Physicist
Who Is A Physicist?
A Physicist conducts research and experiments to understand and predict natural phenomenon as well as solve practical problems. If you were to become one, you would be working towards developing new theories, technologies and conducting ground-breaking scientific research to explain physical facts.
For example, you may be asked to study semiconductor properties so the processing power of computer microchips can be developed. With your research and experiments, you will be helping to build faster computers.
Roles & Responsibilities
Designing and implementing experiments to prove the hypotheses about an unexplained natural phenomenon, finding new technology or improving upon existing ones. For example, particle physicists conduct extensive experiments in advanced labs to understand the physical properties of subatomic particles (particles inside an atom) like protons and neutrons.
Discovering new technologies with research and development and playing a significant part in advancing the human race forward. The physicists in the R&D team at SpaceX, for example, are working to stabilise a technology that will allow spaceships to land back safely on earth after space travel.
Explaining natural phenomenon with experiments and analytical reasoning is also an integral part of most physicists’ job.
Teaching and academia are very common in this field. Most physicists work as professors in universities where they carry out their research too.
What Skills Will I Need To Have To Do This Job Well?
As exciting as this sounds, there are some things you’ll need to learn to do the job right:
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
An analytical brain is the greatest tool you could have inside a laboratory. You should be able to make logical deductions based on the data and facts at hand if you want to succeed as a physicist. For example, if you are observing the effects of electromagnetic radiation on a magnetic fluid, there will be a significant amount of data from the experiments you will need to process to form your conclusions.
MATHEMATICAL APTITUDE
Mathematics is the language of physics. And just like you need to understand the English language to talk to and understand other people, you need to be well-versed in mathematics to convey your results as well as understand other’s thoughts in physics.
CREATIVITY AND VISUALISATION
Most people think that physicists are not very creative people. On the contrary, physicists have to be highly creative to design their experiments and imagine certain things most others can’t.
WRITING AND PRESENTATION
Physicists are primarily academicians and scientists. So if you want to become one, you need to have strong report writing and presentation skills to publish your research in journals and present to the world.
PATIENCE
Although patience is more of a virtue than skill, it is important to lay it out here. You must have great patience to work as a physicist because to discover anything significant you’ll have to work for years.
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What Will My Workplace Look Like?
Being a physicist, your work-life would vary a lot. It would depend on where you work, your role and the scale of your job.
Most of the time, you’ll be working in a laboratory, conducting experiments with your research team. You could also be teaching your students in a classroom setting as a professor. Work hours are not fixed and you’ll have to balance your life with the research that you are carrying out. Travelling is not mandatory, but you may have to attend seminars and conferences every now and then to keep yourself updated on new research.
What Is My Scope For Career Growth As A Physicist?
After you graduate with a degree in Physics, you can become a research assistant at a university, institute or company. Here you will assist in the ongoing research field of your interest and learn the nuances of the field.
To conduct research of your own or teach at a university, you’ll need a minimum of a PhD degree and a few years of research experience. After PhD, you can join a university as an assistant professor and eventually be promoted to become an associate professor, professor, senior professor and so on. You could also join a corporation as an R&D Scientist.
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How Much Will I Get Paid?
The exact number will depend on where you’re working, your education, skill set and years of experience. We can give you a general idea.
At an entry level, a research assistant earns around INR 1,74,000 to INR 2,16,000 in India. After a PhD and 12-15 years of experience, a professor can earn a salary in the approximate range of INR 13,50,000 to INR 19,60,000.
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STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College
Maths and Physics have to be your main subjects to focus on here.
STEP 2: Entrance Exams
Prepare for IIT-JEE (Joint Entrance Exam) and study hard to clear it. This is a quite competitive field and might require specialised coaching too. Clearing the exam will help you secure admission at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technologies. There are other exams conducted at the state level, national level and institute level too that you can aim to clear besides JEE.
STEP 3: Graduate Degree
Clearing the entrance exam, enrol in a B.Tech programme with Physics as a major. Engineering Physics, for example. You can also pursue a B.Sc. degree in Physics from a reputed college or university.
STEP 4: Research Internship
While undergoing graduate degree, make sure to do some research work under a professor or in an organisation in your field of interest.
STEP 5: Postgraduate Degree
After your graduate degree, you would have to go for a postgraduate degree like M.Tech or M.Sc. You can start your research work while pursuing your Master’s degree.
STEP 6: Doctorate Degree
Once you complete your postgraduate degree, you need to become a PhD candidate to continue your research. You may have to clear entrance exams like GATE to become a PhD candidate at IIT or Indian Institute of Science.
STEP 7: Land a Job
Now that you have a PhD in a certain field related to physics like Astrophysics or Engineering Physics, you can become an assistant professor in a university or an R&D physicist at a leading company.
Congratulations, you are now officially a physicist!
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