PhD Graduate’s Job Search Underscores Deep Freeze in U.S. Labor Market

Jack Weiss, a 30-year-old holder of a 2024 Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Princeton University, has been unable to secure full-time employment despite submitting more than 2,300 applications over a two-year period. After graduating summa cum laude from Rice University and completing doctoral research on ice formation that was cited by the Nobel Committee in its 2024 Physics prize announcement, Weiss pursued research positions at pharmaceutical firms and national laboratories, then broadened his search across industries and regions. He also applied for a food-preparation role at a frozen-crab-cake company without receiving a response. In January of this year he took a part-time gig training AI specialists, earning $70 an hour, but his hours fluctuated dramatically and his contract was terminated via a group-chat message in mid-March. Weiss is now preparing for a law-school entrance exam in November while developing an AI-powered drone to remove invasive weeds.

Despite having a PhD from a prestigious university and submitting over 2,300 applications, he remains unemployed.

Journalist Lindsey Ellis described the current U.S. job environment as a “low-hiring, low-firing” cycle in which many workers stay in existing positions, limiting openings for job seekers. This dynamic creates a “fortress” effect for the unemployed, restricting entry into a growing economy. The phenomenon has persisted for several years, according to multiple reports.

"Even a Princeton Engineering PhD Unemployed for Two Years"... Severe U.S. Job Crisis

• The share of workers out of work for 27 weeks or more reached its highest level in about a decade during the most recent summer, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period.

"Even a Princeton Engineering PhD Unemployed for Two Years"... Severe U.S. Job Crisis

• An August Gallup poll found that only 34 percent of Americans believed it was a good time to find a quality job.

"Even a Princeton Engineering PhD Unemployed for Two Years"... Severe U.S. Job Crisis

• A Pew Research Center survey released last month reported that more than 70 percent of U.S. respondents expect overall employment to decline because of AI.

'Applied to 2,300 places, still unemployed': Princeton PhD can't escape brutal job market

• New York City Comptroller Brad Lander cited Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing the unemployment rate for college-educated New Yorkers aged 22-27 was 7.3 percent as of March, slightly higher than the 7.1 percent rate for peers without a college degree—the first instance since January 2011 that graduates’ unemployment exceeded that of non-graduates.

'Applied to 2,300 places, still unemployed': Princeton PhD can't escape brutal job market

The Wall Street Journal highlighted Weiss’s case as illustrative of the broader “severe freeze” affecting the labor market, noting that many highly qualified candidates are encountering prolonged periods of joblessness despite a low overall unemployment rate.

"Even a Princeton Engineering PhD Unemployed for Two Years"... Severe U.S. Job Crisis

• “I never in a million years thought this kid would struggle.” — Journalist Lindsey Ellis

"Even a Princeton Engineering PhD Unemployed for Two Years"... Severe U.S. Job Crisis

• “I never thought my son would be in such a difficult situation.” — Journalist Lindsey Ellis

Despite having a PhD from a prestigious university and submitting over 2,300 applications, he remains unemployed.

Weiss plans to sit for a law-school entrance examination in November and continues to develop his AI-driven weed-removal drone, signaling a pivot toward entrepreneurship while the broader labor market remains constrained.

US jobs crisis exposed as PhD holder fails to land job after 2,300 attempts