I plan to start a career forensic chemistry, what types of jobs will I be doing after I graduate.

Tia,

It depends upon your choice in education. A bachelor's of science degree in forensic chemistry is available from several colleges and universities, these are typically four year degrees in which you will study various fields of chemistry. The techniques in analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis will be two of the most directly applicable. Once you enter the work force with a BS, your work duties will mostly entail technician tasks such as routine analysis of specific samples and collation of the data recorded. This can be a very rewarding and interesting field of employment if you keep yourself educated on new techniques and constantly expand your knowledge base, thus allowing you to have more freedom at work. If you choose to go to graduate school your investment in time will be more (typically another 3-5 years), but your level of responsibility once you begin working will also increase. At graduate school you would attend more specific classes and choose a field of interest. The focused classwork and several years of research on that field will make you an expert. MS degrees would allow you to perform more sophisticated tasks as well as potentially managing others, as you gain experience. A PhD offers the highest level of intellectual freedom. With this degree, you would be able to research and develop new methods of analysis, manage fellow scientists in lab settings, and present findings and data from research at conferences and to fellow scientists, if you so choose. I hope this helps a little, good luck and never give up on your goals! Persistence and tenacity are two of the most important attributes to a successful scientist.