Chemists search for and put to practical use new knowledge about chemicals. Although chemicals are often thought of as artificial or toxic substances, all physical things, whether naturally occurring or of human design, are composed of chemicals. Chemists have developed a tremendous variety of new and improved synthetic fibers, paints, adhesives, drugs, electronic components, lubricants, and other products. They also develop processes which save energy and reduce pollution, such as improved oil refining and petrochemical processing methods. Research on the chemistry of living things spurs advances in medicine, agriculture, food processing, and other areas.
Many chemists work in research and development. In basic research, chemists investigate the properties, composition, and structure of matter and the laws that govern the combination of elements and reactions of substances. In applied research and development, they create new products and processes or improve existing ones, often using knowledge gained from basic research. For example, synthetic rubber and plastics resulted from research on small molecules uniting to form large ones (polymerization).
Chemists also work in production and quality control in chemical manufacturing plants. They prepare instructions for plant workers which specify ingredients, mixing times, and temperatures for each stage in the process. They also monitor automated processes to ensure proper product yield, and they test samples to ensure they meet industry and government standards. Chemists also record and report on test results. Others are marketing or sales representatives who sell and provide technical information on chemical products.
Chemists often specialize in a subfield. Analytical chemists determine the structure, composition, and nature of substances and develop analytical techniques. They also identify the presence and concentration of chemical pollutants in air, water, and soil. Organic chemists study the chemistry of the vast number of carbon compounds. Many commercial products, such as drugs, plastics, and fertilizers, have been developed by organic chemists.
Inorganic chemists study compounds consisting mainly of elements other than carbon, such as those in electronic components. Physical chemists study the physical characteristics of atoms and molecules and investigate how chemical reactions work. Their research may result in new and better energy sources.
Biochemists, whose work encompasses both biology and chemistry, are included under biological scientists elsewhere in the Handbook.
Chemists contribute to the development of a variety of practical products, including pharmaceuticals, paints, and synthetic fibers and materials.
Chemists usually work regular hours in offices and laboratories. Research chemists spend much time in laboratories, but also work in offices when they do theoretical research or plan, record, and report on their lab research. Although some laboratories are small, others are large and may incorporate prototype chemical manufacturing facilities as well as advanced equipment. Chemists may also do some of their research in a chemical plant or outdoors while gathering samples of pollutants, for example. Some chemists are exposed to health or safety hazards when handling certain chemicals, but there is little risk if proper procedures are followed.
Chemists held about 92,000 jobs in 1992. The majority of chemists are employed in manufacturing firms mostly in the chemical manufacturing industry, which includes firms that produce plastics and synthetic materials, drugs, soap and cleaners, paints, industrial organic chemicals, and other miscellaneous chemical products. Chemists also work for State and local governments, primarily in health and agriculture, and for Federal agencies, chiefly in the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture. Others work for research and testing services. In addition, thousands of persons held chemistry faculty positions in colleges and universities. (See the statement on college and university faculty elsewhere in the Handbook.)
Chemists are employed in all parts of the country, but they are mainly concentrated in large industrial areas.
A bachelor's degree in chemistry or a related discipline is usually the minimum education necessary to work as a chemist. However, most research and college teaching jobs require a Ph.D. degree.
Many colleges and universities offer a bachelor's degree program in chemistry, about 602 of which are approved by the American Chemical Society. Approximately 325 colleges and universities also offer advanced degree programs in chemistry.
Students planning careers as chemists should enjoy studying science and mathematics, and should like working with their hands building scientific apparatus and performing experiments. Perseverance, curiosity, and the ability to concentrate on detail and to work independently are essential. In addition to required courses in analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, undergraduate chemistry majors usually study biological sciences, mathematics, and physics. Computer courses are also important, as chemists increasingly use computers as a tool in their everyday work.
Because research and development chemists are increasingly expected to work on interdisciplinary teams, some understanding of other disciplines, including business and marketing, is desirable, along with leadership ability and good oral and written communication skills. Experience, either in academic laboratories or through internships or co-op programs in industry, also is useful.
Although graduate students typically specialize in a subfield of chemistry, such as analytical chemistry or polymer chemistry, students usually need not specialize at the undergraduate level. In fact, undergraduates who are broadly trained have more flexibility when job hunting or changing jobs than if they narrowly define their interests. Some employers provide new bachelor's degree chemists with additional training or education.
In government or industry, beginning chemists with a bachelor's degree work in technical sales or services, quality control, or assist senior chemists in research and development laboratories. Some may work in research positions, analyzing and testing products, but these are often technicians' positions, with limited upward mobility. Many employers prefer chemists with a Ph.D. to work in basic and applied research. A Ph.D. is also generally required for a 4-year college faculty position and for advancement to many administrative positions. Chemists who work in sales, marketing, or professional research positions often move into management eventually.
Many people with a bachelor's degree in chemistry enter other occupations in which a chemistry background is helpful, such as technical writers or sales representatives in chemical marketing. Some enter medical, dental, veterinary, or other health profession schools. Others choose from a wide range of occupations with little or no connection to chemistry.
Chemistry graduates may become high school teachers. However, they usually are then regarded as science teachers rather than chemists. Others may qualify as engineers, especially if they have taken some courses in engineering.
Employment of chemists is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005. The chemical industry should face continued demand for goods such as new and better pharmaceuticals and personal care products, as well as more specialty chemicals designed to address specific problems or applications. To meet these demands, research and development expenditures will continue to increase, contributing to employment growth for chemists.
However, employment will not grow as rapidly as in the past because, overall, research and development budgets are expected to grow more slowly compared to those of the 1980's as firms restructure and streamline their operations. Also, temporary slowdowns in automobile manufacturing and construction, end users of many of the products of the chemical industry, will have a short-term dampening effect on chemists' employment. Regardless of the outlook, hiring may slow and layoffs occur during periods of economic recession, especially in the oil and industrial chemicals industries.
According to a 1992 survey by the American Chemical Society, the median starting salary for recently graduated chemists with a bachelor's degree was about $24,000 a year; with a master's degree, $32,000; with a Ph.D., $48,000.
The American Chemical Society also reports that the median salary of their members of all experience levels with a bachelor's degree was $42,000 a year in 1992; with a master's degree, $50,000; and with a Ph.D., $60,000.
In 1993, chemists in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions in the Federal Government earned an average salary of $51,537.
The work of chemical engineers, agricultural scientists, biological scientists, and chemical technicians is closely related to the work done by chemists. The work of other physical and life science occupations may also be similar to that of chemists.
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Reprinted with Permission of U. S. Department of Labor