Resume template · Updated October 2026
Physicist resume template
Short answer
Henrietta suits a physicist: a conventional, sober layout fits research and industry hiring, with experience first and your PhD right after. The fictional sample designs optics experiments and simulations at a laser company after a PhD in applied physics. Show experiments, models, instruments built, results that reached products, papers and patents.
Download the physicist sample
Dr. is a fictional physicist. Replace every detail with your own before you send it.
The files are made in your browser by Resumity's own exporters, from this sample. The builder opens it as your own resume: click any line to replace it. Free plan, no watermark.
Why Henrietta suits a physicist resume
Henrietta prints a summary, then Work Experience, then Education and a skills grid, in black and grey. Industry research teams read your work and degree first, and this traditional page suits scientists moving between academia and industry.
Second choice: FAANGPath. FAANGPath prints skills first, a fit for physicists moving into data or software roles.
What goes in each section, in Henrietta's order
Henrietta prints its sections in a fixed order, the same in the PDF and the Word file. Here is that order for this sample, and what to put in each section.
- Professional Summary. Field of physics, setting (industry, national lab, academia), years of research and one result.
- Work Experience. Bullets on experiments, models and simulations, instruments built, results that reached products, papers and patents.
- Education. PhD and other degrees with years and thesis topic.
- Skills. Experimental methods, modelling, programming, instruments and data analysis.
- Projects. One research project with what you built and the result.
The sample resume as text
The same content as the files above, so you can copy a line or compare it with your own.
Dr. Mikhail Petrov
Physicist, Optics and Laser Systems
Boulder, CO | mikhail.petrov@example.com | (303) 555-0186 | linkedin.com/in/sample-mikhail-petrov
Physicist with a PhD in applied physics and five years in industry. Design optics experiments and simulations that improved laser stability in two commercial products.
Experience
Senior Physicist, Flatiron Photonics, Boulder, CO (08/2020 to Present)
- Designed experiments that cut laser output drift about 40% in a new industrial laser.
- Built COMSOL thermal and optical models used to choose cooling designs.
- Wrote Python tools for instrument control and automated data analysis.
- Co-inventor on two filed patent applications.
- Work with engineering and manufacturing teams to move results into production.
- Mentor two junior scientists.
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Colorado, Department of Physics, Boulder, CO (08/2015 to 07/2020)
- Built an ultrafast laser experiment for thesis research.
- Published four peer-reviewed papers.
- Taught undergraduate physics labs.
Projects
Thermal lensing compensation: Experiment and model to reduce beam distortion in high-power lasers.
- Design adopted in a commercial product
- Presented at an industry optics conference
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Applied Physics, University of Colorado Boulder (07/2020)
Skills
Optics, Laser systems, Experimental design, Thermal modelling, Data analysis, COMSOL, Python, MATLAB, Zemax, Cross-team communication
How to make the sample yours
Show applied results
Results that improved a product or process. Applied impact matters most in industry.
Describe experiments
Set-ups you designed and built, and what you measured.
Show modelling
Simulations and models, and the tools you used. Say how the models were checked against measurements.
List papers and patents
Count them in the resume and list them in a CV if asked.
Show programming
Python, MATLAB or C++ work, such as data pipelines or instrument control. Industry teams value scientists who can code.
Keywords to keep where they are true
Terms this kind of resume is usually searched for. Use the posting's exact wording, and only for work you have done.
- physicist
- applied physics
- optics
- laser systems
- experimental design
- simulation
- COMSOL
- Python
- MATLAB
- data analysis
- instrument development
- patents
Mistakes to avoid
- Confidential product details.
- Long publication lists in a resume.
- Jargon without results.
- Skills you cannot show in an interview.
How the sample PDF reads in text extractors
We exported this sample with Resumity's PDF exporter in Chrome on 2026-10-29 and read the file back with three open-source text extractors. This shows whether software that turns a PDF into text can recover it; it is not a test of any commercial applicant tracking system. How we test templates.
| Extractor | Name, email, phone | Headings | Bullets intact |
|---|---|---|---|
| pdf.js 4.10.38 | All found | 5 of 5 | 11 of 11 |
| pdftotext (Xpdf) 4.00 | All found | 5 of 5 | 11 of 11 |
| pypdf 6.13.0 | All found | 5 of 5 | 11 of 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What should a physicist resume focus on?
Experiments, models, instruments, applied results, papers and patents. Industry teams want physicists whose work improves products, while academic roles focus more on publications. Lead with one result that changed a product or decision.
Should I use a resume or a CV?
Use a resume of one or two pages for industry roles and a full CV for academic or national lab research roles. Keep both up to date.
How do I move from academia to industry?
Translate research into skills and results: what you built, measured and improved. Programming and instrument skills transfer well. Name the tools you used, because hiring managers search for them.
How do I list publications in a resume?
Give a count and one or two key papers, and offer a full list on request or in a CV.
Is this template right for data science roles?
It can work, but our data scientist template puts tools and projects first, which suits that move better.
How long should the resume be?
One to two pages for industry. Keep applied results and skills on the first page.
Will applicant tracking systems read this Henrietta PDF?
The sample PDF read back with its contact details, all 5 section headings and all 11 bullets intact in three open-source text extractors (pdf.js, pdftotext and pypdf). Commercial systems such as Workday, Greenhouse or Taleo were not tested, and each employer configures its own.
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