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Physicists

SOC 19-2012.00Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparation

Conduct research into the phases of physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.

Context coveredAcademic research, national laboratories, industrial R&D, instrumentation development, peer review and grant funding, condensed-matter to high-energy contexts.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Standard experimental apparatus (optics tables, vacuum systems, cryostats) — set up under a postdoc's direction in a research lab.
  2. Data-acquisition software and oscilloscopes — operate per a defined SOP on assigned experiments.
  3. Numerical methods (Python, MATLAB, Mathematica) — implement standard routines for data reduction.
  4. Lab notebooks and instrument logs — maintain with timestamps and provenance for group review.
  5. Radiation- and laser-safety procedures — follow consistently in regulated lab environments.
  6. Component machining drawings — read and dimension correctly for shop submission.
  7. Routine error analysis and uncertainty propagation — carry through assigned datasets.
  8. Literature searches and reference managers — produce annotated bibliographies on graduate topics.
  9. Standard simulation tools (LTspice, Geant4, COMSOL) — run validation cases under supervision.
  10. Group-meeting presentations on weekly progress — deliver clearly to a research advisor.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Independent experimental setups — design and commission within a senior investigator's program.
  2. Custom electronics and FPGA timing — specify, build, and integrate into a measurement chain.
  3. Statistical modeling and Bayesian inference — apply to noisy datasets with reproducible code.
  4. Beamtime and facility proposals — prepare and execute at synchrotron or accelerator facilities.
  5. First-author publications in disciplinary journals — produce on focused projects.
  6. Cryogenic and high-vacuum systems — maintain and troubleshoot during a multi-month run.
  7. Project schedules across parallel measurements — manage in coordination with shared facilities.
  8. Junior students and undergraduates — train on instrumentation and analysis basics.
  9. Conference talks (APS, IEEE, optical societies) — present at regional and topical meetings.
  10. Standards (calibrations, traceability, metadata) — maintain across recurring experiments.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Independent research programs — lead from hypothesis through publication at an academic or national-lab group.
  2. Major instrumentation builds — design and commission with shop, vendor, and collaborator coordination.
  3. Theoretical and computational models — derive, simulate, and benchmark against experimental data.
  4. Federal grants and lab-directed funding — author and win as a principal investigator.
  5. Cross-institutional collaborations — lead working groups within experimental consortia.
  6. Doctoral students and postdocs — advise on dissertation work and independent research arcs.
  7. Top-tier journal manuscripts — lead through revision in PRL, Nature-family, and equivalent venues.
  8. Disciplinary norms (peer review, ethics, data sharing) — steward through service to societies.
  9. Industry partnerships and licensing discussions — contribute to technology-transfer outcomes.
  10. Scientific advisory and review panels — serve at agency, lab, and journal level.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Major research initiatives and facility builds — conceive and shepherd through agency review at multi-year scale.
  2. Departments or division-scale programs — lead with hiring, mentorship, and strategic-plan responsibility.
  3. Scientific roadmaps (decadal surveys, Snowmass-style) — contribute as a recognized field leader.
  4. Doctoral and postdoctoral career pipelines — build and sustain across cohorts.
  5. Disciplinary policy and funding strategy — advise government agencies and congressional staff.
  6. International collaborations and consortia — represent the program at governance level.
  7. Major awards and recognitions — receive in keeping with sustained, field-shaping contribution.
  8. Industry–academia bridges and translational platforms — architect with sustained outcomes.
  9. Scientific publishing and society leadership — hold editorial and presidential roles.
  10. Legacy of citizens and scholars in physics — develop through training programs and outreach.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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  4. Advanced
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Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Aerodynamicist · Aerophysicist · Astrophysicist · Atmospheric Physicist · Atomic Spectroscopist · Biophysics Scientist · Cloud Physicist · Computational Physicist · Condensed Matter Physicist · Diagnostic Medical Physicist · Electrodynamicist · Experimental Physicist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
ScienceReading ComprehensionMathematicsSpeakingCritical ThinkingWritingActive ListeningActive LearningLearning StrategiesComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingInstructingProgrammingSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionOperations AnalysisTime ManagementManagement of Personnel ResourcesCoordinationService Orientation
Knowledge domains
PhysicsMathematicsEngineering and TechnologyComputers and ElectronicsEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingChemistry
Abilities
Mathematical ReasoningWritten ComprehensionNumber FacilityOriginalityFluency of IdeasInductive ReasoningDeductive ReasoningOral ExpressionOral ComprehensionProblem Sensitivity
Work styles
Intellectual CuriosityInnovationAttention to DetailAchievement OrientationDependabilityIntegrity
Technology
Music or sound editing softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareData base user interface and query softwareExpert system softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareDevelopment environment softwareObject or component oriented development softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareEnterprise application integration software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
  2. Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
  3. Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
  4. Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
  5. Write research proposals to receive funding.
  6. Teach physics to students.
  7. Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
CIP education codes
14.120140.020240.080140.080240.080440.080540.080640.080740.080840.080940.081040.089940.110151.2205

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.