Planning Your Career in Chemistry or Biochemistry
When to Start Planning
Top Fields in the Chemical Industry
Characteristics that Employers Seek
A List of Local Chemical Employers & Recruiters
Career Fields by Discipline
When to Start Planning
Don't wait until after you have graduated to start thinking about what you will do when you leave the College of Charleston. Your degree in biochemistry or chemistry from the College of Charleston will prepare you well to enter the work force or to attend graduate or professional school. You should start thinking about what you will do next sometime during your junior year or even before. Summertime or evening employment while you are in school may open doors to you afterwards. Participating in undergraduate research is also excellent preparation for the workplace or further training. Any of the chemistry faculty will be most happy to talk with you about your future plans.
Top Fields in the Chemical Industry
The American Chemical Society has gathered information on the changing nature of chemistry employment from interviews with personnel in industry, academia, and government. Conclusions were published in Current Trends in Chemical Technology,
Business and Employment. The report identified the following technologies expected to grow:
- Biotechnology
Environment
Catalysis
Materials science
Communication and computer technology, and
- Energy
The report also identified those business areas with the most potential for
growth, namely,
- Environmental services and
environmentally benign products
Analytical
development and services
Custom or
niche products and services, and
Quality
control
The report noted that, consistent with the tendency of large companies to
outsource their research, smaller companies generally expected some increases in
hiring while little or no growth was predicted by large firms.
Characteristics that Employers Seek
To be competitive in the job market, employers said that candidates needed
more than skills in chemistry. Regardless of industry, university, or government
agency, employers are looking for these characteristics:
- Mastery of chemistry
Breadth of science knowledge
Problem solving ability
Flexibility
Initiative/follow-through
Business orientation
Leadership skills
Practical experience
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Computer literacy
In addition, the NAS committee had its own list of desirable
characteristics. It found that employers want workers who:
- Can collaborate across disciplines
Can adapt quickly under changing
conditions
Problem solving ability
Work well in teams and demonstrate
leadership ability
Can work with people whose languages and cultures are different from their own
A LIST OF LOCAL CHEMICAL EMPLOYERS & RECRUITERS
Below is a list of some firms that have recruited/hired chemistry majors from the College of Charleston:
| Amoco Chemicals | Cainhoy |
| Applied Analytical Industries | Wilmington, NC |
| Bayer Corp. | N. Charleston |
| Berkeley County Water & Sanitation | Goose Creek |
Charleston County
Parks & Recreation | Charleston |
| Coberg Dairy | N. Charleston |
| Endosafe | Charleston |
| Enviro Staff | Charlotte, NC |
| General Engineering | Charleston |
| Johnson & Johnson | Brunswick, NJ |
| Macalloy Corporation | Charleston |
| MUSC | Charleston |
| Millard & Associates | Marietta, GA |
| Milliken | Spartanburg |
| National Marine Fisheries Lab | Charleston |
| NOAA | Charleston |
| Olsten Staffing | N. Charleston |
| Proctor & Gamble | Cincinnati |
| Savannah Labs | Savannah, GA |
| SLED | Columbia, SC |
| Westvaco | Charleston |
Career Fields
[Analytical] [Biochemical]
[Organic] [Inorganic] [Physical]
[Education] [Business]
[Technical Editing] [Law]
[Information Specialist
/ Technical Libraries]
ANALYTICAL
Including jobs in: research, development, analysis and testing, consulting, industrial quality control, environmental, forensics
EMPLOYERS
-
Federal, state and local government
-
Federal agencies including National Aeronautics and Space Administration
-
Manufacturing firms including textile, petroleum, food, electronics, glass,
paper, packaging, machinery, cosmetics, paint, drug and chemical industries
-
Industrial production and inspection
-
Research laboratories and organizations
-
Environmental protection organizations
-
Colleges and universities
|
STRATEGIES
-
Learn federal, state, and local government job- application process.
-
Develop excellent laboratory skills.
-
Become proficient with high- tech scientific equipment.
-
Take electives in area of interest.
|
BIOCHEMICAL
Including jobs in: research, development, analysis and testing, consulting, quality control, medical, environmental
EMPLOYERS
-
Research laboratories and organizations
-
Pharmaceutical and medical research firms
-
Biotechnology firms
-
Plant and animal breeders and growers
-
Food processors
-
Industrial production and inspection
-
Environmental protection organizations
-
Federal, state, and local government
-
Colleges and universities
|
STRATEGIES
-
Take additional courses in biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, cytology, and histology.
-
Learn federal, state, and local government job- application process.
|
ORGANIC
Including jobs in: research, development, analysis and testing, quality control, consulting
EMPLOYERS
- Industries related to petroleum, coal, wood products, plastics, textiles, and food
- Manufacturing firms developing new synthetic materials and new production processes
-
Research organizations
- Federal and state government
- Colleges and universities
|
STRATEGIES
-
Gain additional laboratory and research experience.
