National Occupation Code (NOC): 21100

Physicists conduct theoretical and applied research to extend knowledge of natural phenomena and to develop new processes and devices in fields such as electronics, communications, power generation and distribution, aerodynamics, optics and lasers, remote sensing, biotechnology, medicine and health. They are employed by electronic, electrical and aerospace manufacturing companies, telecommunications companies, power utilities, university and government research laboratories, hospitals and by a wide range of other processing, manufacturing, and research and consulting firms. Astronomers conduct observational and theoretical research to extend knowledge of the universe. They are employed by government and universities.

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Job Duties for Physicists and astronomers

Physicists

• Design and conduct research in experimental and theoretical physics
• Carry out analysis of research data and prepare research reports
• Participate as a member of a research or development team in the design and development of experimental, industrial or medical equipment, instrumentation and procedures.

Astronomers

• Design and conduct observational surveys, conduct detailed analyses and develop numerical models to extend knowledge of celestial bodies and cosmic radiation
• Develop or participate in the development of instrumentation and software for astronomical observation and analysis.

Alternate Job Titles

• Acoustics Physicist
• Aerodynamicist
• Aerophysicist
• Aerospace Research Scientist
• Astronomer
• Astrophysicist
• Atmospheric Physicist
• Biophysicist
• Chemical Physicist
• Communications Research Scientist
• Cosmic Ray Physicist
• Cosmologist
• Cryogenics Physicist
• Crystal Physicist
• Electricity And Magnetism Physicist
• Electronics Physicist
• Electronics Research Scientist
• Elementary Particle Physicist
• Elementary Particle Theorist
• Experimental Physicist
• Fluid Physicist
• Health Physicist
• High-temperature Physicist
• Laser Physicist
• Low-temperature Physicist
• Magnetism Physicist
• Mathematical Biophysicist
• Mechanics Physicist
• Medical Biophysicist
• Medical Engineering Biophysicist
• Medical Physicist
• Metal Physicist
• Metrologist
• Microwave Physicist
• Molecular Biophysicist
• Nanotechnology Physicist
• Nuclear Physicist
• Nuclear Reactor Physicist
• Optics Physicist
• Particle Accelerator Physicist
• Particle Physicist
• Photonics Physicist
• Physicist
• Physics Research Scientist
• Plasma Physicist
• Radiation Biophysicist
• Radio Astronomer
• Reactor Physicist
• Remote Sensing Research Scientist
• Rheologist
• Semiconductor Physicist
• Solid-state Physicist
• Space Physicist
• Theoretical Nuclear Physicist
• Thermal Physicist
• X-ray Physicist