Computational Physicst prospects?

[malignant]

I'm wondering what kind of work a computational physicist does outside of academia with, let's say, a masters degree. Looking at internships, it seems like the degree is overly general and in most cases a computer science, engineer, business, or math major could do better unless I happen to have a substantial amount of experience in one of the fields. And from what I'm gathering, the more specialized, the better, making a general field less useful.

Are there any good paying fields in industry that would prefer a computational physicist? I'm assuming the numerical analysis and high performance scientific computing experience would be advantageous but I'm not sure where.

 

[jedishrfu]

Check here for jobs and job types:

http://www.physicstoday.org/jobs/profiles/computational-physics-jobs

and here:

http://www.indeed.com/q-Computational-Physics-jobs.html

and some discussion on linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Career-Advice-regarding-Computational-physics-1316307.S.166436715

 

[rigetFrog]

I think computational physics was once a good option. But the sectors that would be hiring you can also choose from candidates who have been trained to develop code for sector specific applications.

For example, there's now a branch call financial engineering and computational finance. The sector used to hire physicists, and they still might, but financial engineers are specifically trained in various computational techniques.

Same story for mech, EE, semi-cond. Once upon a time, since so few people were qualified for such jobs, physicists were taken on b/c they could do it. Now that schools are churning out people specially trained for these jobs, physicists are no longer as competitive.

 

[billthegeek]

Congrats, your job prospects will be better than other physics graduates. You can check out these fields:

• Quantitative finance
• Algorithmic trading
• Data science
• Computational neuroscience
• Artificial intelligence (e.g. IBM Watson)

 

[Matrix0]

As a computational physicist myself, I can understand your concerns about the job prospects in this field outside of academia. While it is true that a master's degree in computational physics may not be as specialized as other degrees, it does provide a unique skill set that can be valuable in various industries.

One of the main areas where computational physicists are in demand is in the field of data science. With your background in numerical analysis and high performance computing, you have the skills to analyze large datasets and develop complex algorithms to solve problems in industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology.

Additionally, computational physicists are also sought after in industries such as aerospace, defense, and energy, where they can apply their knowledge of computational modeling and simulation to optimize designs and processes.

It is also worth mentioning that having a degree in computational physics can set you apart from other candidates in fields such as computer science or mathematics, as you have a strong foundation in both theory and programming.

In terms of pay, it really depends on the specific job and industry. However, with the demand for computational skills increasing in various industries, the salary prospects for computational physicists are generally competitive.

In conclusion, while a master's degree in computational physics may not be as specialized as other degrees, it does provide a unique skill set that can be valuable in various industries. With the increasing demand for computational skills, there are definitely good paying fields in industry that would prefer a computational physicist. It may just require some research and networking to find the right opportunities for your specific skill set.