Note: the answers are paraphrased. The quotation marks are simply meant to represent that Mr. Smith is speaking.
Q: How many hours per day do you work?
A: "It varies widely. The government requires a 40-hour work week, and keeps track of hours. Normally, I tries to work from 8:00 or 9:00 until 4:00, and puts in a couple of hours after his kids go to bed. However, he has worked as many as 12-13 hours and as few as four."
Q: What education is required for your profession?
A: "Everyone in the morning meeting had a Doctorate's degree. If you want a good job in the physics field, you really need a Doctorate's."
Q: What math would one need going into college?
A: "As much as you can; you should have at least calculus by your graduation from high school."
Q: Are interactive skills important?
A: "Yes, for experimental jobs. They're not required for theorists. However, if you have them, it will make your life easier no matter what."
Q: What do you like best about your work?
A: "There are a couple of things I like most about my job. The first is writing computer code. Second, I like doing research and making new findings and connections."
Q: What skills are really important for your work?
A: "First, you have to know how to write computer code. I work in Python. Another helpful thing, although it's not absolutely essential for my job, is working with electronics. There are 4-10 times more experimentalists than there are theorists, so if you can work with electronics, it's easier to get a job. Then, especially when writing papers or creating presentations, one needs to be able to form a coherent argument, and then explain that argument. "
Q: What should one look for in a college?
A: "The level of promoted undergraduate research is important, because to get into graduate school, you need to do research projects, and it helps to have that skill. Also, if you decide you don't like research, it's best to find that out before you get to graduate school. Another thing to find out is what the alumni of that college are doing after college."
Q: What department of physics should I major in for a job like yours?
A: "General Physics is the most common department that's offered. When I went to Princeton, they had an astrophysics program, and through that I found plasma physics, which I chose to major in. Then, for graduate degrees, should should look for a specific degree if you know what you want. Otherwise, look for a college with a variety of options. Then, follow the proper course to your degree."
Q: What are some different types of physics jobs?
A: "Believe it or not, one can work on Wall Street with a physics degree. You can get employed writing algorithms for the stock market, so that you know when to buy and sell. With a physics degree, one can also (more commonly) get an engineering job. For those jobs, salaries over $70K are relatively common."
Q: How hard would it be to get a job like yours today?
A: "The US government really likes research, and it is the major body funding researchers such as General Atomics. Really, how easy it is to get a job depends on the government's budget status. When the budget crashed in 2006, General Atomics was able to avoid layoffs, but it had to stop hiring for a while."
Q: How many hours per day do you work?
A: "It varies widely. The government requires a 40-hour work week, and keeps track of hours. Normally, I tries to work from 8:00 or 9:00 until 4:00, and puts in a couple of hours after his kids go to bed. However, he has worked as many as 12-13 hours and as few as four."
Q: What education is required for your profession?
A: "Everyone in the morning meeting had a Doctorate's degree. If you want a good job in the physics field, you really need a Doctorate's."
Q: What math would one need going into college?
A: "As much as you can; you should have at least calculus by your graduation from high school."
Q: Are interactive skills important?
A: "Yes, for experimental jobs. They're not required for theorists. However, if you have them, it will make your life easier no matter what."
Q: What do you like best about your work?
A: "There are a couple of things I like most about my job. The first is writing computer code. Second, I like doing research and making new findings and connections."
Q: What skills are really important for your work?
A: "First, you have to know how to write computer code. I work in Python. Another helpful thing, although it's not absolutely essential for my job, is working with electronics. There are 4-10 times more experimentalists than there are theorists, so if you can work with electronics, it's easier to get a job. Then, especially when writing papers or creating presentations, one needs to be able to form a coherent argument, and then explain that argument. "
Q: What should one look for in a college?
A: "The level of promoted undergraduate research is important, because to get into graduate school, you need to do research projects, and it helps to have that skill. Also, if you decide you don't like research, it's best to find that out before you get to graduate school. Another thing to find out is what the alumni of that college are doing after college."
Q: What department of physics should I major in for a job like yours?
A: "General Physics is the most common department that's offered. When I went to Princeton, they had an astrophysics program, and through that I found plasma physics, which I chose to major in. Then, for graduate degrees, should should look for a specific degree if you know what you want. Otherwise, look for a college with a variety of options. Then, follow the proper course to your degree."
Q: What are some different types of physics jobs?
A: "Believe it or not, one can work on Wall Street with a physics degree. You can get employed writing algorithms for the stock market, so that you know when to buy and sell. With a physics degree, one can also (more commonly) get an engineering job. For those jobs, salaries over $70K are relatively common."
Q: How hard would it be to get a job like yours today?
A: "The US government really likes research, and it is the major body funding researchers such as General Atomics. Really, how easy it is to get a job depends on the government's budget status. When the budget crashed in 2006, General Atomics was able to avoid layoffs, but it had to stop hiring for a while."