The BS Chemist in Industry Philip H. Menell Mallinckrodt, Inc., P.O. Box 5439, St. Louis, Mo 63147 What kind of industrial position should be anticipated by a BS graduate in chemistry? What electives should be taken to help land that position? These important questions should be considered hy both students and their teachers when contemplating future careers. Having heen a college professor and, of course, a college student, and being currently employed as an industrial chemist, I feel that in general neither college professors nor their students are sufficiently aware of the many opportunities that exist for the BS chemist in the industrial world. Consequently, students often have no idea of how they can serve a potential employer. If they were more aware, students might take elective courses that might provide a better background and their resumes would rh& be more appealing to prospective employers. Most professors and students mistakenlv think of onlv one area when contemolatine an industrial chemical position-research. Some BS chemists mav be aware of analvtical services as well as of quality control. The actual figires may not be known, but in my experience considerably less than half the BS chemists in industrial positions are in research. What do all these other chemists do?
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Dlscusslon Research and Development, Analytical Services, and Qualitv Control are the three most common areas of emolovg e n t for a BS chemist. As will be shown, these areas are important sources of positions for the BS chemists but account for afar lower percentageof employment in the chemical industry than might be expected. These are the areas where one &tually works in a laboratory at the bench. Many students are not particularly enamored with bench work and may prefer other activities and responsibilities. Research and Development The industrial research chemist is responsible for developing new products, new uses for current products, and new processes, and for improving old processes. This person is often a PhD chemist; however, large numbers of BS chemists work in this area. The company needs these chemists to remain in business over the long term. Without the service of good research and development (R & D), a company cannot remain competitive and thus will eventually fail. Analytical Services Analytical Services test products and help develop new specifications for them. Since many of these products are new, they must develop and evaluate all of the new testing procedures. Many of these analytical chemists have PhD degrees, hut many more are the BS chemists that actually run the tests at the laboratorv bench. He or she is resoonsible for the precision and accuracy of the results and perform statistical evaluation of the test methods. Quallty Control Quality-Control chemists are responsible for the aualitv of both incoming raw materialvand ;)utgoing finishedgood;. Each raw material and earh finished product has a strict set of snecifications and a test method b" which each snecification is tested. For the most part the people who run testsand certify quality are BS chemists. I t a material passes all speci~
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Journal of Chemical Education
fications, is sent to the customer, and then is returned because it does not satisfy the specifications according to the customer, QC must confirm or deny the complaint. For political reasons it is usually best if this group is separate from the group that does the original testing. I t may be called Quality Assurance or Customer Sevice (or Inquiry). Again, QC usuallv deoends on the work of BS chemists who are good analiticaily and can follow the standard testing procedures. In manv comoanies the QC deoartment is verv large. with many m&e chemists than thereare in the ~ e s e a r c < & Development or Analytical Services areas. Plant Process Chemlst BS chemists often assist in the manufacturing of products. This area. which is orimarilv the resnonsibilitv of the chemical engineer, often involves a BS chemist. The plant process chemist can follow the chemistrv of the orocesses in a wav that can help the engineer if trouble is Lxperienced with H process. A process can be run for years and still have problems. For example, a new source of raw materials may contain some impurity that causesproblems, or anew heating or cooling system may change the rates of reaction or the size of the particles of the product. There are countless times when a good BS chemist is needed to help straighten out a process that is out of control. Most of the time will be taken in trying to simulate the process step that seems t o be the problem on the laboratory bench. When the solution is identified i t is then scaled up to the plant size or moved directly to the plant. There are manv other nositions in the chemical industrv that do not actukly req;ire a knowledge of chemistry and chemicals in general in order to function. However, a person who is a chemist has a distinct advantage in these meis and for that reason chemists tend to occupy such positions, which may be ideal for the students who really do not want to spend their careers a t the laboratory bench. The following is a discussion of some of these areas. Sales The chemical salesperson has the responsibility of dealing with the customer face to face and selling chemicalproducts. Also important is trying either to expand the use of products with the customer or to find new chemicals that can be sold to the customer for particular processes. Such responsibilities require a person with a knowledge of chemicals and what they can do. Also the salesperson should understand how the customer is using chemicals so that alternatives can be suggested if trouble arises. In competition, the salesperson who understands customers' needs usuallv"orevails. . A chemical salesperson must also handle customer problems. Customers sometimes have problems with the physical or chemical properties of a particular grade of chemical. A good salesperson will understand the oroblem and he able to Eommunicite it to research personnel so that the problem can be solved. This is an area that is often misunderstood. If the salesperson does not really understand the problem, he or she may accidentally transmit false or misleading information that may lead to wasted time by those trying to solve it. I t is obvious that in a complex chemical industry, a salesperson with a degree in chemistry has an advantage over
those who do not. That is why many BS chemists have been hired for chemical sales in recent years. Customer Service Manv comuanies have a group of chemists that deal die n people deal rectly ~ i t h c ~ s t o m e r P r o h l e ~ s . $ u i t e o f tthese with a uarticular uroducr line,and they must know how their product is used ih the industry. hey also must know what can go wrong and be able to suggest new formulations or a different way to use the product. They work closely with the sales force and the customer. They may travel and they may do some laboratory experiments. If one aspires along these lines, the company must teach the chemist about the product line. There are not manv existing- courses that address this particular area. Chemlcal Llbrarlan The chemical librarian must have a strong background in chemistry. The chemical searches that are their responsihilitv* reauire . broad knowledee. " Librarians also must know how to operate computers for on-line computer searches. An asnirine chemical librarian should take lihrarv science and computer courses along with chemistry courses inorder t o he an effective professional in the chemical library.
