seeking advice, transitioning to finance from physics

Hi, guys, I am currently exploring a career shift into finance and trying to decide which path suits me best. I'd greatly appreciate your advice on choosing the best direction and maximizing my strengths.

To keep things straightforward, here is a brief, unbloated mini CV.

Education: PhD in experimental physics (non-target) defending in Fall 2025.  

Experience: 3 years with a research team at boutique IB (remote). Worked on research reports about  macroeconomics .

Skill: Programming, Microsoft office.  No machine learning experience.

Other: Enjoys reading and writing (introverted).  Wouldn't mind working for 80+ hours/week when I still can.

I also completed CFI courses on financial modeling and capital markets,  as it should be a cost-effective way for a layman like me to grasp the fundamentals before making serious commitments, such as CFA.

I have always been interested in equity markets, so apart from quant, what are the other available options? For Job applications, should I take the CFA Level I exam or would it be sufficient to just learn the equity, fixed income valuation methods & portfolio management ?  what would be the other skill sets that can give me an edge?  Thank You in advance!