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Chemists look at the chemical make up of substances and investigate how they behave under different conditions.
You could work: evenings / weekends; occasionally
Your tasks will depend on the sector you work in.
You could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work at a research facility or in a laboratory.
You can get into this job through:
You'll usually need a degree qualification to become a chemist.
Subjects you could take include:
As well as a degree, many employers will also want you to have a relevant postgraduate qualification.
Some universities offer an extended degree which leads directly to a postgraduate qualification like an MChem or MSci. These courses have more independent research and can lead directly into a job or further postgraduate study.
You'll usually need:
The following apprenticeships may be relevant to this role:
You'll usually need:
You could start your career as a laboratory technician. You can train as a chemist by doing a relevant qualification while you work.
Laboratory experience would be useful for this career.
Some degrees and apprenticeships may make you eligible to apply for registered Scientist or Chartered Chemist status.
You can find out more from:your university or training provider; the Science Council; the Royal Society of Chemistry
You can get more advice about becoming a chemist from:The Royal Society of Chemistry's careers site A Future in Chemistry; the Science Council
There is not enough data for this job to find employment statistics
You'll find opportunities with a wide range of employers including:the NHS; public health laboratories; research institutes; government agencies; private industry
You could be involved in research and development, patent work, health and safety or forensic science. You could also move into teaching or science communication.
As an experienced chemist you could work towards chartered status like Chartered Chemist (CChem) and Chartered Scientist (CSci).
A Future in Chemistry has information about careers in chemistry.
Future Morph has information on careers in science.