'Nobel-Cited Research, 2,300 Job Applications': Princeton University's PhD Graduate Still Struggles to Find Work

Jack Weiss, a 30-year-old Princeton University PhD graduate whose research was cited by the Nobel Committee, has applied for more than 2,300 jobs since completing his doctorate in 2024 but remains without stable employment amid a slowdown in the US labour market.

Weiss, a chemical engineering specialist from Salt Lake City, Utah, now lives with his parents in his childhood home. His job search has extended far beyond his academic expertise, including applications for software engineering positions and a food preparation job at a company selling frozen crab cakes, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Academic Excellence Fails to Secure a Job

Weiss graduated summa cum laude from Rice University before joining Princeton's PhD programme in 2018. His research focused on chemical principles and molecular interactions, including work on ice formation that the Nobel Committee cited in 2024 as an example of machine learning's application in scientific research.

Despite his academic record, he struggled to secure employment. His initial applications targeted research positions at pharmaceutical companies and prestigious fellowships at national laboratories, but many went unanswered while others ended in rejection.

He subsequently broadened his search across industries and locations, often without securing an interview. Attempts to seek help from alumni of Princeton and Rice universities also yielded little progress, with some advising him to keep checking company job boards.

AI Training Job Ends After Two Months

In January 2026, Weiss secured part-time work with a startup that hired specialists to train artificial intelligence systems. The position paid $70 an hour, but the workload fluctuated sharply.

While he sometimes worked 20 hours a week, his hours dropped to as few as four in other weeks. Assignments eventually dried up, leaving him without work for weeks at a time.

In mid-March, he learnt through a group chat that his contract had been terminated, according to the report.

Considering Law School and Entrepreneurship

With stable employment still out of reach, Weiss is exploring alternatives. He plans to take a law school admissions test in November and is also developing an artificial intelligence-powered drone designed to remove invasive weeds.

His parents, both doctors, have struggled to understand why someone with his qualifications has faced such difficulties. His mother, Holly Carvers, reviewed his job applications to check whether anything might be discouraging employers but found no obvious problems.

"It's truly unexpected. I don't know how to make sense of this situation," she said.

"I never in a million years thought this kid would struggle," his father, John Weiss, said.

US Labour Market Offers Fewer Opportunities

Journalist Lindsey Ellis, who reported on Weiss for The Wall Street Journal, said his experience stood out while she interviewed job seekers across all 50 US states. His case illustrated the difficulties facing workers as hiring slows.

The US labour market has increasingly been characterised as a low-hiring, low-firing environment, with employers recruiting fewer workers and employees less likely to leave their existing positions. The resulting shortage of openings makes it harder for job seekers to find work, even when they possess advanced qualifications.

Employment data cited in the report also showed that the share of Americans who had been unemployed for at least 27 weeks reached its highest level in about a decade during the summer, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic and its immediate aftermath.

Weiss's experience highlights the widening gap between academic achievement and employment prospects in a market where even highly qualified graduates can struggle to secure stable work.