About the Physics work placements
Completing a work placement during your physics course can help you build employability skills, connect with organisations and explore what a future career in physics could look like.
Through our partnership with the South East Physics Network (SEPnet), we’ll help you find a placement that matches your interests from opportunities with a wide range of local organisations.
Placements are paid and run for 8 weeks during the summer after your second year, or after your third year if you’re studying a 4-year degree.
A dedicated SEPnet careers adviser at Southampton will support you through the whole process, from preparing your application to completing your placement.
Students work on a range of projects including data analysis, programming, product design and testing as part of their placements.
In recent years, our physics students have been placed with organisations such as:
- BAE Systems
- BMW
- NKT Photonics
- RAL Space
- Roke Manor Research
- Symetrica
- Thales
- The Meterological Office
- The National Physics Laboratory
- Winchester Science Centre
Wide range of careers and industries
Upon completing your physics work placement and your course, you'll have access to a wide range of possible future careers, across many different sectors.
Recent physics graduates have taken up positions in:
- defence
- aeronautical and space
- data science,
- medical physics,
- tech and AI
- telecommunications
- finance
- energy
Physics graduate stories
Christina
For Christina, a long-held obsession with space made the MPhys Physics with Astronomy the perfect choice, without limiting her career options.
After graduating in 2024, Christina is now working as a Data Discover Graduate at Vodafone Group.
Grace
Grace graduated from the MPhys in Astrophysics with Year of Research in 2025, and is currently studying a PhD in Gravitational Wave Astronomy at the University of Birmingham.
Charlie
Charlie, who graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2024, is now an Associate Flight Dynamics and Ground Segment Engineer at ClearSpace.
"Southampton helped me get to where I am thanks to its great support, and the transferable skills it taught such as scientific computing and problem solving."
