What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Physicists in the U.S. earn more than $172,250 a year — the middle 80% land between $82,110 and $274,110. About 20,430 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Physicists”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$172,250typical pay / year
20,430people in this work
$274,110+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing3
Study physical phenomena
+Design a set of measurements to probe the anomalous transport in the cold-atom setup next week, list required…
Study physical phenomena
+Design a set of measurements to probe the anomalous transport in the cold-atom setup next week, list required detectors and precision, schedule four two-hour runs with Martin and check calibration against last month's reference data before we start.
The tools that do the workLinuxESCOjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Develop and analyze experiments to test hypotheses
+Draft three experimental protocols to test the broken-symmetry hypothesis, include predicted observables,…
Develop and analyze experiments to test hypotheses
+Draft three experimental protocols to test the broken-symmetry hypothesis, include predicted observables, required sample preparation steps, statistical power for 95 percent confidence, and a two-week timeline for prototype runs with Elena.
The tools that do the workGitjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Create mathematical models of physical systems
+Build a minimal mathematical model for the coupled oscillators capturing nonlinear damping, derive linear…
Create mathematical models of physical systems
+Build a minimal mathematical model for the coupled oscillators capturing nonlinear damping, derive linear stability conditions, generate numerical phase portraits over parameter ranges, and save the code and plots with a README for collaborators.
The tools that do the workC++job descriptionsWikipedia
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Keeping the record1
Publish research findings in scientific journals
+Prepare the manuscript of our topological phase results for submission to Physical Review, assemble figures…
Publish research findings in scientific journals
+Prepare the manuscript of our topological phase results for submission to Physical Review, assemble figures with raw spectra and error bars, write methods and supplementary calculations, and circulate to Anna and the department chair by Tuesday for comments.
The tools that do the workGitjob descriptionsO*NET
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Learning1
Use instruments and computational models for experiments
+Coordinate the next experiment combining the interferometer readout and the finite-element thermal model:…
Use instruments and computational models for experiments
+Coordinate the next experiment combining the interferometer readout and the finite-element thermal model: list instruments to log, set sampling rates to resolve microsecond noise, run the computational model on the latest geometry, and compare predicted and measured transfer functions.
The tools that do the workLinuxC++job descriptionsO*NET
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Care1
Teach physics to students.
+Prepare a two-hour lecture on quantum scattering for Thursday, create three worked examples linking the…
Teach physics to students.
+Prepare a two-hour lecture on quantum scattering for Thursday, create three worked examples linking the classroom derivations to last semester's lab data, and draft three homework problems that force students to carry out the integrals numerically.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Write research proposals and seek funding
+Draft a two‑page funding pitch that frames our quantum thermodynamics project for the UK EPSRC, emphasising…
Write research proposals and seek funding
+Draft a two‑page funding pitch that frames our quantum thermodynamics project for the UK EPSRC, emphasising novel measurement methods, preliminary data from last quarter, requested £150,000 over two years, and deliver by next Thursday for my review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Azurejob descriptionsO*NET
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Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
+Convert my notebook observations on the anomaly in the scattering cross section into a concise mathematical…
Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
+Convert my notebook observations on the anomaly in the scattering cross section into a concise mathematical writeup: state assumptions, derive the governing equations, include dimensionless parameters and boundary conditions, and produce LaTeX‑ready equations by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workGitO*NET
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Mentor and supervise graduate students and researchers
+Prepare an agenda and feedback form for next Monday's supervision meeting with PhD students Priya and Miguel:…
Mentor and supervise graduate students and researchers
+Prepare an agenda and feedback form for next Monday's supervision meeting with PhD students Priya and Miguel: review their experiment schedules, identify blocking issues, set deliverables for the month, and record training needs for instrument use.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Azurejob descriptions
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Maintain and calibrate laboratory instruments and equipment
+Create a calibration checklist and maintenance plan for the cryostat and laser interferometer: list…
Maintain and calibrate laboratory instruments and equipment
+Create a calibration checklist and maintenance plan for the cryostat and laser interferometer: list tolerances, calibration procedure steps, spare parts needed, and schedule monthly checks with responsible technician Mark by end of day Friday.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Provide consultancy for industry and government projects
+Write a one‑page consultancy brief for the Ministry of Defence outlining how our theoretical models can…
Provide consultancy for industry and government projects
+Write a one‑page consultancy brief for the Ministry of Defence outlining how our theoretical models can reduce signal noise in their radar project, list required data inputs, estimated six‑week engagement scope, and a fixed fee of £40,000.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Azurejob descriptions
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Research alternative energy sources like solar and wind
+Compile a research plan to test novel photovoltaic materials: state hypotheses, outline lab tests and…
Research alternative energy sources like solar and wind
+Compile a research plan to test novel photovoltaic materials: state hypotheses, outline lab tests and measurement protocols, estimate equipment and consumables costing £30,000, and propose a twelve‑month timeline for pilot experiments.
