What was your Masters/PhD Track (Math/Physic) and did you like

>>9069018
Doing my Master's on AE with a focus on structures, and my research is in structural/acoustic interaction. It's pretty fun, since I've always had an interest in the field since I was a kid.

Don't do math or physics unless you like being homeless

I did a PhD in Physics, specialised in Solid State Physics.

Job market imploded but it was good while I did my post docs. You just have to expect very little money but I got to work in Japan.

I went to industry for a few years and now I am a patent attorney. And I plan to remain that until I retire. This profession is quite good and we (and our colleagues) are looking for people with a good background in Physics, preferably with 5+ years in industry.

I definitely recommend this route.

>>9069326

What do patent attorneys do?

Do you need additional schooling to become one?

>>9069539
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/patent-attorney
Patent attorney in UK:
>You'll usually need a degree (at least a 2:1) in a science, engineering, technical or mathematics-based subject to get a job as a trainee patent attorney.
>You'll need to complete a minimum period of training and successfully pass professional examinations in order to be accepted on to the Register of Patent Attorneys.
>Although a postgraduate qualification isn't essential, a significant proportion of patent attorneys have a PhD.
>A working knowledge of French and German is also useful as these, along with English, are the official languages of the EPO. Knowledge of Japanese and Chinese may also be an advantage.

I went Masters in algebra with focus on representation theory of finite groups.

Enjoyed the coursework, thesis and people, but now that I am about to graduate I somewhat regret not having done more applied stuff, to improve my chances for job hunting. I am trying to get into crypto and it-security, since there are some loose connections, but nothing really substantial. Should have focused more on computation, but now I can only hope for the best.

>>9069539
>What do patent attorneys do?
The link >>9069555 covers thing rather well.

The most difficult part is drafting new applications. The perfect application has not yet been drafted. Experience is important here, especially in conflict cases (opposition, litigation etc.).

You need a good degree. A PhD is strong advantage and in countries such as Germany close to a requirement. That goes for many positions in Germany. The more languages you know the better. If you can read Japanese you will be attractive.

You are not expected to have a background in law, that will be part of the training. And the painful part is passing the various exams.

In some jurisdictions a patent attorney can represent a client in court.
In some jurisdictions a patent attorney can be nominated as an expert lay judge (will need to be approved by counsel on both sides in the conflict)

There is also a lot of strategy.

If you know the client and the client's business well you can also do new product analysis using patent literature to seek out ways to improve existing products. That is part of the purpose of the patent system, sadly under utilised. I have done it a few times since I have worked with some clients for many years and know them also personally now.

>>9069555
>>9069672

Thanks. I never considered this, but it sounds like a nice stable high paying job that isn't very boring.

Really interesting.

Do you work for your own small firm like lawyers do?

>>9069998
In terms of stability I was told that in the 1930's a few patent law firms collapsed but the patent attorneys never had problems getting a new job. That sounds pretty safe.

Most patent law firms are family owned (especially in the Far East) or partnerships. The firms are either IP boutiques, meaning working only on intellectual property rights (IPR) such as patent, trademark, design, copyright etc; or IPR department of general law firms.

I was recently promoted as partner in a small IPR boutique.

>>9069572
Lol dude wtf i learned algebra in middle school

Master in biology here, with a focus on micropaleontology/palynology. If you want a proper career (which is not in research) my advice would be to not to follow this path. I ended up as a project manager, which is still ok, but you don't need a bio MSc to become a project manager.

>>9071558
Just wondering, does your firm hire people with just a bachelors in physics? Do other firms?

>>9071826
We don't hire people with just a bachelors degree. We actually considered it recently recently after a job application but it was decided not to hire. We are not dogmatic about it but so far we have not had a good enough case.

From what I have heard other firms have a policy of a masters degree as a minimum.

Also about half the patent attorneys here have previously been working in the Patent Office and they have also a policy of a masters degree as a minimum. Also the European Patent Office (EPO) has this policy. In addition they require some serious language skills and therefore pay really well.

Many patent law firms use independent consultants for patent drawings and the only requirements are skills, reliability and quality of the work delivered, not the degrees.

>>9071567

abstract algebra you brainlet