How to hire physicists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena. • Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures. • Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms. • Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood. • Observe the structure and properties of matter, and the transformation and propagation of energy, using equipment such as masers, lasers, and telescopes, to explore and identify the basic principles governing these phenomena. • Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers. • Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences. • Write research proposals to receive funding. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Doctoral or professional degree] • Strong science, critical thinking, active learning, mathematics, reading comprehension and speaking skills • Working knowledge of physics, mathematics, computers and electronics and engineering and technology • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $82.81 an hour ($172,250 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for physicists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you used scientific or technical knowledge to solve a work problem.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What physicists do
- Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
- Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures.
- Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
- Observe the structure and properties of matter, and the transformation and propagation of energy, using equipment such as masers, lasers, and telescopes, to explore and identify the basic principles governing these phenomena.
- Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
- Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
- Write research proposals to receive funding.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for physicists
- Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +7.2% over ten years, faster than average · about 1,300 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay physicists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $207,490 |
| Texas | $184,040 |
| New York | $181,970 |
| Maryland | $174,390 |
| New Mexico | $165,340 |
| Massachusetts | $106,410 |
| Colorado | $104,580 |
| Michigan | $94,520 |
See physicists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Astronomers
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists
- Chemists
- Materials Scientists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
- Hydrologists
- Physical Scientists, All Other
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.