UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Funds UK research through councils including EPSRC, STFC and NERC. Also runs fellowship and doctoral training programmes.
Research & Development
PhysicsUK Careers
UK organisations and routes
UK physics employers
Physics graduates are wanted across the UK, from national laboratories and research councils to hospitals, energy companies, banks and aerospace firms. Below are representative employers and where they are clustered.
Research councils and national labs
These publicly funded organisations carry out research, run major facilities and support university science. They are some of the biggest employers of physicists in the UK.
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Runs RAL Space, Daresbury Laboratory, the Diamond Light Source and UK involvement in CERN and ESA.
Space & Defence · Research & DevelopmentNational Physical Laboratory (NPL)
The UK’s national measurement institute. Employs physicists in quantum, electromagnetics, time, materials and environmental measurement.
Research & Development · Technology & DataUK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)
Leads UK fusion research at Culham and is developing the STEP prototype fusion power plant in Nottinghamshire.
Energy & Environment · EngineeringDefence and security
The defence sector hires physicists for radar, sonar, signals, cyber, weapons systems and nuclear work. Many roles require security clearance.
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is the MOD’s science arm, based mainly in Salisbury, Portsdown and Fife.
- Defence contractors such as BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo and QinetiQ employ physicists in aerospace, submarines, radar and electronic warfare.
- GCHQ and the security services recruit mathematicians and physicists for cryptography, data analysis and cyber roles.
Health and NHS
The NHS is one of the largest employers of physicists in the UK, especially in medical physics and clinical engineering.
NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP)
A three-year paid training scheme leading to registration as a clinical scientist. Medical physics and clinical engineering specialisms are popular with physics graduates.
Health & MedicineMedical-device companies
Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, Philips and many smaller UK firms design imaging and radiotherapy equipment used in hospitals.
Health & Medicine · EngineeringEnergy
The energy transition is creating demand for physicists in nuclear, renewables, grid technology, storage and hydrogen.
- Nuclear: EDF Energy, Rolls-Royce SMR, UKAEA and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
- Renewables: Orsted, SSE, ScottishPower and many smaller wind, solar and tidal developers.
- Oil, gas and consultancy: BP, Shell, Equinor and consultancies such as Wood and AtkinsRealis still hire physicists for modelling and engineering roles.
Aerospace and space
The UK space sector is strong in small satellites, Earth observation and satellite services, while aerospace remains a major employer.
RAL Space
Builds instruments and test facilities for space missions at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire.
Space & Defence · EngineeringAerospace manufacturers
Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Airbus UK and Leonardo design engines, airframes and avionics systems.
Engineering · Space & DefenceSpace companies
Surrey Satellite Technology, Open Cosmos and Isotropic Systems are examples of UK firms building satellites and satellite communications.
Space & Defence · Technology & DataTechnology and data
Tech employers value the problem-solving and numeracy physics graduates bring. Roles range from software engineering to data science and quantum computing.
- Large tech firms: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM and Meta have UK offices hiring physicists for software, research and data roles.
- Quantum start-ups: Oxford Quantum Circuits, Cambridge Quantum Computing and others are based around university hubs.
- Data and AI: Quantexa, Faculty, DeepMind and many consultancies recruit physics graduates into data-science and machine-learning roles.
Finance and professional services
Banks, insurers and consultancies recruit physics graduates for quantitative analysis, risk modelling, data science and consulting.
- Quantitative finance: Jane Street, Citadel, Optiver and similar firms hire STEM graduates for trading and modelling roles.
- Banking and insurance: Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Aviva and Lloyd’s of London run analytics, risk and technology graduate schemes.
- Consultancy: McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC and Accenture all recruit physics graduates.
Universities and education
Universities employ physicists as researchers, technicians, teaching fellows and outreach officers. Teaching physics in schools is also a rewarding route, with bursaries available for trainee teachers.
- PhDs and postdocs are the main entry route into university research.
- Technical services employ physics graduates to maintain labs, clean rooms and specialist equipment.
- Teaching routes include PGCE, School Direct and Teach First, with physics trainees often eligible for bursaries.
Geographic clusters
Physics jobs are spread across the UK, but some areas have especially strong clusters.
Oxfordshire
Harwell Campus, UKAEA Culham, RAL Space, Diamond Light Source and many space and energy start-ups.
Cambridge
University labs, ARM, AstraZeneca, quantum start-ups and a dense tech cluster.
Bristol and the South West
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Dstl, the National Composites Centre and a growing quantum sector.
London and the South East
Finance, tech, data, universities, NPL in Teddington and the Francis Crick Institute.
North West
Daresbury Laboratory, Jodrell Bank, Sellafield and a growing digital/health-tech sector.
Midlands
UKAEA STEP in Nottinghamshire, Rolls-Royce Derby, automotive R&D and manufacturing.