BS chemistry program is named as a bachelor of science in chemistry. This program provides basic knowledge about major fields of chemistry.
Major fields of study include inorganic, organic, analytical physical, and biochemistry, plus many more courses.
When you apply on the basis of this degree in different companies, every company has different requirements, and different jobs have different working natures.
Pursuing a degree in chemistry will provide you best career opportunities after graduation in different fields.
Chemistry careers don’t start and end in the lab
There are also various opportunities for graduates who want to work outside of the lab.
In this article, we will discuss all the careers one by one in detail.
What can you do with a Chemistry Degree?
The scope of chemistry is so vast that it covers everything from the study of atoms to the behavior of molecules and the make-up of living organisms to environmental pollution.
Candidates who wish to pursue the field of chemistry have many opportunities for them in the future.
A chemistry graduate can opt for the 12 top given opportunities as a career.
1. Chemical Technician
Chemical technicians work in a variety of occupations, including in industries such as chemical and allied products manufacturing, petroleum refining, coal mining, and natural gas production.
They are involved in processes such as mixing chemicals or raw materials to produce the desired product or to make a chemical reaction take place.
Chemical engineers are responsible for ensuring that chemical researchers conduct laboratory research correctly and efficiently.
2. Toxicologists
Toxicologists are responsible for testing various blood and tissue samples to detect the presence of pharmaceuticals, poison, alcohol, and other substance in the body.
Toxicologists are scientists who study the adverse effects of substances on living organisms. They work in a variety of fields such as medicine, engineering, and law.
Toxicologists are experts at determining the cause and effect of toxic substances. They may also be involved in developing methods to reduce or eliminate environmental hazards.
3. Water Chemist (PCRWR) (Best Career Opportunities for Chemistry)
Water chemists are responsible for investigating and monitoring the presence of chemicals in the water.
The primary responsibility of a water chemist is to analyze the water samples. They are also responsible for testing the water’s purity and quality.
The person who is interested in this job should have a degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering and should be certified by the State Board of Health.
Water chemist has to work in an environment that has high pressure, so it is important for them to be mentally strong and resilient.
4. Analytical Chemist
Analytical chemists study substances for toxicology testing, prepare pharmaceutical products and answer forensic questions.
Analytical Chemists are chemists who specialize in the analysis of substances. They use a variety of analytical techniques, including spectroscopy, chromatography, and mass spectrometry to identify the composition and concentration of substances.
They may also be involved in the design, development, and validation of analytical methods (methods for analyzing substances). Analytical Chemists may be involved with quality control or assurance activities.
5. Pharmacologists
Pharmacologists study how drugs interact with biological systems. They analyze how drugs affect human health for safety usage. Pharmacologists perform research-based jobs and develop effective medicines and vaccines. They are responsible for determining how to use medications safely and effectively.
6. Chemical Engineer
Chemical engineers use various research methods such as mathematics and biology to create and develop chemical manufacturing processes. Their work helps produce products such as medicines, food, fuel, and more.
Chemical engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and implementing processes related to chemistry. They work in a variety of industries including oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, food processing, plastics manufacturing, and more.
A chemical engineer is a professional who has the knowledge to apply the principles of chemistry to solve problems in various fields. They use their expertise to develop processes that produce chemicals or convert one type of chemical into another. Chemical engineers may also be involved in developing new products that are made from chemicals or designing equipment for the production of these chemicals.
Related Articles:
7. Synthetic Chemist
Synthetic chemist test and develop chemical compounds to create new material for a specific purpose.
A synthetic chemist is a scientist who specializes in the chemical synthesis of organic compounds.
A synthetic chemist is responsible for developing processes that involve reactions at high temperatures and pressures. They are also responsible for devising new chemical reactions to create molecules with desired properties.
8. Quality Control Chemist
A quality control chemist or QC chemist monitor and test the use of material during the production process so that all the requirement are met.
The Quality Control Chemist job is primarily concerned with the quality of the product.
They are responsible for ensuring that all products are up to high standards before they get to consumers. Quality Control Chemists need to be able to identify any defects in products, and they have to have a thorough understanding of what constitutes good quality.
9. Organic Chemist
Organic chemist research manipulates and studies material that contains carbon.
Organic chemists are in charge of synthesizing and analyzing organic compounds. They utilize the knowledge of organic chemistry to create new molecules and to analyze the properties of different substances.
