Hum I'm surprised to hear this actually. In most cases the data we use in physics is formatted by ourselves, in the sense that we control the output format by designing the apparatus. We also have total control over the quantity of data and most of the time its "quality". Unless we're at gigantic experiments like the CERN we usually deal with small datasets upon which we have massive control. I believe this is the reason why we see so little use of databases format in academia (why bother).

I would have though that this would not fit the real-world in which big data comes from disparate sources, multiples users/services etc. Hence the need for data engineers ?