This research experience often helps students define career goals more sharply. Back to fact sheet index Career Opportunities People often think of the professional chemist as one who stands at a workbench in an industrial laboratory carefully manipulating chemicals or instruments. A lot of chemists are employed this way. This is often quite satisfying since many people are drawn to chemistry because they enjoy laboratory work. A chemist may be employed in government, business, industry or education.
Some chemists prefer self-employment through small business or consulting firms.
Analytical chemists are in demand for services to other departments within a chemical company, for quality control in large and small concerns and for environmental monitoring by industrial, governmental and private organizations. Organic chemists, also in great demand, study new pharmaceuticals, polymers and other compounds. Materials chemists are needed by all high-tech industries for their synthesis and characterization skills. Inorganic chemists work on the full range of synthesis, characterization and application of chemical compounds. Physical chemists model chemical structures and reactions, and design experiments and equipment to study them.