Career Profiles

Chemistry

• Employment Options
• Chemistry Career View

Employment Options

Course Related Occupations

Some of the many occupations open to those with a Chemistry degree include Agricultural Scientist, Biochemist, Chemical Engineer, Chemical Oceanographer, Environmental Scientist, Food Scientist Technician, Forensic Scientist, Hospital Administrator, Hydrologist, Industrial Hygienist, Medical Scientist, Microbiologist, Pharmacologist, Physician, Plastics Engineer, Quality Assurance Manager, Science Teacher, Tissue Technologist,Toxicologist, and Wastewater Treatment Chemist. (Source: Indiana University Southeast (US) - www.careerservices.ius.edu )

Employers

Starting salaries for graduates in the field are just over $30,000. The average salary of a chemist is approximately $50,000 in Australia and Research Chemists with a doctorate can earn in excess of $100,000. For further information about Science and general employment prospects go to www.graduatecareers.com.au , www.graduateopportunities.com , www.gradsonline.com.au  (contains latest salary figures) and www.jobguide.dest.gov.au .

Clinical chemists are employed in hospitals, medical and scientific research bodies, food processing firms and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Major employers of industrial chemists are private and government research institutions and the chemical, petroleum and coal industries. Other employers are paint, varnish and lacquer manufacturers, food, beverage and tobacco producers and iron and steel products manufacturers.

For those with a postgraduate degree in education, opportunities also exist in teaching.

Some employers of Science graduates are:

• APSjobs -www.apsjobs.gov.au .
• Austral Bricks - a large producer of clay bricks, pavers and tiles - www.australbrick.com.au  
• BOC Gases - provides and distributes gas and related products - www.boc-gases.com
• Dairy Farmers - manufacturer and distributor of milk, cheese, yoghurt and dairy desserts - www.dairyfarmers.com.au/df
• Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) - Australia's largest research organisation - www.dsto.defence.gov.au
• Mimotopes Pty Ltd - supplier of custom peptides and also drug discovery technologies in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies - www.mimotopes.com
• QENOS - cornerstone of Australia's plastic and rubber industry making key raw materials that many other businesses rely on - www.qenos.com
• Shell - an energy and petrochemical organisation - www.shell.com
• Victorian Education Department and Early Childhood Development - provides and ensures access to primary and secondary Victorian school children - www.education.vic.gov.au .

Professional Associations
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute Inc. (RACI)
1/21 Vale Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051
Telephone: (03) 9328 2033
Fax: (03) 9328 2670
Email: [email protected]
Web:www.raci.org.au

The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists & Managers, Australia (APESMA)
163 Eastern Road
South Melbourne VIC 3205 (GPO Box 1272 Melbourne VIC 8060)
Telephone: (03) 9695 8800
Fax: (03) 9695 8902
Email: [email protected]
Web:www.apesma.asn.au

This is an adaptation of an article originally written for Deakin University's careers resources.
Author: Joan Barnet, Career & Academic Development Unit, Deakin University

© 2003 Deakin University/Graduate Careers Australia