Leaving the Blackboard Behind
Career Paths for Theoretical Physicists Outside Academia
28.05.2025 (17:00 to 20:00)
Erwin Schrödinger Institute (Boltzmanngasse 9)
On May 28th, 2025, the Erwin Schrödinger Institute will open its doors to students and professionals with a background in theoretical physics.
Organized by Physik Alumni, the event will offer the insights from physicists who hold positions outside of academia, providing guidance and inspiration to students wondering about their professional future. Due to the variety of companies and sectors hiring trained theoretical physicists, examples of career paths offer much needed orientation to current students.
Thinking about a career as a theoretical physicist often involves balancing deep intellectual curiosity with the realities of a competitive landscape. While many are drawn by the desire to understand fundamental laws of nature, it's equally important to explore diverse professional paths—from academia and research institutions to roles in data science, finance, and technology—where analytical and problem-solving skills are highly valued.
The event will consist of a panel discussion followed by a networking event with drinks and snacks.
Signing up is mandatory due to the limited available places – first come, first served basis. Students from all branches of theoretical physics in Vienna are warmly invited to join the event. If you have any questions, please write to physik.alumni@univie.ac.at.
The Panel (More participants to TBA)
Chiara Cardelli
© 2025 Klima- und Energiefonds
Chiara Cardelli
Klima- und Energiefonds
Chiara Cardelli develops funding programs and initiatives with public funds at the Klima- und Energiefonds in the areas of climate and energy education, climate jobs as well as climate and health. She is also responsible for the organization’s monitoring and evaluation, as well as the integration of gender and diversity aspects across all its activities. During her scientific career, Chiara engaged in student activism, then worked for an NGO focused on sustainability and science education, and also took part in many science communication projects. After the PhD, Chiara chose then to combine these two passions - for societal issues and for science - in a career outside of the confinements and structural issues of research. She first worked in science communication and event management at IQOQI-Vienna, then in Open Innovation in Science at the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, which ultimately led her to her current position.
Johannes Lahnsteiner
Courtesy of J. Lahnsteiner
Johannes Lahnsteiner
d-fine
Johannes works as a consultant in Vienna. Previously, he was a researcher in theoretical physics in the Netherlands and Sweden. His research focused on gravity and quantum field theories. Specifically, he investigated non-Lorentzian structures within string and M theory. Currently, he is engaged in mathematical modeling for credit risk applications.
Max Riegler
Courtesy of M. Riegler
Max Riegler
qtlabs
Max Riegler is a senior engineer and consultant at Quantum Technology Laboratories GmbH, where he develops numerical security proofs for quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. He holds a PhD in theoretical high-energy physics from TU Wien, with research focusing on quantum gravity. During his academic career, Max held fellowships from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (DOC), the Austrian Science Fund (Erwin Schrödinger), and the European Commission (Marie Skłodowska-Curie), securing over €450,000 in competitive research funding. He has held postdoctoral positions at Brussels University, Harvard University (in Andy Strominger’s group), the University of Vienna, and TU Wien. His academic honors include the Victor Franz Hess Prize and the Hans und Walter Thirring Prize, and he graduated sub auspiciis praesidentis, the highest academic honor in Austria. In 2023, he transitioned from academia to industry to apply his theoretical expertise to real-world quantum communication technologies.