Prospects for Chemistry Graduates

[pyroglycerine]

Hi,

 

I'm a British national currently studying my BSc in Chemistry here in China.

Although when I graduate it will be fairly easy for me to get a job doing business here, my passion is Chemistry and I wish to pursue a career in Chemistry.

From what I have heard, career prospects back in the UK and elsewhere in Europe are pretty grim for Chemistry graduates. Is this true? I have heard that if you want a chance of a decent job then you need a Master or PhD.. I suppose that's reasonable if you want a career in research.

If I were to go back to UK when I graduate, what are my chances of getting a job or paid internship in Chemistry for a year before starting my graduate degree?

Also, would I be able to study a master in Chemical Engineering with a Chemistry degree?

 

Cheers,

 

pyroglycerine

 

[hypervalent_iodine]

If you want a career in research, then you definitely need a PhD. I would say that even a Masters is insufficient for most research positions, though you could potentially get a job in industry (I'm not expert on that, however). Jobs are not the easiest thing to get for chemistry PhD's either, but if you network during your PhD through conferences and the like and you manage to do a PhD that trains you well, answers semi-interesting questions and provides you with a wide range of skills that you are able to apply, then you'll be fine. It sounds like a lot, but the key is mostly to engage yourself as much and in whatever ways that you can before you are at a point where you are actually in need of employment. A good way to do that, for instance, is to try and get travel scholarships to visit international labs and go to (and present at) conferences at home and abroad.

[CaptainPanic]

Also, would I be able to study a master in Chemical Engineering with a Chemistry degree?

 

I doubt it. I've done chemical engineering, and we learned staggeringly little chemistry in the first 3 years. We learned solving mass and heat balances, and mass and heat transfer problems, as well as lots of thermodynamics.

 

But to be sure, you really should just contact a university where they teach such a master. Only they know for sure. Perhaps I am too pessimistic...

[pyroglycerine]

If you want a career in research, then you definitely need a PhD. I would say that even a Masters is insufficient for most research positions, though you could potentially get a job in industry (I'm not expert on that, however). Jobs are not the easiest thing to get for chemistry PhD's either, but if you network during your PhD through conferences and the like and you manage to do a PhD that trains you well, answers semi-interesting questions and provides you with a wide range of skills that you are able to apply, then you'll be fine. It sounds like a lot, but the key is mostly to engage yourself as much and in whatever ways that you can before you are at a point where you are actually in need of employment. A good way to do that, for instance, is to try and get travel scholarships to visit international labs and go to (and present at) conferences at home and abroad.

 

 

I doubt it. I've done chemical engineering, and we learned staggeringly little chemistry in the first 3 years. We learned solving mass and heat balances, and mass and heat transfer problems, as well as lots of thermodynamics.

 

But to be sure, you really should just contact a university where they teach such a master. Only they know for sure. Perhaps I am too pessimistic...

 

Thanks for the input guys!

[CharonY]

From an analytical chemistry perspective a master's degree can give you more technical positions in Industry (such as analyst or technician). Getting a research in academia beyond a simple postdoc (which is supposed to be a transitional period) is tough and considering the almost worldwide funding cuts is not going to get easier in the next years. Networking is indeed more important than ever, but I would not recommend anyone trying the academic route right now if one is not heavily supported.

 

Just to give some anecdotal numbers for academic job searches from colleagues in various US universities (tenure-track assistant prof level, medium sized public unis). On average the number of applicants was 100-200 a few years ago (before the market crash). By now they get more in the area of 300-400. This i partially because many unis had or still have hiring freezes that left people out in the cold. I am not too familiar with the situation in the UK but I vaguely recall an article by the Royal Society that described an equally bleak outlook.

Edited April 9, 2014 by CharonY

[AbeMichelson]

When I (briefly) taught, I always told students that competency and friendliness will carry you very far. Competency is obvious. Friendliness is what will win connections wherever you decide to go. I was recruited by acquaintances for 3 out of the four jobs I've had. There is nothing more secure than the inside track on the job hunt and you can only get that through networking.

 

However, I won't lie and say it's not tough out there. I've had several friends who've had issues with employment. One thing I've noticed is that the ones that have trouble did not "mix" at conferences and mainly kept their head down. The sad fact is that funding, jobs, and other opportunities are built around promotion of your research and yourself.

[CaptainPanic]

When I (briefly) taught, I always told students that competency and friendliness will carry you very far. Competency is obvious. Friendliness is what will win connections wherever you decide to go. I was recruited by acquaintances for 3 out of the four jobs I've had. There is nothing more secure than the inside track on the job hunt and you can only get that through networking.

 

However, I won't lie and say it's not tough out there. I've had several friends who've had issues with employment. One thing I've noticed is that the ones that have trouble did not "mix" at conferences and mainly kept their head down. The sad fact is that funding, jobs, and other opportunities are built around promotion of your research and yourself.

 

We're discussing a BSc student, possibly soon to be someone with a masters degree, not someone with 10 years of working experience. You cannot expect a student (BSc or MSc) to have a network outside their own university. While still a student, I would suggest that the students focus on getting good grades, and possibly doing some additional (voluntary) work at the university, possibly for a student council or something similar. It is perfectly fine if students do all the networking within their university. (That will actually be a valuable professional network at a later stage in anyone's career, as these will all be people in roughly the same field).

 

But students shouldn't put too much focus on getting a network outside their university with the aim of finding a job. If there are opportunities to get noticed by a company/industry, take it. But such opportunities will come in the form of projects, courses or a thesis... probably not networking. Students at that level never attend conferences or workshops.

[AbeMichelson]

 

You cannot expect a student (BSc or MSc) to have a network outside their own university.

If they have done external research as an undergraduate, they will. In fact, many students do summer research programs or internships. I would say that conferences, even regional ones, are much more valuable experiences than university volunteer work. Again, many students do this as well.

 

I think the expectations of this cohort are much higher than previous. There are more of them, so they have to do more to stand out. Grades are no longer the bare minimum, so someone should not treat it that way. Now it is grades + working experience (meaning lab work inside or outside of a university).