Chemistry A-Level

Careers in the manufacturing industries
Chemists work in manufacturing industries such as oil, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paints and plastics, and also in consumer-based industries, e.g. food, paper, brewing, cosmetics and building materials.

The research team comprises the ‘ideas’ people, who undertake research with the purpose of creating products. Their research may lead to the development of new or improved drugs, foodstuffs, fertilisers, synthetic fibres etc. Ensuring that new products are sustainable and environmentally friendly is an important part of the work. Researchers are assisted by laboratory technicians.

Development scientists take the researchers’ ideas and work out ways of turning them into commercial products. Research and development (or R&D) may be carried out by the same team of people rather than being passed from one department to another. R&D staff might, for example, work on new types of solar panels, corrosion-resistant paint, light sports materials and even frozen desserts.

Production or process chemists (dealing mostly with the product) and chemical engineers (dealing mostly with the means of manufacture) put the researchers’ ideas into commercial production. They handle day-to-day problems in large-scale manufacturing. They may also manage production staff, so it’s important that they are good at dealing with people. Chemical engineers are in particular demand.

Analytical chemists carry out thorough experimental work, monitoring the production processes, and determining what makes up different substances or compounds. They provide a vital service for the R&D and production teams. A large part of their work may involve quality control: checking the standard of raw materials and the quality of products manufactured.

Working for the public/environment
There are many opportunities, at all levels, to work for organisations providing services that benefit the community in general. Chemists may be involved with R&D, analytical chemistry or information science. Opportunities may arise, for example:

• dealing with matters of public concern – e.g. energy supply, pollution control and forensic science
• in research – perhaps working at a research centre, which may be a charity, a government-funded institution (e.g. the Natural Environment Research Council or the Medical Research Council), or a Civil Service department/agency
• in public protection – environmental health, water, sewage, medicine, food safety etc – perhaps working as a public analyst
• working in areas related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage.

Medicine, healthcare and related fields
Many medical and healthcare careers need an advanced knowledge of chemistry; an A level in the subject may be necessary or preferred for degree course entry in the following areas, for example:

• medicine or dentistry
• veterinary science
• pharmacy – pharmacists are experts on medicines
• pharmacology – the R&D of drugs including how they work in the body
• biochemistry – the study of how living things work at the molecular level
• healthcare science – working in hospital laboratories in the diagnosis of disease
• dietetics – the science of nutrition.

Chemists in education
There is a demand for teachers of chemistry and science in schools and colleges. Some chemistry graduates work as lecturers in universities, where teaching is almost always combined with research work.

With experience, teachers can apply for Chartered Science Teacher status – for details, see www.sciencecouncil.org/content/chartered-science-teacher-csciteach.

There are also opportunities for technicians to assist with running school, college and university laboratories; they prepare chemicals, and set up and develop experiments, and may work with researchers.

Careers involving aspects of chemistry
A wide range of careers require a knowledge of chemistry – these include:

• archaeology
• geoscience
• environmental health
• trichology (the treatment of people with hair and scalp disorders)
• patent work (the legal protection of new inventions)
• forensic science
• conservation of works of art/historical objects.

Other employment areas
Studying chemistry develops a range of transferable skills, so graduates may enter unrelated careers such as accountancy, computing and law. Employers – in the UK and overseas – value the problem-solving, information-handling, analytical and organisational skills gained on a chemistry degree course. For some of the areas of work outlined below, a background in chemistry is useful or necessary.

Graduate chemists can work in sales. Selling highly technical products needs well-qualified and knowledgeable sales staff who can discuss the benefits of new products with potential customers.

Scientists and technologists need to be kept up to date with information, so there are opportunities for:

• data scientists, who gather and analyse data in order to help organisations understand trends and patterns, so that they can improve services and develop products
• scientific librarians to work for large companies that have specialised libraries, or in university libraries, research institutes etc
• technical writers, who specialise in journalism for the general or trade press, and writing technical information sheets/manuals, e.g. for use by marketing and sales departments, and for customers using chemical products, medicine and medical devices
• working in scientific publishing – chemistry graduates can use their knowledge to write, edit and publish the latest scientific books, databases and research journals.

Those with a background in chemistry can also find employment in more general areas of work, such as marketing or management. Some go straight into these careers after graduating (perhaps through a graduate training scheme), while others transfer to a general position after working for a few years in a scientific role.