This document summarizes career options for physics PhDs based on surveys of employers and PhD graduates. It finds that while most employers value PhD skills, only 6% actively target PhD graduates. Surveys also show that physics PhDs develop highly sought after skills like problem solving, data analysis, and project management. Data on PhD graduate destinations show that over half go to industry jobs and within 3.5 years, 14% become higher education lecturers and 18% become researchers. The median reported salary for physics PhDs 3.5 years after graduation is £32,000.

1. Job MarketsPhysics PhD Careers Evening5 May 2011 Dr. Asaf FedermanCareers Consultant

2. “I’ve been in education all my life. I can’t do anything else.” “I’m trained to do scientific research. What else can I do?” “Employers think I’m overqualified, yet I’m under-qualified to do anything in the real world.” “There aren’t any academic jobs for physicists”

3. THE WORLD OF WORK (Other stuff that normal people do) A Venn Diagram PhD students 299,792,458 m Academics

4. What do employers say? 78% of employers appreciate recruits with a PhD 6% are actively targeting PhD graduates 25% recruit them but their engagement is less developed 47% have some interest in doctoral but do not actively targeting them. 22% of respondents have no real interest in PhD graduates. Although most employers (78%) appreciate recruits with a PhD, a majority (69%) does not actively seek them. Recruiting researchers: survey of employer practice Vitae 2009

5. The survey asked employers to rate researchers’ skills: 1. data analysis 2. problem solving 3. drive and motivation 4. project management 5. interpersonal skills 6. leadership 7. commercial awareness Recruiting researchers: survey of employer practice Vitae 2009

6. What do PhD graduates do? Warwick 2005-2008 DLHE:

7. Vitae, What do researchers do? First destinations of doctoral graduates by subject (2009)

8. Vitae, What do researchers do? Doctoral graduate destinations and impact three years on (2010)

9. Vitae, What do researchers do? Doctoral graduate destinations and impact three years on (2010)

10. Median salary 3.5 years after is £32,000 Vitae, What do researchers do? Doctoral graduate destinations and impact three years on (2010)

11. THE WORLD OF WORK (Other stuff that normal people do) A Venn Diagram PhD students 299,792,458 m HE research Academics lecturers

12. Further information These slides are here: www.slideshare.net/AsaFederman Warwick researchers Career pages:www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/researchers Manchester Academic Careers:www.academiccareer.manchester.ac.uk Vitae: www.vitae.ac.uk Making applications. see link to AGCAS here: www.researchintensive.com/?s=agcas myAdvantage – book an appointment: www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/myadvantage

13. I don’t have a PhD in physics Linkedin discussion in phd outside academia www.linkedin.com 210 applications for a science post in academia the prodigal academic

14. Key Facts 645 Graduates with doctorate in physics 2008/9 More than half go to industry. 3.5 years later 14% of physics and engineering became HE lecturers 3.5 years later 18% are HE researchers Median salary 3.5 years after is £32,000