A degree in chemistry can be your entry point to a number of different career paths.
Studying for a chemistry degree teaches you about organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, so your career options are not necessarily restricted to the laboratory (as you may have initially thought).Most chemistry degrees aim to equip graduates with a combination of practical and theoretical skills, and some university courses even include industry placements. Once you’ve built up your skillset and got some real-life work experience under your belt, you’ll be able to apply for a variety of exciting chemistry jobs. All you need to do is choose one that suits you! Speak to the HRS recruitment team to make the most of our expert career advice.
What jobs can you get with a chemistry degree?
For many chemistry students, there’s one particular part of their course that really sparks their interest. Whether it’s lab work, living organisms or exploring the elements that make up the world around us, there’s sure to be a chemistry job out there that you’ll truly love.Here are a few of the most popular chemistry jobs:
Analytical Chemist
If you feel most at home in a lab, analytical chemistry is right up your street. You’ll use a range of scientific methods to identify substances and explore how they interact with each other.
Chemical Engineer
As a chemical engineer, you’ll work with raw materials to develop new and exciting products including foods, drinks, pharmaceuticals, toiletries and more!
Nanotechnologist
Nanotechnology is a vastly interesting field that’s a great fit for chemistry graduates. You will develop new materials and devices while working with materials (both organic and inorganic) on a minute scale.
Pharmacologist
Working as a pharmacologist, you will spend most of your time testing and developing new drugs and medical treatments to improve people’s lives! This is a really rewarding role.
Toxicologist
If you use your chemistry degree to pursue a career in toxicology, your daily activities will include identifying toxic substances, carrying out experiments and predicting potentially harmful effects.Key requirements of most chemistry jobs:
Analysis and problem solving
Initiative
Attention to detail
Writing reports and giving presentations
Team work
Average Salary for experienced professionals
£18,000 - £50,000
£18,000 - £50,000
Typical Working Hours
39 to 41 per week
39 to 41 per week
Developing your Chemistry career
As your chemistry career progresses, you might decide to undertake postgraduate study. This is a popular choice for chemistry graduates who have had a taste of an industry in which they’d like to specialise.Chemistry graduates are commonly employed by a wide range of organisations, such as the National Health Service, public health laboratories, government agencies and universities. As your experience in the field of chemistry grows, you could work towards Chartered Scientist or Chartered Chemist status.
Current Chemistry Vacancies
