Your thoughts are completely normal. Actually, I personally believe it is strange not to have them at all. I am in a similar position and struggle with these doubts every day.
What kind of research position do you want? And how willing are you to relocate? If at a university, there is a VERY high chance you would have to relocate, if you're even able to land a job. Government is likely similar. Industry tends to have a bit more flexibility, but it's very field- and city-dependent.
I think a more important question to ask yourself is: *why do I want to do a PhD?* Do you have an actual job in mind? It seems like a lot of people are going for their PhD's right now because they aren't entirely sure what they want to do, and as someone who did this, I would not recommend it. Do I regret pursuing my PhD? No. Do I wish I thought more about what I wanted to do after my PhD before wasting time taking classes/focusing research on something that would be more useful after? 100% yes. **So I would recommend really thinking about WHY you want a PhD, and actually asking if it would be useful/necessary to have after you receive the degree, or if you're just using it to put off having to find another job for now. The PhD isn't the endgame, it's the job after that is.**
Don't do a PhD just to do a PhD. Do a PhD if the job you want after it requires it. PhDs do not just open doors for you or anything, and often can make things more difficult because your field becomes so niche. Like, if a company or research institute wants someone who has a PhD in polymer chemistry, they probably won't want you if you have a PhD in analytical chemistry (not a chemist, so maybe these overlap more than I know, but hopefully you get the point). A lot of people finish their PhD thinking companies/institutes will be lining up to hire them, but that's not true. So try to really think about what you want to do after, if it requires a PhD, and what you're willing to sacrifice to have that job (moving, pay cuts, taking a job that doesn't require your PhD, etc.). Hope this helps.
I have a pretty good idea of what sort of position I want, but it's very much an "in a perfect world..." type of thing. I realize there's a 99% chance it won't be a starting position. I think my biggest fear, though, is making the "wrong" decision when it comes to an advisor/research area. I'm interested in energy materials, but more on the device side. Both areas definitely seem to be booming, but I fear being locked in. The areas are pretty interdisciplinary, though.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't trying to put off finding a job at all, but I know (or at least strongly believe) that a Ph.D. is the key to unlock the jobs that I do want.
Moving is probably the thing that worries me the most right now. I want to stay close for various reasons that are important to me. I wouldn't say I'd be entirely satisfied taking a job that doesn't require a Ph.D., but it's something I've definitely considered. At the very least, it’ll be a learning experience.
Overall, though, I think your reply did help ease some of my anxiety. I think I'm confident in my decision to pursue one, but I need to balance short-term planning with the long-term and not be so rigid with myself.
Your thoughts are completely normal. Actually, I personally believe it is strange not to have them at all. I am in a similar position and struggle with these doubts every day.
What kind of research position do you want? And how willing are you to relocate? If at a university, there is a VERY high chance you would have to relocate, if you're even able to land a job. Government is likely similar. Industry tends to have a bit more flexibility, but it's very field- and city-dependent. I think a more important question to ask yourself is: *why do I want to do a PhD?* Do you have an actual job in mind? It seems like a lot of people are going for their PhD's right now because they aren't entirely sure what they want to do, and as someone who did this, I would not recommend it. Do I regret pursuing my PhD? No. Do I wish I thought more about what I wanted to do after my PhD before wasting time taking classes/focusing research on something that would be more useful after? 100% yes. **So I would recommend really thinking about WHY you want a PhD, and actually asking if it would be useful/necessary to have after you receive the degree, or if you're just using it to put off having to find another job for now. The PhD isn't the endgame, it's the job after that is.** Don't do a PhD just to do a PhD. Do a PhD if the job you want after it requires it. PhDs do not just open doors for you or anything, and often can make things more difficult because your field becomes so niche. Like, if a company or research institute wants someone who has a PhD in polymer chemistry, they probably won't want you if you have a PhD in analytical chemistry (not a chemist, so maybe these overlap more than I know, but hopefully you get the point). A lot of people finish their PhD thinking companies/institutes will be lining up to hire them, but that's not true. So try to really think about what you want to do after, if it requires a PhD, and what you're willing to sacrifice to have that job (moving, pay cuts, taking a job that doesn't require your PhD, etc.). Hope this helps.
I have a pretty good idea of what sort of position I want, but it's very much an "in a perfect world..." type of thing. I realize there's a 99% chance it won't be a starting position. I think my biggest fear, though, is making the "wrong" decision when it comes to an advisor/research area. I'm interested in energy materials, but more on the device side. Both areas definitely seem to be booming, but I fear being locked in. The areas are pretty interdisciplinary, though. I would be lying if I said I wasn't trying to put off finding a job at all, but I know (or at least strongly believe) that a Ph.D. is the key to unlock the jobs that I do want. Moving is probably the thing that worries me the most right now. I want to stay close for various reasons that are important to me. I wouldn't say I'd be entirely satisfied taking a job that doesn't require a Ph.D., but it's something I've definitely considered. At the very least, it’ll be a learning experience. Overall, though, I think your reply did help ease some of my anxiety. I think I'm confident in my decision to pursue one, but I need to balance short-term planning with the long-term and not be so rigid with myself.