Finding a Job

There is a vast range of jobs in which you can make use of your Chemistry degree. Historically students who graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemistry leave to work in the following sectors (approximate % of students given, data from 2010):

Sector Percentage
Academia 51%
Industry 35%
Government 8%
Professions 2%
Other 4%

There are many ways to find out more about jobs. Here are some ideas:

  1. Talk to older students who are actively looking for jobs about where they are looking and what their experiences have been.
  2. Go to the career fairs for science Masters and Ph.D. students. These are typically held in September and are organized by the career center, which has many useful resources for finding jobs.
  3. Talk to your advisor. Ask him/her what jobs are available in your particular field, if you wish to continue in it.
  4. Fully utilize departmental career events, such as the Fall ACS Career Workshop and scheduled industry information and interview sessions.