Physics Teachers, Postsecondary

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Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of both teaching and research.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

  • Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.

  • Participate in campus and community events.

  • Provide professional consulting services to government and/or industry.

  • Act as advisers to student organizations.

  • Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.

  • Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.

  • Perform administrative duties such as serving as department head.

  • Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.

  • Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.

  • Select and obtain materials and supplies such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.

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Job Zone

  • Name: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

  • Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

  • Education: A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

  • Job training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

  • Examples: These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

  • Svp range: (8.0 and above)

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Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

  • Mathematics
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

  • Physics
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

  • Education and Training
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • Computers and Electronics
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • Engineering and Technology
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

  • Chemistry
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

  • Mechanical
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • Design
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • Communications and Media
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

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Skills

Browse Skills

  • Instructing
    Teaching others how to do something.

  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Mathematics
    Using mathematics to solve problems.

  • Science
    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • Active Learning
    Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

  • Learning Strategies
    Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

  • Writing
    Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.

  • Monitoring
    Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities

  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

  • Written Comprehension
    The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

  • Written Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

  • Speech Clarity
    The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • Deductive Reasoning
    The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

  • Inductive Reasoning
    The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

  • Information Ordering
    The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • Near Vision
    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

  • Originality
    The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

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Work Activities

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Work Context

  • Electronic Mail
    How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
    How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

  • Freedom to Make Decisions
    How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

  • Face-to-Face Discussions
    How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

  • Public Speaking
    How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?

  • Contact With Others
    How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

  • Telephone
    How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

  • Structured versus Unstructured Work
    To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

  • Time Pressure
    How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

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Interests

Browse Interests

  • Investigative
    Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

  • Social
    Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

  • Realistic
    Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

  • Artistic
    Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

  • Conventional
    Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

  • Enterprising
    Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

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Work Styles

  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.

  • Analytical Thinking
    Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

  • Independence
    Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

  • Achievement/Effort
    Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

  • Innovation
    Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

  • Initiative
    Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

  • Persistence
    Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

  • Self Control
    Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values

  • Achievement
    Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

  • Achievement-Mean Extent
    Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

  • Ability Utilization
    Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

  • Authority
    Workers on this job give directions and instructions to others.

  • Autonomy
    Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

  • Independence-Mean Extent
    Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

  • Working Conditions
    Workers on this job have good working conditions.

  • Social Status
    Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.

  • Social Service
    Workers on this job have work where they do things for other people.

  • Creativity
    Workers on this job try out their own ideas.

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