Related Career Categories

• Biochemist
• Biologist
• Chemist
• Environmental Scientist
• Forensic Scientist
• Horticulturist
• Medical Scientist
• Meteorologist
• Microbiologist
• Physicist
• Psychologist
• Social Scientist
• Statistician

School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

School: "I was surprised at how much I was not taught during my years in school. There are many things that I do in my job now that are basic and would have been helpful to learn in college."

Career: "I was surprised at the impact that my job has. I see products that I make in major retail stores all the time. It is nice to see that the work I am doing is used in a wide variety of products."

Best & Worst Things About This Career

"The best part of my job is the satisfaction that comes from finding a formulation that works and meets the specification that marketing has provided. It is a very cool feeling to see a new product announcement come out and see a paint you created. The worst part of my job can be the frustration that comes from the not being able to get the properties of your product to meet the specification and perform to a certain criteria. Products can take 1 - 2 years to develop and a lot can change in that time period, you may work on something for a year and then find out that there is not a need in the market for the product anymore and the project gets stopped."

"Overall, working in the research and development department is great. We are always trying to create new ideas for products and also improve existing projects. This career line allows for you to explore the possibilities and presents workers with a challenge. Before entering the field, I thought of paint as just that, paint. But now I realize the complexity of paint and how it differs from each other. Sometimes I literally sit and wait for paint to dry, but in waiting I keep busy reading personal material as the company does not mind too much."

"The most gratifying part of my job is knowing that I'm ensuring that sick patients will have safe and effective medicine. I take pride in knowing that my company and its patients depend on my skills to understand the molecules in our medicine. As a scientist in industry, I must balance my scientific curiosity and provide quick answers. While we want safe and effective medicine, our patients need it as soon as possible."

"The best part of my job is talking with scientists about what they do, and attending conferences. I love to learn about new scientific accomplishments! The worst part of my job is having to do administrative work delegated to me. Sometimes it feels as though I provide the same information over and over again."

"The best parts of the job are working outdoors, doing analytical work, giving tours and presentations to the public, belonging to wastewater and environmental associations for education and camaraderie. I particularly enjoy working in a field that has very few women (I'm a woman). It's fun being unique. The worst parts of the job are inclement weather, the risk of injury if you do not work safely around the machinery, pumps, etc., and sometimes, though rarely, the hours. Operators are called in at all hours if there is a malfunction in the system."

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"Consider doing an internship in this specific field if you are interested, there is a lot of repetition as the testing is always the same the products just change. Consider taking elective classes in polymer science if you are in a general chemistry major. As with a lot of science careers math is important and is used daily."

"To pursue in this line of work, one would first need to obtain a degree in the field of chemistry or something along those lines, as I received a biochemistry degree. Be sure to keep your math skills sharp, as conversion and calculations become a huge part of your job. Patience is a virtue, which is also something you'll need to become any sort of researcher or scientist. Nothing occurs within an instance; it takes time so try not to get too far ahead of yourself. Lastly, remember that as a scientist, keeping good records and documenting everything you do is vital for succeeding in the field."

"If you find a job that you would want as a hobby, you will be happier than most. Determine the education that you will need to acquire the job that interests you. Once you land that job, observe the successful employees in that job, ask their advice and follow their examples"

"1) Become comfortable with speaking in front of audiences, from a few people to a few hundred 2) Take scientific writing courses - learn how to write persuasively about why certain areas of research are important and will have an impact. 3) Be familiar with computer applications like Word, Power Point, Excel, Adobe Acrobat as these are used a lot. 4) In my field, its better to be trained more broadly across several sub-areas within a scientific discipline than to be a narrowly-focused expert in one sub-area."

"1. Be concerned about the future of our planet's environment and natural resources. 2. Be as flexible as you can with course work. Combine natural and environmental sciences with liberal arts to be well-rounded. 3. Be different and creative in your career."