-
Take electives in area of interest.
-
Learn federal and state government job- application process.
|
INORGANIC
Including jobs in: research, analysis and testing, quality control,
consulting
EMPLOYERS
-
Research laboratories and organizations
-
Industries involved in mining, electronics, and synthetic materials
-
Federal and state government
-
Colleges and universities
|
STRATEGIES
-
Choose appropriate course work to specialize in an area.
-
Develop additional laboratory skills and experience.
-
Learn federal and state government job- application process.
|
PHYSICAL
Including jobs in: research, development, analysis and testing,
quality control, consulting
EMPLOYERS
-
Research laboratories and organizations
-
Industries involving electrical, nuclear, gas, heat, or light energy
-
Federal government
-
Colleges and universities
|
STRATEGIES
-
Take related courses in social sciences and economics.
-
Obtain strong mathematical background.
-
Learn federal government job- application process.
|
EDUCATION
Including jobs in: teaching, research
EMPLOYERS
-
Private and public secondary schools
-
College and universities
|
STRATEGIES
-
Obtain certification/licensing for teaching in public schools.
-
Acquire master's degree for community college teaching and Ph.D. for colleges
and universities.
-
Take courses in public speaking.
-
Develop excellent laboratory skills.
|
BUSINESS
Including jobs in: technical sales/marketing, pharmaceutical
sales, management, banks/financial institutions, advertising/public relations,
consulting
EMPLOYERS
- Manufacturing firms
- Drug stores
- Medical/pharmaceutical supply companies
- Industries including
- textiles
- petroleum
- food
- electronics
- glass
- paper
- packaging
- machinery
- cosmetics
- paint
- drugs
- chemicals
|
STRATEGIES
-
Obtain a minor in business.
- Develop strong verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
- Hold leadership positions in campus organizations.
- Join related student organizations,
- American Marketing Association
- Financial Management Association
- Public Relations Student Society of America
|
TECHNICAL EDITING
Including jobs in: proposals, specification manuals, writing, editing
EMPLOYERS
- Research product- development departments and organizations
- Industries
- Publishing firms including books, scientific and research journals, technical press, large newspapers and wire services
|
STRATEGIES
- Take advanced technical writing courses.
- Become proficient with word processing.
|
LAW
Including jobs in: patent agents, patent attorneys
EMPLOYERS
- Manufacturing firms
- Research and development firms
- Law firms
- Private practice
|
STRATEGIES
- Obtain law degree for patent attorney.
|
INFORMATION SPECIALIST/TECHNICAL LIBRARIES
EMPLOYERS
- Special libraries
- Research organizations
- Colleges and universities
- Large manufacturing firms, especially chemicals and pharmaceuticals
|
STRATEGIES
- Obtain master's degree in library and information science.
- Develop computer retrieval skills.
- Join Special Libraries Association, Chemistry division.
|
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Undergraduate degree sufficient for entry-level positions such as lab coordinator, research assistant, product testing or analysis, technical sales or service representative.
- Master's degree sufficient for most applied research positions, industrial work, and some community- college teaching.
- Ph.D. degree required for university teaching and advanced positions in management and research development.
- Advanced degrees help speed career development.
- Develop strong computer, mathematics, and science skills/ knowledge.
- Obtain part-time, volunteer, co-op, internship or summer experience.
- Obtain practical experience using various laboratory equipment and high-tech scientific equipment and data.
- Maintain excellent grades.
- Postdoctoral experience is preferred for research positions in industry, universities and government.
- Consider electives in computer science, engineering, business, public speaking, and writing.
- Join related student professional organizations.
- Read related professional magazines and literature.
For those who surf the web, the following might be of interest:
ACS - www.acs.org
Royal Society of Chemistry - chemistry.rsc.org/rsc/j1.htm
Chempointers - www.chem.ucla.edu/chempointers.html
Wm&Mary Career Services
For more information contact :
Ms. Linda Robinson,
Office of Career Services, C of C
The
American Chemical Society is a great source of information about employment opportunities. Becoming a member of the ACS means becoming a part of the world's largest scientific society, an organization that's over 151,000 members strong. The ACS provides a multitude of information, educational, financial, technical and professional opportunities for its members. The Society's 34 technical divisions cover a the entire spectrum of the chemical world and the 187 Local Sections allows you to participate in local events and meetings throughout the year. ACS Career Services provides a Professional Databank for both job seekers and recruiters. Employment search services scan the complete databank for you employement (or employee) requirements based on you input and decision criteria. ACS members can get the added protection of ACS Member Insurance. You can choose from several valuable coverage packages: Term Life, Disability Income Protection, Hospital Indemnity, High-Limit Accidental Death & Dismemberment, or Supplemental Retirement Program. If you need more information an on-line request form is provided plus the phone numbers and address of the insurance office at the above web site.
Check out articles online from C&E News regarding salary surveys and the latest employment outlook.
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