The job description for an Organic Chemist is as follows:
Synthesize or manufacture organic compounds
Analyze the properties of substances using various techniques such as spectroscopy, chromatography, etc.
Develop new methods for synthesizing organic compounds
Research and develop new uses for existing substances
10. Forensic Scientist
Forensic scientists collect and analyze pieces of evidence from a crime scene. This might include dirt samples, blood samples, figure prints, and more.
Forensic scientists are experts in the analysis of physical evidence. They use a variety of scientific methods to identify, collect, and analyze evidence from a crime scene or other incident.
A forensic scientist can work for a government agency or for a private company. They may specialize in different types of cases, such as DNA testing, fingerprints, ballistics, hair and fiber analysis, and more.
11. Geochemist
Geochemist study the appearance, movement, and effect of the different chemicals on earth.
Geochemists study the chemical and physical properties of rocks, soils, minerals, and water to understand the origin and evolution of our planet.
Geochemists are not only responsible for studying the composition of rocks and other geological materials. They also work with chemists to understand how these substances are related to each other. Geochemists can work in many different fields such as environmental science, geology, hydrology, or petroleum engineering.
12. Hazardous Waste Chemist
Hazardous waste chemists are responsible for monitoring and managing chemical pollutants and air and water.
A hazardous waste chemist is an individual who specializes in the identification, classification, and treatment of hazardous materials. They are typically employed by a government agency, such as the Environmental Protection Agency or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The job description of a hazardous waste chemist is to identify, classify, and treat hazardous materials. The most common type of work for this position is to identify substances that are considered toxic or poisonous.
Career Destination for Chemistry Graduates (Future Prospects)
In this age of STEM, it is not so easy to find a job in the field of science. One of the most popular undergraduate majors in chemistry. There is a huge scope for jobs for Chemistry graduates across the public as well as the private sector.
In Private Sector
Apart from the scope of chemistry in our country Pakistan, if it comes to recruiting personnel, everyone wants to get a government job, but people don’t know that there are as many jobs in the private sector as in the government.
Every year the government of Pakistan provides some jobs with limited vacancies.
Hundreds of students pass out gradation in Pakistan each year. And we all know that all students cannot get jobs in these limited vacancies. So, we should also apply for jobs in the private sector.
There are many highest-paying jobs for chemistry graduates some of them are:
High school and college teacher
Quality Specialist
Lab technician
Assistant manager research and development
Senior lab analyst
Chemical Engineer
Forensic Chemist
Pharmaceutical Chemist
Environmental Chemist
Industrial Chemist
In Governmental Bodies (Public Sectors)
Many Chemistry graduates aim to explore jobs in the public sector after completing their degree.
Chemistry bachelors can opt for government jobs in research and laboratories or can explore diverse career opportunities in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
Some government jobs for chemistry graduates are given below;
Lecturer
Professor
Visitor lecturer
Associate professor
College or school teacher
Senior lab instructor
Quality and food safety officer
Lab technician
A bachelor can’t apply directly for any of the above jobs, graduated student has to do a master’s or PhD in any one of the specific fields to get a high-scale job.
International Opportunities
After graduation, you can apply for a scholarship for your higher studies or apply for an internship in other countries.
If you do an internship in any country abroad then you take experience and secondly you become confident about your skills. An internship in any other country makes your CV better and it gets you a good job.
If you don’t want to do an internship, you can apply for scholarships to get higher studies abroad. There are a lot of countries that offer scholarships for students.
If you want to do a job abroad and don’t want to apply for scholarships or internships. You can perform as a Forensic Scientist or lab technician etc.
But to get this job you have to get higher studies of Masters or PhD level.
Skills For Your CV
Chemistry is a fascinating field among students. A chemistry degree gives you skills that are useful in the areas of biology and medicine, physics and engineering, and many more. It also allows us to develop excellent laboratory techniques.
Chemistry provides you with subject-specific knowledge as well as transferable skills, like:
Analysis and problem solving
Working in a laboratory
Scientific integrity and ethics
Writing with scientific rigor
Creative thinking
Commercial awareness
Entrepreneurship.
Time management and organization
Written and oral communication
Research and presentation
you can mention these skills in your resume. So that you can get a good job according to your expertise.
In Demand Career in Chemistry Degree
Chemistry graduates have many opportunities to use their knowledge in various research sectors, including chemical roles.
Chemistry graduates are in high demand in sectors involving science and technology. Chemistry degree including the following career areas: aerospace technology. pharmaceuticals and biotechnology etc.
