Analytical Chemistry Jobs

Before we answer this, we must first address what Analytical Chemistry jobs actually involve, let's get back to basics....

Analytical chemistry jobs are so very varied, ranging from hands on use of the equipment (such as LC-MS and GC-MS) to a service engineer role where you troubleshoot and maintain the equipment.

The fundamental idea of science is in the name. Coming from the Latin scientia meaning ‘knowledge’, science is the gain of knowledge through observation, whether it be direct or indirect! The Ability to analyse and interpret data is as an important part to human development as invention and forward thinking is. This is why Analytical Chemistry Jobs are so important and should be recognised as such.

No matter what you are doing right now, an analytical chemist will have had some input into the production of most of the objects to hand. The varnish used in the table you are sitting at and the chemicals used for manufacturing the computer screen you are currently staring at.

Analytical chemistry jobs are also steeped in history in the UK. The most famous company of all is undoubtedly Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), founded in 1926 and finally disbanded in 2008, ICI paved the way for the chemical industries success in the UK. With British universities among the top in the world, finding talent to fill Analytical Chemistry jobs has never been a problem. The problem has been exactly what position to choose.

The more extroverted of us have most probably been tempted by sales jobs. Sales of analytical equipment can be very lucrative but make no mistake it is no walk in the park. You must have the rare combination of knowing a product and its capabilities and be able to listen to what people actually need. It is no use to preach about a Mass Spectrometers sensitivity if the consumers needs it for routine analysis of known products where a simple HPLC (UV-Vis) would suffice. The rest of us do the hard work of maintaining the analytical equipment and using it to keep the chemical manufacturing industry well lubricated in the UK. We are the service engineers, the method developers and valuators’ let’s not forget the Quality Assurance personel that ensure the smooth running of the industry so that everyone else can enjoy the products and services that are traded on a daily basis.

So, why are Analytical Chemistry jobs so important.... well the modern world just couldn’t function without them!

For more information about the types of analytical chemistry jobs available, please send us your CV and we will be in contact.

All views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of VRS UK

As advancements are made within Bioanalysis we investigate how Bioanalysis jobs have evolved as scientific boundaries have been pushed back.

Bioanalysis is the quantitative analysis of drugs and drug metabolites within biological matrices such as plasma, urine and tissue samples. It’s origins date back to the 1930’s, although it was the mid 20th Century when it became commonplace as part of the drug development process. Since then the number of bioanalysis jobs and Science Jobs have increased dramatically with the application of the science.

Bioanalysis jobs require expertise in analytical chemistry, aswell as a broad range of complementary ‘soft’ skills. The technical aspect to bioanalysis jobs has changed significantly from the early days. Following the introduction of HPLC in the 1970’s this technique then became the primary tool of bioanalysis until the advent of LC-MS… In the years to follow LC-MS/MS analysis has become the mainstay of bioanalysis jobs.

In response to demand for faster, smaller and more sensitive instrumentation, instrument vendors are consistently bringing new technology to market. Bioanalysis jobs reflect this; companies are taking advantage of the latest technologies and require analytical chemistry Jobs with hands-on experience with this instrumentation. For example, candidates with UPLC experience have been highly desirable in recent years.

Today we have noted a marked increase in the requirement for jobs such as Analytical Chemistry Jobs, bioanalysis jobs and Science Jobs. applicants to possess experience in Dried Blood Spot techniques. There has also been a rise in the number of biologicals coming to market and subsequently the demand for scientists experienced in ligand based assay techniques and the latest automated immunoassay platforms has risen.

The requirement for particular personal competencies in bioanalysis jobs has also changed over the years. Traditionally bioanalysts have worked within large organisations providing a service to their Research and Development colleagues. Increasingly this work is being outsourced to Contract Research Organisations (CRO). Here it remains essential to possess strong attention to detail, teamwork and interpersonal skills, but we are seeing an increasing need for bioanalysts to have commercial awareness too. In CRO’s bioanalysts are providing a service to external customers and as such they need to have a strong appreciation for customer service, working to tight deadlines and within budget. With the rise in bioanalysis jobs within CRO’s has come an increase in the need for Study Directors (those responsible for individual bioanalysis studies through from initial planning to final report).

As history has proven, it is crucial for future applicants to keep an eye on scientific advancements to ensure they are gaining the appropriate theoretical and practical experience to secure the most exciting bioanalysis jobs, Analytical Chemistry Jobs and Science Jobs.

Science Jobs

We’ve all been asked the question at some point in our early career: “Would you like to work in sales?!” “Are you interested in scientific sales?”

Let’s be honest, the first thing that comes to mind is a double-glazing salesman who would most probably sell his own Grandmother to make a quick buck.  Door-to-door sales and cold calling is nobody’s dream job and I’m sure the repetitive nature can make a small percentage go practically insane.

I would like to argue that scientific sales jobs differ somewhat from the image above. Certainly those within our industry of Mass Spectrometry and Chromatography would like to say so.  Scientists like to buy from scientists. For this, a solid understanding of the customer, industry and products are absolutely paramount.  It is from my experience that an employer is more likely to take on an outgoing technical boffin and train them to sell ethically, than they would a non-scientific sales stereotype.

A world class sales benchmarking study revealed that the calibre of the salesperson, in a B2B environment, is the most important factor influencing prospects’ decisions to buy. It also demonstrated that an average company loses between 10% and 30% of its customers each year. With this in mind, you would expect a suitable sales force to have the relevant technical knowledge and educational background to ensure customer retention and excellent customer service.

Scientific sales jobs are more on a consultative level and the ability to listen far outweighs the need to wax-lyrical about a particular product or idea (‘gift of the gab’). Influence is key but ultimately it is the customers’ goal, budget and time frame that you must adhere to when it comes to Science Jobs. Providing solutions to the customer and actually believing in your product should be the very top of your priorities.

Scientific sales jobs come in several different formats and responsibilities, from instrument/equipment sales to solution selling and consumables. Please see our latest scientific sales jobs http://www.vrs-uk.net/index.php?option=com_jobboard&view=list&catid=50&layout=list&Itemid=123&jobsearch=&keysrch=&locsrch=

All views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of VRS UK.