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 Chemical
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing managers meet with customers and suppliers and work
with the scientists in their own firm. They often link the technical staff
at a company with its markets. Whereas scientists always interact with
customers on specific product issues, sales and marketing managers try to
track the long-term needs of a market and focus research on these needs.
Generally, sales marketing managers are assigned a product line and a
territory. They spend a good deal of time traveling and meeting with
customers in their territory. They also attend between six and ten trade
shows each year, where they make contacts with customers and
representatives from other companies. Many trained chemists work as sales
and marketing representatives in the chemical industry. They may market
the products of a commodity or specialty chemicals manufacturer, or they
may be employed by companies that use these chemicals. These include oil
and petroleum companies and service companies such as environmental
management firms, hazardous waste handlers, and water treatment companies.
Related Associations:
 American
Chemical Association
Chemical
Technology
Chemical technicians play a vital role in a variety of industries, working
with chemists and chemical engineers to develop, test, and manufacture
chemical products. Their career opportunities are diverse, depending on
where they work and their education, skills, and experience. Chemical
technicians operate standard laboratory equipment, set up apparatus for
chemical reactions, and perform chemical tests and experiments. They also
test for quality, performance, or composition of chemical compounds or
materials; conduct a variety of laboratory procedures, from routine
process control to complex re-search projects; and help devise syntheses
and analytical procedures. Other technicians act as troubleshooters;
manage databases; monitor pollution levels by testing water, soil, and
air; work in shipping to ensure that pack-aging of hazardous materials
complies with regulations; and work in pilot plants, assisting engineers
with running experiments in a miniature version of a manufacturing
process. Chemical technicians work in laboratories to en-sure that
processes are carried out safely, cost-effectively, and according to the
highest professional standards.
Related Associations:
American
Chemical Association
Colloid
and Surface Chemistry
Not a day goes by without some
aspect of colloid and surface science affecting us: The biomolecular and
physiological interactions that sustain life; the blue skies we see on a
beautiful day; the processed foods we eat; the medicines and cosmetics we
use; the soaps and detergents we use for cleaning; and other
numerous everyday products and processes we take for granted. A
colloid is a state of matter characterized by a large surface area per
unit volume or unit mass. Colloidal systems include solid-solid (metal
alloys); solid-liquid (a suspension such as muddy water); solid-gas
(smoke, airborne dust, aerosol inhalers); liquid-solid (butter, creams,
ointments, lotions, photographic emulsions, paints); liquid-liquid (an
emulsion such as milk); liquid-gas (fog, mist, aerosol sprays); gas-solid
(marshmallows); and gas-liquid (foams). Colloid and surface scientists
seek to understand the chemical and physical behavior of various
combinations of gases, liquids, and solids.
Related Associations:
American
Chemical Association
Consulting
Consultants play a combined role of journalist, lawyer, and teacher; they
gather information, shape it for a particular situation, and educate their
clients. In the chemical industry, consultants study products, markets,
manufacturing processes, environmental regulations, and patents. With this
information they assist executives in making business decisions concerning
new products, acquiring other companies, or reorganizing internally. Much
of a consultant's time is spent gathering information. This means
interviewing business managers; studying market trends; and reviewing
technical literature, commercial literature, and patents. Working alone,
consultants process this information and write reports for their clients.
Ultimately, a consultant's work involves interaction with people in a
broad range of specializations. A number of firms consult exclusively for
the chemical industry, and most major consulting firms have divisions that
serve chemical processors. These firms provide specific technical and
business services. Management consulting firms do some of the same work
but often focus their efforts on business management and personnel. Large
accounting firms are increasingly providing consulting services; and
environmental management companies consult on regulations, permits,
hazardous waste, and cleaner manufacturing processes.
Related Associations:
American
Chemical Association
Consumer
Products Development
Look
around your home and you'll see many examples of consumer product
chemistry. These include products for washing clothes, dishes, windows,
floors, tile, and bathroom fixtures. There are waxes and polishes for
floors, furniture, shoes, and cars. Personal care products comprise hand
and body soaps, hair shampoos and conditioners, toothpastes, cosmetics,
and deodorants. Chemists and chemical engineers have a hand in
developing all of these products. They also design manufacturing
processes for both the ingredient chemicals and the final products you
see on store shelves. Many types of companies participate in developing
consumer products-from multi-billion dollar firms doing business on a
global scale to very small firms. Basic chemicals are usually
manufactured by large chemical companies. Specialty chemicals are
produced by large, medium, and small-sized chemical companies. Consumer
products themselves are produced by formulating basic and specialty
chemicals.
The consumer products industry gives rise to a host of career
opportunities for chemists and chemical engineers at all degree levels.
The focus on formulations results in more laboratory product development
opportunities for bachelor's degree chemists than is the case in many
other fields. There are also opportunities for bachelor's and master's
degree chemists in chemical manufacturing plants and plants producing
consumer products as well as in sales where they may eventually move into
marketing and business management positions. Ph.D. chemists and chemical
engineers work largely in research positions developing new chemicals and
working towards an understanding of the chemical and physical processes
occurring when the consumer products are manufactured and used. Many also
work in formulation development. Some hold research or business management
positions.
Related Associations:
American
Chemical Association
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by
the American Chemical Society and the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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