Be an expert on the chemical make-up and behavior of substancesThe focus is on development, not researchPeople in this field must be patient, imaginative and persistentYou'll need a chemistry degree combined with chemical engineering
courses
In 2001, the American Chemistry Council released a report demonstrating
how chemistry contributes to the economy. The council says the field accounts
for one million jobs in the U.S. alone.
There are lots of opportunities for industrial chemists.
Industrial chemists use their knowledge of applied science to invent, develop
and test chemical manufacturing processes and products. In other words, they
transform raw materials or chemicals into useful products -- plastics, coffee
whitener and cosmetics are all the result of an industrial chemist's creative
work with petroleum.
Industrial chemists are experts on the chemical make-up and behavior of
substances. However, this field is different than other forms of chemistry
because the focus is on development, not research.
"We concentrate on creating the end product. We create useful chemicals
from raw materials or other chemicals, and process them so they can be used
to manufacture a product," says Washington industrial chemist Penny Lao.
Industrial chemists work closely with engineers and technicians to create
and test their creations. That means a lot of troubleshooting to ensure the
product is safe and effective before it hits the manufacturing floor.
Industrial chemistry is not a physically demanding job, but people in this
field say you must be patient, imaginative and persistent.
"Your mind must always be active. Even when you're totally frustrated,
you have to be looking for solutions," says Lao.
Keeping up with the changes in the field of industrial chemistry is practically
a full-time job, says Seth Ruskin, a chemistry department lab manager at the
University of Arizona. New tools and instruments are constantly being developed
to help chemists in their work.
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), chemists held over
96,000 jobs in 1998. They do not say how many of these were industrial chemists.
Employment in the chemical manufacturing industry is expected to grow about
as fast as average through 2008, reports the OOH.
Chemists earned a median wage of $46,220 in 1998, says the OOH. Salaries
ranged from $27,240 to $86,260 a year.
A 1998 salary survey by the American Chemical Society found salaries varied
according to the size of the company chemists worked for. The bigger the company,
the better the money. Salaries for an industrial chemist with a PhD ranged
from $72,200 to $85,700 a year.
RegionAverage Annual EarningsAverage Hourly EarningsU.S. National$71,070$34.17RegionOutlook2008 Workforce2008 to 2018 Growth RateU.S. NationalStable84,3002.5%
Industrial chemistry is a challenging field with lots of opportunity for
well-trained people, and starting early is clearly the best way to get that
training. Take as many general science and chemistry courses as you can while
in high school.
The first thing anyone needs to succeed in this field is the right attitude.
Industrial chemist Gene Zaid says training for this career, like chemistry
itself, demands perseverance and a thirst for knowledge.
"It's important to arm yourself with knowledge," says Zaid. "But the most
important part is to have the desire and dedication to complete a task. If
you have these, you will definitely do it."
To earn the qualifications to become an industrial chemist, you'll need
a chemistry degree combined with chemical engineering courses. While one can
find graduates of bachelor's, master's or PhD programs in this field, experts
say people with more education will find the better opportunities.
Most post-secondary institutions across North America offer chemistry degrees.
To find out about the best program for you, contact the institution of your
choice and ask them to send you information on their chemistry department.
Not all programs are created equal, especially if you have your heart set
on becoming an industrial chemist.
Be sure you inquire about the possibility of combining chemical engineering
electives with your degree. Experts say this is important -- often industrial
chemists work side-by-side with chemical engineers, and they may have to employ
engineering principles in their work.
You might also want to find out about co-op opportunities in the chemistry
program. Co-op programs divide classroom time with work placements in industry,
giving you a chance to get some work experience under your belt before you
graduate.
Finally, it's a good idea to take a close look at the relationship between
the chemical industry and the school you're thinking about attending.
"Some schools are definitely more respected by the industry than others,
so it's a good idea to call the human resources people from the companies
you would like to work for, and find out what they think of particular schools.
Ask them if they have any preference. Chances are they do," says industrial
chemist Penny Lao.
For a comprehensive list of chemical engineering schools around
the world:
Chemical Engineering: Academic
Internet
:
http://www.che.ufl.edu/WWW-CHE/academic/geo/
Here are just two schools that offer chemistry programs in U.S.:
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Chemical Engineering
University Heights
Newark
,
NJ
07102
USA
Internet
:
http://www.njit.edu/instruct/degree/bschem.html
Florida State University
Department of Mechanical Engineering
2525 Pottsdamer St.
Tallahassee
,
FL
32310-6046
USA
E-mail
:
chemical@eng.fsu.edu
Internet
:
http://www.eng.fsu.edu/cheme/
Associations
American Chemical Society
Internet
:
http://www.acs.org/
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association
700-1850 M St. N.W.
Washington
,
DC
20036-5810
USA
Internet
:
http://www.socma.com/
Publications
Chemtech Publishing
Several books, papers and computer software available for the
avid future chemists
Internet
:
http://www.interlog.com/~chemtec/
Schepartz Laboratory Publications
Many up-to-date articles pertaining to the chemistry world
Internet
:
http://paris.chem.yale.edu/pubs.html
Links
Occupational Employment Statistics
The OES has labor market data on over 700 careers
Chemistry Education Resources Online
Lots of links here
Global Instructional Chemistry Site
Case histories illustrating modern chemistry in action