SpaceX
Builds reusable rockets and the Starlink satellite constellation. Headquartered in California with launch and manufacturing sites in Texas and Florida.
Space & Defence · Engineering
PhysicsUK Careers
Global labs and employers
Worldwide physics employers
A physics qualification can take you abroad as well as around the UK. International laboratories, space agencies, tech companies and energy projects all recruit physicists. Some roles have citizenship or security restrictions.
CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics
CERN, near Geneva in Switzerland, is home to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It is one of the most famous physics workplaces in the world and offers a wide range of student, graduate and staff opportunities.
- Summer Student Programme: open to undergraduates in physics, computing and engineering.
- Technical Student Programme: for students in applied physics, computing and engineering.
- Fellowships: two-year posts for recent PhD graduates in particle physics and related fields.
CERN careers are highly competitive and a strong research background helps.
ESA, the European Space Agency
ESA runs space science missions, Earth observation, satellite navigation and human spaceflight. The UK is a member state, so UK citizens can apply for many roles.
- Young Graduate Trainee (YGT) scheme gives recent graduates a year of paid experience at ESA centres.
- Research Fellows work at ESAC and ESTEC on space science and data analysis.
- Industry contracts through companies such as Airbus Defence and Space, Thales and OHB.
See Careers at ESA for current opportunities.
NASA, US National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA is one of the best-known space agencies in the world, but most civil-service roles require US citizenship. There are still international pathways for UK physicists.
- NASA internships are generally limited to US citizens, but some research programmes accept international students through university agreements.
- NASA-funded research at US universities can include international graduate students and postdocs.
- Contractors and international collaborations allow non-US physicists to contribute to NASA missions.
Citizenship caveat: Direct employment as a NASA civil servant is normally restricted to US citizens. UK citizens are more likely to work with NASA through university research, ESA-NASA collaborations or contractor roles.
Commercial space companies
SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and other private space firms are reshaping launch and space exploration. They hire engineers, physicists and data scientists, but international applicants face extra hurdles.
Blue Origin
Focuses on reusable launch vehicles, lunar landers and space habitats. Based mainly in Washington state, USA.
Space & Defence · EngineeringRocket Lab
New Zealand- and US-based company launching small satellites and developing reusable rocket technology.
Space & Defence · Technology & Data
ITAR caveat: Many US space and defence roles are covered by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which restrict which non-US citizens can access sensitive technology. Similar export-control rules exist in other countries.
ITER and EUROfusion
Fusion is a global effort. The largest projects employ physicists, engineers and technicians from member nations.
- ITER in southern France is the world’s biggest fusion experiment, involving 35 nations including the UK.
- EUROfusion coordinates European fusion research and funds PhDs and fellowships.
- National labs such as MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center in the US and NIFS in Japan also offer international research opportunities.
Max Planck Society and European research institutes
Germany’s Max Planck Society runs over 80 research institutes covering physics, chemistry, biology and interdisciplinary science. It is a major destination for postdoctoral researchers.
- Max Planck Institutes in astrophysics, quantum optics, solid-state research and plasma physics are world-leading.
- CNRS in France and CNR in Italy offer similar research careers.
- ESO (European Southern Observatory) operates telescopes in Chile and hires astronomers and engineers.
Tech and AI labs
Global technology companies recruit physicists into research, engineering and data-science roles in offices around the world.
Google DeepMind
AI research with strong links to physics problems such as protein folding, materials discovery and quantum chemistry.
Technology & Data · Research & DevelopmentMicrosoft Research, Meta AI, IBM Research
Fundamental and applied research in AI, quantum computing, hardware and software. Many UK-based roles do not require US citizenship.
Technology & DataOpenAI and Anthropic
Research labs working on large AI models. Hire researchers and engineers with strong quantitative backgrounds.
Technology & DataMultinational energy and engineering
Global engineering firms work on energy, transport, infrastructure and manufacturing projects in many countries.
- Siemens Energy, GE Vernova, ABB, Schneider Electric work on power generation, grids and renewables.
- Arup, WSP, Jacobs, Wood are consultancies with physics graduates in modelling, design and project teams.
- Airbus, Boeing, Safran are multinational aerospace employers with UK and international roles.
Finance and quantitative trading
Quantitative finance is genuinely global. Many firms have offices in London, Amsterdam, Singapore, Hong Kong, New York and beyond.
- Quantitative trading firms: Jane Street, Citadel, Optiver, Two Sigma, Jump Trading, Hudson River Trading.
- Investment banks: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and others hire quantitative analysts worldwide.
- Hedge funds and asset managers: Bridgewater, Renaissance Technologies, Man Group and many more value physics backgrounds.
Tips for international physics careers
- Check citizenship rules before pinning your hopes on agencies such as NASA or US defence contractors.
- Build a portable specialism such as data science, software engineering or instrumentation that transfers across borders.
- Consider European programmes such as Erasmus+, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and ESA fellowships.
- Look at multinational firms with UK offices if you want international experience without leaving the country.