> You're not going to get particle physicists working on organic chemistry just because you've "allocated" them there
If I consider what kinds of crappy jobs some excellent physicists who could not find a position in research had to take, I am not so sure.
The truth in my opinion thus rather is: Because, as you wrote, "they wouldn't be trained in it anyway", they won't be allocated for "organic chemistry" in your example.
On the other hand, if they were, I really believe that they would prefer this job over the one that they had to take.