The tools that do the workGitjob descriptions
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Use measurement instruments
+Record the next set of interferometer readings for the cold-atom trap at 09:00, log instrument serial numbers…
Use measurement instruments
+Record the next set of interferometer readings for the cold-atom trap at 09:00, log instrument serial numbers and ambient temperature, run the calibration routine, flag any drift over 0.5% and attach the raw time-stamped dataset before I analyse it.
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Perform laboratory tests
+Run the scheduled spectroscopy sequence on sample batch C at 11:30, capture absorption spectra and background…
Perform laboratory tests
+Run the scheduled spectroscopy sequence on sample batch C at 11:30, capture absorption spectra and background scans, verify probes reached target power and pressure, export the stitched spectra with uncertainty estimates and notify me of failed runs.
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Design and develop new electronic and communication technologies
+Design a new prototype for a compact low-noise quantum receiver module, specify the circuit topology,…
Design and develop new electronic and communication technologies
+Design a new prototype for a compact low-noise quantum receiver module, specify the circuit topology, component tolerances, expected signal-to-noise ratio, and a three-stage lab test plan so we can order parts by Tuesday and start bench tests next month.
The tools that do the workC++Gitjob descriptions
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Identify and analyze scientific problems
+Survey anomalies in last quarter's superconducting resonator data, list the three most plausible causal…
Identify and analyze scientific problems
+Survey anomalies in last quarter's superconducting resonator data, list the three most plausible causal hypotheses with required additional measurements, and produce scripts to reprocess the raw time-series so the lab can run targeted tests on Monday.
The tools that do the workLinuxGitjob descriptions
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Explain natural phenomena using theoretical frameworks
+Draft a clear exposition that derives the observed dispersion relation from the proposed interacting-field…
Explain natural phenomena using theoretical frameworks
+Draft a clear exposition that derives the observed dispersion relation from the proposed interacting-field model, include assumptions, three limiting cases, and one figure-ready plot so I can send it to Mira and the theory group by Thursday.
The tools that do the workC++LinuxWikipedia
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Predict outcomes of physical systems through modeling
+Build a predictive model for the coupled oscillator array, define the governing equations, calibrate…
Predict outcomes of physical systems through modeling
+Build a predictive model for the coupled oscillator array, define the governing equations, calibrate parameters to last month's measurements, run a sensitivity sweep for the key parameters, and output predicted failure probabilities for the experimental run on Friday.
The tools that do the workC++LinuxWikipedia
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Focus their research depending on their specialisation
+Decide whether to pursue condensed-matter or quantum-information directions this quarter: summarise recent…
Focus their research depending on their specialisation
+Decide whether to pursue condensed-matter or quantum-information directions this quarter: summarise recent results, projected funding opportunities, three-year impact on measurable outputs, and a recommended focus for discussion at Wednesday's group meeting.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessESCO
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Apply their findings for the improvement of society
+Prepare a short implementation plan that turns our top result into a field-deployable sensor: list necessary…
Apply their findings for the improvement of society
+Prepare a short implementation plan that turns our top result into a field-deployable sensor: list necessary engineering milestones, regulatory or safety checks, cost estimate to prototype to scale, and three partner institutions to approach before the grant deadline in six weeks.
The tools that do the workGitC++ESCO
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Activities this job lives in
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The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses