Analytical Chemist
Analytical chemists study chemical compounds to determine what they are composed of and how they interact with other substances. Their research has an important role in understanding the relationship between chemistry and the environment, food, fuel, and human and animal medicines.
What Responsibilities Will I Have?
- Plan and carry out laboratory work
- Develop and test new and improved analytical methodologies and techniques
- Conduct product chemistry studies that meet worldwide regulatory requirements
- Perform specialized chemical analysis methods like spectroscopy (the study of the absorption and emission of light and other radiation by matter) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, a technique in analytical chemistry used to separate, identify and quantify each component in a mixture)
- Provide solutions to support active ingredient development, product formulation and packaging development
- Determine how medicines may interact with other medicines or the body of an organism
- Support product registrations by providing priority analysis, methodology and expertise to regulatory authorities around the world
- Interpret and report analytical data generated using statistics
- Design, build and conduct stability studies
- Properly document and report lab results
- Troubleshoot and refine analytical processes
- Communicate the results of studies and trials to leadership and outside audiences as needed
- Work with scientists across other disciplines including synthetic chemistry, formulation development, quality assurance, discovery and manufacturing
- Assist in the preparation and writing of regulatory filings
- Provide testimony to government agencies as needed
- Develop a basic understanding of applicable manufacturing processes and chemistries
Recommended High School Courses:
- agricultural education
- biology
- chemistry
- writing
- statistics
- computer skills
Education/Training Required:
A bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry, laboratory science or a related field is required to become an analytical chemist. Depending on the scope of the position, a doctorate degree may be required for positions that involve formulation.