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Marketing
The duties of the chemical marketing professional involve expanding the markets in which the company's products are currently utilized, finding markets for new products, and rieid aciountine and control of costs and urices. He or she is in-direct contact with the sales force, the manufacturing areas, the research group, and the customer. He or she must understand and know both chemical names and properties in order to coordinate those involved in the use of products. Also required is knowledge of basic accounting, marketing strategy, and sales strategy. For this reason marketing personnel are usually BS chemists with some further training in husiness. Of course, students who want careers in marketing can take accounting and business courses as electives while working on the B.S. degree in chemistry. A knowledge of compu&r is particularlyimportant to the marketing professional. Incidentally, computer knowledge by all chemists is becoming indispensihle so courses in computers should he part of a BS curriculum. Many chemists work for an MBA to enhance their careers in sales or marketing. Purchasing
A purchasing agent a t a chemical plant is responsible for buying all the chemical raw materials that come into the plant according to certain specifications. This individual must be an astute business person as well as have some knowledge of chemicals. Having a chemical degree is certainly not a requirement of this individual, but many purchasing agents in the chemical industry do have degrees in chemistry. Again, business and computer courses are a big help to the person who becomes a purchasing agent. Management The management of chemical companies, like the management of most other companies, is done by people who have
husiness and accounting skills. They are responsible for the overall profit and loss of the company and make policies that govern the direction of the comnanv. Naturallv i t is of some advantage in the chemical indktr; if the managers know some chemistry. Thus a BS chemist with a Masters in Business Administrationmakes an ideal manager in the chemical industrv. Managers often beain in. or eo through. chemical sales o r marketing and must have polished thei; business skills with this experience. They may also start as accountants or researchers. If a student feels a need to he in management, he or she should take business courses as well as chemistry courses for a well-rounded education that will lead toward management in the chemical industry. Environmental Control Today the chemical industry is responsible for the chemicals that i t creates as wastes. These wastes may be emitted into the air, water, or as hazardous or nonhaArdous solid wastes. There are limits set I)Y the Environmental Protection Agency that must he met. EC people are often BS chemists with training in specific environmental testing methods. A person who aspires along these lines should consider some environmental science courses as well as some bioloeical courses. " Another area of increasingly important environmental control is the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets standards for many chemicals in the environment of the workers. These must be periodically checked to make sure that the company meeta OSHA requirements. Again, an environmental chemist (usually with a BS degree) is the person required to certify compliance with the OSHA rules. Patent Altorney A chemical patent attorney is responsible for checking the patentability of a chemical "invention" and making sure that every patent application is written and filed correctly. He or she may work directly for an industrial comuanv . - or have a separate practice. his person must, of course, go t o law school and must take all pre-law undergraduate courses. This is another area where a chemist can apply his knowledge without having to work a t the laboratory bench. Conclusion
As this discussion points out, there are many areas of uossible emulovment in the chemical industrv for the BS chemist. he student should be aware of these Eareer opportunities as peripheral (elective) courses that go along with the normal chemistry courses are considered. I t is important for the student to realize this as early as possible in his or her college career. Many students reach their last years of school before they decide on their careers. They will have no time to take the elective courses mentioned here. Industry recognizes this and will help with on-the-iob - training- and/or tuition aid if courses must be taken. Of course, one of the most useful ways for a student to begin to realize his or her industrial potential is to work in industry during the summer. There is no substitute for working in the industrial environment, and, if a t all possible, this should he done by every chemistry student who envisions a career in industry.
Volume 62 Number 9 September 1985
735
