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professional profile

Career opportunities

Specialist physicist

role in a work context:

The specialist physicist is able to work in the various areas listed below:

1) Specialist physicist - Research and development

Carries out research, consultancy, training and refresher activities and applies the results in the context of industry, the environment, healthcare, cultural assets and the public administration, developing theories, methods of calculation, instrumentation and measurement methodologies.

The specialist physicist:

- develops theories, research methodologies, instrumentation, simulation techniques and data analyses in the various fields of research, with a particular focus on those relating to the study of theoretical modelling, fundamental interactions, the physics of materials, bio-medical physics, complex systems, teaching, history and the fundamentals of physics;

- designs and transfers knowledge, methodologies and innovative technologies in various sectors of scientific research and technological development, such as mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, electronics, IT, micro-physics and bio-medical physics.

2) Specialist physicist - Technologies and applications in the public and private sectors

The specialist physicist:

- designs, organises and carries out laboratory measurements; 


- manages and designs equipment with a high technological content in such sectors as industry, the environment, healthcare, cultural assets and public administration;

- programmes, processes and analyses large quantities of data in various scientific sectors, not strictly related to physics;

- organises and coordinates multi-disciplinary work groups at national and international level.

3) Specialist physicist - Promotion of scientific culture and teaching

The specialist physicist:

- promotes the development of scientific and technological innovation, outreach focusing on physics and scientific popularisation;

- designs and develops innovative teaching methodologies and tools;

- monitors and analyses teaching and learning processes;

- participates in teacher training programmes.

competencies associated with the role:

1) Specialist physicist - Research and development

To carry out the above functions, knowledge and abilities are required in order to

- interpret and discuss critically facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to specialist areas of physics;

- perform, process and interpret, in the light of appropriate theories, observations and experimental measurements; 


- design the simulation and processing of large quantities of data deriving from observations and measurements;

- propose models and develop solutions for advanced problems.

The following skills are also necessary:

- written and verbal comprehension and communications, in Italian and English;

- self-learning and continuous professional education;

- participation in various working environments as a team member.

2) Specialist physicist - Technologies and applications in the public and private sectors

To carry out the above functions, knowledge and abilities are required in order to

- interpret and discuss critically facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to specialist areas of physics;

- perform, process and interpret, in the light of appropriate theories, observations and experimental measurements; 


- design and operate instruments and advanced equipment in various industrial sectors with a high technological content;

- design the simulation and processing of large quantities of data deriving from observations and measurements.

The following skills are also necessary:

- written and verbal comprehension and communications, in Italian and English;

- self-learning and continuous professional education;

- participation in various working environments as a team member.

3) Specialist physicist - Promotion of scientific culture and teaching

To carry out the above functions, knowledge and abilities are required in order to

- analyse, utilise and design a variety of texts and materials on physics developed for teaching purposes;

- design, monitor and analyse the teaching and assessment practices used at a scholastic level;

- analyse and design innovative physics teaching programmes, covering the topics identified at national level for secondary schools;

- organise and manage interdisciplinary work groups;

- promote and popularise science using various means of communication, even at the highest level;

- design and carry out conservation and scientific popularisation activities in the community;

- assess the social implications of scientific and technological research.

The following skills are also necessary:

- written and verbal comprehension and communications, in Italian and English;

- self-learning and continuous professional education.

career opportunities:

1) Specialist physicist - Research and development

- Advanced teaching: Second-cycle master degree programmes, specialization schools and PhD programmes in various areas of physics (theoretical physics, nuclear and sub-nuclear physics, physics of material and nano-sciences, physics applied to medicine and biology, teaching and the fundamentals of physics) and data analysis (modelling applied to finance and the economy, big data etc.);

- public and private universities, research centres and bodies;

- national and regional agencies for the protection of cultural assets and the environment;

- companies and bodies active in services relating to medical and healthcare physics;

- R&D laboratories in public and private companies with a high technological content; 


- centres for the processing and modelling of data.

2) Specialist physicist - Technologies and applications in the public and private sectors

- laboratories within national and regional agencies for the protection of cultural assets and the environment;

- companies and public structures active in services relating to medical and healthcare physics;

- private companies with a high technological content in various industrial sectors, such as mechanics, electronics and sensor technology, electro-medical devices, IT and communications, energy resources and new materials; 


- laboratories for the quality certification of industrial production; 


- IT centres for the processing and modelling of data;

- banks and financial consultancy.

3) Specialist physicist - Promotion of scientific culture and teaching

- advanced teaching, such as on second-cycle master degree programmes and PhD programmes on the Teaching, History and Communication of Physics and/or the Sciences;

- upper and lower secondary schools, after completion of the relevant teacher training programmes that are accessible after accumulating the credits required by the related regulations;

- public and private universities, research centres and bodies that have sections for the communication of physics and outreach activities;

- museums, centres and foundations for the conservation and development of scientific popularisation activities;

- agencies, magazines and newspapers with activities dedicated to scientific information.

Continuing to study

It gives access to third cycle studies (Dottorato di ricerca/Scuole di specializzazione) and master courses of second degree.