophysics is a career field related to astronomy except that astrophysics deals primarily with the mathematics behind the energy of celestial phenomena like black holes and dwarf stars, for example.
Materials Research
Physicists interested in researching and testing products that affect our daily lives, such as electronic devices, toys, cars, recreational equipment and industrial equipment, can get into materials research. Non-profit organizations, corporations, and manufacturers all have a need for physicists that work in materials research. Physicists who have a strong background in electrical conductivity, light conductivity, and magnetism, for instance, are useful for developing products like computer chips. Physicists who study porous materials, spin systems, and condensed phases of materials and who have interdisciplinary strengths in fields like biology and engineering are strong candidates for careers in materials research.
Acoustics
Many career options exist for physicists who specialize in acoustics. Sometimes acoustic physicists are also called acoustic engineers. Music studios have great demand for acoustic engineers to design, maintain, and work with music studios and studio equipment. Acoustic engineers also work in the medical field to help doctors design equipment like ultrasound. Acoustic engineers can even help with designing and developing concert halls, cinemas, and theaters to ensure that they have a structure conducive to producing proper acoustics.
Tags: acoustic engineers, materials research