How Much You Can Earn
A chemist’s salary depends on the following three factors.
Academic Eligibility
Working hours
Where you applied for a job
Experience
If you have a high degree like a master’s or Ph.D. in chemistry, you will get a very good job with a high salary. If we talk about working hours, the more time you give to your work the more you will earn.
Salaries most of the time depend on the location of an organization. Local organizations offer less salaries than multinational or international companies. Most organizations require experience in a particular field. They pay less to fresh employees.
The What Do Graduates Do 2020/21 report showed that salaries for chemistry graduates ranged from £ 20,226 to £ 27,156 six months after graduation.
The Royal Society of Chemistry Pay and Reward Survey 2021 revealed an average salary of £ 46,700 for members surveyed *. Early career members earned an average salary of £ 34,000. Chemical sciences offer a high level of job security and stability with 70% of respondents saying they feel confident in their current job (up from 65% in 2019).
Approximately 40% of all chemistry graduates in 20/21 became science professionals or associate professionals and technicians involved in agricultural chemistry, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, plastics, and toiletries research and development.
The contribution of chemistry professionals to the UK GDP was £ 87 billion in 2019.
There are an estimated 275,000 jobs using chemistry in the UK in 2019, with an additional 425,000 jobs supported by this workforce in the UK economy.
Helpful websites to learn more about chemistry jobs and salaries
How Different Social Platforms Help You to Connect With Professionals
Running / Establishing Business
For this purpose, you have to join professional platforms like fiverr.com, upwork.com, etc. you can give your science services all over the world by using these platforms.
Fiverr for Scientific Writing
People who have deep knowledge and exceptional writing skills can always give writing a try. Scientific writing is a niche-specific job that requires a science-trained degree and an edge in writing reports, research papers, assignments, etc.
There are many sites like Fiverr where you can get freelance projects from companies or students who are looking for people with science writing skills. There are many opportunities for people seeking experts in writing chemistry reports and articles.
You can also offer to tutor aspiring chemistry students on Fiverr and earn money from it.
For this, creating a profile on the site and filling in all the data is essential. You can bid on Fiverr and upload your resume so people can contact you for jobs. In this way, you can earn money using the portal, which is quite convenient and uncomplicated.
Even if you don’t want this to be your main source of income, you can consider it as an alternative income to get the most out of your chemistry degree. You can offer to do college projects, theses, and reports that require a deep understanding of chemistry.
Further Study
It is a popular choice for chemistry graduates to continue further study at the masters or PhD level. It gives the chance to enhance knowledge in one of the special field studies during the degree, such as organic, physical, inorganic, analytical, or Biochemistry.
A graduate can also specialize in areas of chemical science. With a thorough understanding of the many chemicals and their compositions. They can pursue their career as lab researchers or industry pharmaceutical experts.
Further study within scientific and technical fields is highly valued by employers, as one can develop theoretical knowledge and more advanced sector-specific skills.
Many graduates apply for scholarships to go abroad for further studies. They do different courses in the special field of study. The duration of these courses is 2 to 3 years.
To make yourself a more competitive applicant when applying for jobs, you need to get higher education to further your knowledge of the industry. For example, many scientific positions require a Masters or PhD. in chemistry, biochemistry or related fields.
Chemistry Scholarships
If you want to get higher education in chemistry, then you can apply for scholarships in different countries to support your education.
Conclusion
This article is full of knowledge about career scope, higher studies, internships, jobs, scholarships, social connections of science students, and salaries in a chemistry career. So, out of all the alternatives mentioned above for career options, it’s pretty clear that pursuing a Chemistry degree can be beneficial for you. Not only does it offer career alternatives, but it also offers more opportunities to earn more money than in other fields. Also, remember that it is important to thoroughly understand the field you choose. Education is always an investment and of any degree. You can make a living easily from it.
FAQ’s
Which field of chemistry is best?
Biochemistry is one of the most favored fields for research and career opportunities.
Which job is best after BS chemistry?
Fields of work for BS Chemistry graduates include the:
pharmaceutical industry
chemical industry
forensic sector
plastics industry
agrochemical industry
Apart from these, they are also employed in other sectors such as oil, gas, energy, and even defense services.
Which are high-salary jobs after BS Chemistry?
Each job has a different salary package in different fields. However, the industry generally ends up paying much higher salaries than academia at all graduate levels. It also depends on where you’re located and how much you are qualified.
Comments