71–80 of 333 posts
The transition was an easy one for me as I found a particle physics collaboration shares many characteristics with a start-up.
One thing to note is that responses here will be biased towards physics people that are more interested in the tech side than the physics side.
Just so you don't get the impression every physicist is having a fabulous time, here's me: I have a bachelors in physics. I went for a phd in biology but had to bail to work to support family, plus I can't seem to come up with original ideas. I now have a job with physicist as part of the title, but what I really do is try to read bad handwriting from records from nuclear weapons plants. It's a dull job a monkey coul…
"""try to read bad handwriting from records from nuclear weapons plants. It's a dull job a monkey could do but it pays the bills.""" + """For years I worked as a computer guy for an academic department and that was fun and I'm trying to get back into it""" Sounds like you could enjoy automating your work. Learn a bit of Python and some Machine Learning/Deep Learning and digitize the handwriting and build a little pro…
The physics background means that, even if I don’t understand the exact science of why my coworkers are working on, they don’t have to worry about explaining everything to me.
Even my boss forgets I don't have a PhD. There's a huge need for people that are really good at software development (relatively speaking) that don't get tripped up by the physics, whatever it is.
Nuclear physicist now developing options strategies and corresponding specialized financial software for a hedge fund. I'd rather go back and work at the particle accelerator but there is zero chance for a permanent position as a researcher for a regular dude like me.
Just so you don't get the impression every physicist is having a fabulous time, here's me: I have a bachelors in physics. I went for a phd in biology but had to bail to work to support family, plus I can't seem to come up with original ideas. I now have a job with physicist as part of the title, but what I really do is try to read bad handwriting from records from nuclear weapons plants. It's a dull job a monkey coul…
"""try to read bad handwriting from records from nuclear weapons plants. It's a dull job a monkey could do but it pays the bills.""" + """For years I worked as a computer guy for an academic department and that was fun and I'm trying to get back into it""" Sounds like you could enjoy automating your work. Learn a bit of Python and some Machine Learning/Deep Learning and digitize the handwriting and build a little pro…
First of all, you definitely don't want any chance of incorrect recognition of handwriting coming from a nuclear weapons plant.
Secondly, who knows what policies he might violate by using some unauthorized, untested software (whether OP is the author or not) with potentially sensitive information.
Just so you don't get the impression every physicist is having a fabulous time, here's me: I have a bachelors in physics. I went for a phd in biology but had to bail to work to support family, plus I can't seem to come up with original ideas. I now have a job with physicist as part of the title, but what I really do is try to read bad handwriting from records from nuclear weapons plants. It's a dull job a monkey coul…
"""try to read bad handwriting from records from nuclear weapons plants. It's a dull job a monkey could do but it pays the bills.""" + """For years I worked as a computer guy for an academic department and that was fun and I'm trying to get back into it""" Sounds like you could enjoy automating your work. Learn a bit of Python and some Machine Learning/Deep Learning and digitize the handwriting and build a little pro…
Nothing, as they don't seem to be hiring physicists.
(HEP Phd, finishing) I'll also be joining the data science world. There's some debate about whether it's the best or worse time ever to be in particle physics. Either way I see a field that is overstaffed. Add to that the fact that CERN accelerators are shut down for two years and we're in the middle of the european strategy review. Seems like a good moment to take some time out
My prediction is that the stagnation of physics will continue until the money and prestige has dropped to 1800s levels. Then, the only people who do it will be "true" in that they are motivated purely by curiosity. At that point the next set of breakthroughs will come around because all of the emotional and funding-treadmill induced blindspots that we have presently will be gone. Of course this is assuming that someh…