What does a physics professor do?
A Physics Professor teaches courses regarding the laws of matter and energy. Areas of instruction cover mechanics, quantum physics, nuclear physics, optics, and mathematical physics.
Physics professor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real physics professor resumes:
- Used blackboard online to manage students tests, grade papers and assign materials.
- Develop microprocessor, computer architecture and embed lecture/lab courses that cover 6800/68332/Hc11, Intel and PIC microprocessors and microcontrollers.
- Assist medical physicists with annual LINAC QA including equipment setup, measurement, and equipment performance analysis.
Physics professor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 33% of Physics Professors are proficient in Physics Courses, Astronomy, and Mathematical Concepts. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Speaking skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Physics Professors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Physics Courses, 33%
Instructed introductory and intermediate physics courses.
- Astronomy, 24%
Created laboratory experiments for physics and astronomy courses, and wrote procedural guidelines for physics research projects.
- Mathematical Concepts, 18%
Incorporated various methods of engaging student in a way that will give a profound understanding of mathematical concepts.
- Chemistry, 8%
Experimented with different surface chemistry to improve quality of yields -Participated in poster session and presentation to faculty and graduate students.
- Research Projects, 7%
Developed contacts and collaborations with other national scientific organizations to help students in their research projects
- Course Content, 5%
Planned, evaluated, and revised course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
"physics courses," "astronomy," and "mathematical concepts" are among the most common skills that physics professors use at work. You can find even more physics professor responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. One of the key soft skills for a physics professor to have is interpersonal skills. You can see how this relates to what physics professors do because "postsecondary teachers need to work well with others for tasks such as instructing students and serving on committees." Additionally, a physics professor resume shows how physics professors use interpersonal skills: "created original syllabus with emphasis on movement experiences to foster intra and interpersonal awareness. "
Speaking skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling physics professor duties is speaking skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "postsecondary teachers need good communication skills to present lectures and provide feedback to students." According to a physics professor resume, here's how physics professors can utilize speaking skills in their job responsibilities: "presented an inservice on patients with myasthenia gravis. "
Writing skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of physics professors is writing skills. This skill is critical to many everyday physics professor duties, as "postsecondary teachers need strong writing ability to publish original research and analysis." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "drafted and graded first year legal research and writing assignments. "
The three companies that hire the most physics professors are:
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute1 physics professors jobs
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Compare different physics professors
Physics professor vs. Astronomy teacher
A physical education teacher is responsible for devising lessons and strategies to educate the students about health and physical fitness through various sports and recreational activities. It is also their responsibility to facilitate such activities, ensuring the safety and camaraderie between students. It is essential to evaluate and monitor everyone's progress, record all activities, and prioritize every student's health and mental well-being by maintaining a safe and disciplined classroom environment. Furthermore, it is vital to implement school regulations, all while coordinating with faculty and staff.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, physics professor responsibilities require skills like "physics courses," "astronomy," "mathematical concepts," and "nuclear physics." Meanwhile a typical astronomy teacher has skills in areas such as "student learning," "science standards," "pre-assessments," and "laboratory equipment." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, astronomy teachers reach similar levels of education than physics professors. Astronomy teachers are 3.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 9.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Physics professor vs. Physical education teacher
Each career also uses different skills, according to real physics professor resumes. While physics professor responsibilities can utilize skills like "physics courses," "astronomy," "mathematical concepts," and "nuclear physics," physical education teachers use skills like "classroom management," "professional development," "student learning," and "public schools."
On average, physical education teachers earn a lower salary than physics professors. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, physical education teachers earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $50,712. Whereas physics professors have higher pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $70,612.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Physical education teachers tend to reach lower levels of education than physics professors. In fact, they're 9.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 9.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Physics professor vs. Medical physics teacher
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, physics professors are more likely to have skills like "physics courses," "astronomy," "mathematical concepts," and "nuclear physics." But a medical physics teacher is more likely to have skills like "biomedical," "medical terminology," "physiology," and "mathematics."
Medical physics teachers typically earn lower educational levels compared to physics professors. Specifically, they're 16.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 9.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Physics professor vs. Associate professor of physics
Types of physics professor
Updated January 8, 2025
