Career change as a physicist
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 4 with on-the-job training and 4 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Data scientist
Also: Data analyst
With on-the-job training
As a data scientist in companies, you develop forecasting models, analyze large amounts of data and prepare results for decisions.
- What you bring:
- For years you have worked with measurement data, models and statistics, and you often program your analyses yourself.
- How to get there:
- Companies also hire physicists directly as data scientists if you are confident in Python or a similar language. You can close gaps in databases or machine learning with online courses or short courses. You learn industry knowledge on the job.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€6,500gross per monthMedian salary
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Management consultant
Also: Strategy consultant
With on-the-job training
At a management consultancy, you work on projects in strategy, technology or organization and quickly get to know many industries.
- What you bring:
- You can break down complex problems, back them up with figures and present results clearly.
- How to get there:
- Large consultancies also hire natural scientists with a doctorate and train them in-house in business administration and consulting methods. Expect a lot of travel and a high workload, especially in the first years.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€6,768gross per monthMedian salary
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Application engineer
Also: Sales engineer for measurement and laser technology
With on-the-job training
As an application or sales engineer, you advise customers from research and industry, demonstrate devices and develop solutions for their measurement tasks.
- What you bring:
- You know measurement methods, optics, vacuum or laser technology from the lab, and you know what devices must deliver in everyday use.
- How to get there:
- Manufacturers of measurement, analysis and laser technology also hire physicists directly and give them product training over a few weeks to a few months. Expect travel to customers and trade fairs.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€6,758gross per monthMedian salary
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Scientific officer at a project management agency (Projektträger)
Also: Research funding officer
With on-the-job training
At project management agencies, funding organizations or ministries, you review applications, supervise funded projects and help shape funding programs.
- What you bring:
- You know research proposals, joint projects and peer reviews from your own experience.
- How to get there:
- Project management agencies and research funders hire natural scientists with a doctorate and train them on the job in grant law and procedures. Pay usually follows the collective pay agreement of the public service (Tarif).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an officeHome office possible€6,457gross per monthMedian salary
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Actuary
Also: Risk modeler at an insurer
With vocational training
As an actuary at insurers and pension funds, you calculate risks, premium rates and reserves and check whether commitments are sustainable in the long term.
- What you bring:
- You are confident in mathematics, probability and modeling.
- How to get there:
- Insurers also hire physicists and often support the part-time training to become an actuary at the German Actuarial Association (Deutsche Aktuarvereinigung), which usually takes several years. Until then, you already work in the actuarial department.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€6,052gross per monthMedian salary
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Patent attorney
Also: Patent assessor
With a degree
As a patent attorney, you file patent applications for inventions, defend intellectual property rights and advise companies in disputes.
- What you bring:
- You understand technical inventions deeply and can formulate precisely.
- How to get there:
- After your degree and practical technical work, you complete several years of training at a patent law firm or patent department, at the patent office and at the Federal Patent Court, supplemented by legal studies, and then take an exam. The training usually takes about three years, and during the time at the law firm you are already employed.*Regulated by law (Patent Attorney Act (PAO) §§ 5 to 8).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an officeHome office possible€7,756gross per monthMedian salary
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Physics teacher
Also: Teacher of mathematics and physics
With a degree
As a teacher at grammar schools (Gymnasien), comprehensive schools or vocational schools, you teach young people and support them through to their qualification.
- What you bring:
- You can explain laws of nature and experiments clearly.
- How to get there:
- Depending on the state, physicists with a master's or Diplom degree are admitted through the alternative route (Seiteneinstieg). You teach from the start and complete the preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) alongside work, usually lasting one to two years. Each state decides whether a second subject is required and whether you can become a civil servant.*Regulated by law (State law: teacher education acts and alternative-route regulations of the German states).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light€5,466gross per monthMedian salary
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Radiation protection officer
Also: Radiation protection specialist
With further training
You understand ionizing radiation, measurement technology and dosimetry from the ground up. As a radiation protection officer in research institutions, industry, clinics or nuclear technology, you make sure employees and the environment are protected and regulations are followed.
- How to get there:
- To be appointed, you need the appropriate radiation protection expertise (Fachkunde im Strahlenschutz). You gain it through recognized courses lasting a few days to a few weeks and practical experience in the respective field of application. Which courses and how much practice you need depends on the area of use.*Regulated by law (Radiation Protection Act (StrlSchG) § 70, Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV) § 47).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLittle customer contact€5,164gross per monthMedian salary
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as a physicist without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Data scientist, Management consultant, Application engineer and Scientific officer at a project management agency (Projektträger).
Which retraining or further training suits me as a physicist?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Actuary, Patent attorney, Physics teacher and Radiation protection officer.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Patent attorney (€7,756 gross per month), Management consultant (€6,768 gross per month) and Application engineer (€6,758 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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