Doctor Professor Patrick
What type of jobs are available for people with a major in chemistry?
I am considering majoring in chemistry and it would be extremely helpful to know the type of jobs in that field. #science #chemistry
4 answers
SamStouch
SamStouch’s Answer
Doctor Professor! There are so many options. Frankly, there are actually so many options that it's sometimes hard to pick from them. My advice is to do two things: first, to pursue your passion for chemistry as far as you can while really thinking about what it is about chemistry that you enjoy, and second to take the time to go through the giant list you're about to get and methodically learn about each career. It might seem like a daunting task at first, but you'll quickly find that you can rule out 90% of the career options once you learn what they actually mean and what it's like to do them on a day-to-day basis.
I'm going to assume that you're talking about a 4-year degree, but let me know because the options change slightly if you're talking about majoring in a 2-year degree or getting advanced degrees like a masters or doctorate. Here's a pretty big list I mixed together from two popular lists found online: one from the American Chemical Society, and one from about.com
Agricultural Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Astrochemistry
Atmospheric Chemistry
Biochemistry
Biotechnology
Catalysis
Ceramics Industry
Chemical Education
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Information Specialist
Chemical Sales
Chemical Technology
Chemist
Colloid Science
Consulting
Consumer Product Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Law
Ethnobotany
Food and Flavor Chemistry
Forensic Chemistry
Forensic Science
Geochemistry
Government Policy
Hazardous Waste Management
Inorganic Chemistry
Lab Technician (This one is pretty popular)
Materials Science
Medicinal Chemistry
Medicine
Metallurgy
Military Systems
Oceanography
Oil and Petroleum
Organic Chemistry
Paper Industry
Patent Law
Perfume Chemistry
Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry
Pharmaceuticals
Physical Chemistry
Plastics Industry
Polymer Chemistry
Pulp and Paper Chemistry
R&D Management
Research Assistant
Science Writing
Software Design
Space Exploration
Surface Chemistry
Teaching (You might need to study teaching as well)
Technical Writing
Textile Chemistry
Water Chemistry
These are fields, but they might not necessarily be career paths. For example, something like water chemistry is a pretty broad field of chemistry, but you might end up working for a university, a company, a non-profit, or a government institution. This can be confusing for students because they're not going to see jobs called "water chemist". They're going to see things like "lab technician" at a water company.
Engineer87
thank you!
Desiree
Thank You for this Information
Dominique
Thank You for this Information
Dominique
Engineer87
Engineer87’s Answer
If you're going to major in chemistry, you're likely going to end up with a job as a lab technician. Obviously you could do other things, but that's going to be the classic role. You'll be working on a team of scientists investigating some type of issue. This is going to apply whether you're working in an academic setting at a university lab or in a commercial setting in a company's lab.
Mary Dionne
Mary’s Answer
Chemical Engineer: Design and develop processes and equipment for chemical production.
Materials Scientist: Study the properties and uses of materials, such as metals, ceramics, and plastics.
Analytical Chemist: Analyze and test substances to determine their composition and properties.
Pharmaceutical Scientist: Develop and test drugs for medical use.
Quality Control Chemist: Monitor and maintain quality standards for chemical products.
Environmental Chemist: Study the effects of chemicals on the environment and develop solutions for environmental problems.
Forensic Scientist: Analyze evidence using chemical techniques to help solve crimes.
Food Scientist: Develop and test new food products and improve existing ones.
Patent Lawyer: Use knowledge of chemistry to help clients obtain patents for their inventions.
Brian Brady
Brian’s Answer
That said, take all the advanced courses you can before you enter college, and then jump into your first college level Chemistry courses and labs. A close friend of mine did this in freshman year and realized Chemistry was not going to be his forte or passion, and he shifted (early) to Electrical Engineering, and he has had a long and rewarding career.