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tical industry is willing to invest in research and development.” Albany Molecular Research also predicts a bright recruiting season. “We primarily serve the pharmaceutical/biotech sector,” says Brian D. Russell, the firm’s CHEMISTRY DEGREES Most recent data show number of Ph.D.s jumping significantly BACHELOR’S MASTER’S PH.D. 1982–83 10,796 1,622 1,758 1983–84 10,704 1,667 1,765 1984–85 10,482 1,719 1,836 1985–86 10,116 1,754 1,903 1986–87 9,670 1,738 1,975 1987–88 9,052 1,708 2,015 1988–89 8,625 1,774 1,970 1989–90 8,132 1,682 2,100 1990–91 8,321 1,665 2,194 1991–92 8,641 1,780 2,214 1992–93 8,914 1,842 2,137 1993–94 9,425 1,999 2,257 1994–95 9,722 2,099 2,162 1995–96 10,415 2,254 2,149 1996–97 10,644 2,240 2,148 1997–98 10,582 2,141 2,216 1998–99 a 10,120 2,037 2,132 1999–00 10,043 1,888 1,989 2000–01 9,493 1,985 1,980 2001–02 9,136 1,845 1,923 2002–03 na na 2,037 NOTE: Data were collected from degree-granting institutions. a Bachelor’s and master’s degree information estimated from ACS 1999 Starting Salary Survey. na = not available. SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics, National Science Foundation senior director of human resources. The growth in that sector provides “a positive outlook” for Albany Molecular, he adds. The company will have “an active recruiting year in the area of organic chemistry,” Russell says. And talks with other recruiters have suggested to him that chemical engineering graduates will enjoy a relatively strong market. “OUR CURRENT and expected customer demand indicates strong hiring trends in 2006 on the chemistry services side,” he adds. “While we cannot speak for the chemical industry as a whole, we believe our recruiting situation reflects the confidence in Albany Molecular from the market we serve, as well as current trends in that market.” The company is planning on hiring chemists at all degree levels in 2006, including new graduates and scientists with industry experience. In particular, he adds, Albany Molecular is looking for candidates with degrees in or experience with organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, and chemical engineering. Another bright segment for new chemists and chemical engineers is the petrochemi- COVER STORY cal industry. Despite extensive hurricane damage this year and last year, oil companies recently posted record profits. Though this irks a public battling dramatic increases in the cost of gasoline and heating oil, the windfall may translate into a number of opportunities for new chemists. “Higher demand is evident, particularly in the energy business, where there is an aging workforce,” says Susan K. Wilson, manager for recruitment marketing at BP America. “The current job market is very competitive for the best in class.” Top chemical engineers are getting multiple offers, she says, and “all students are enjoying a lot of attention.” At BP, “our needs are up about 30%, due to increased needs in exploration and production,” she says. The company is looking mostly for B.S.-level chemical engineers, plus a handful of Ph.D. chemical engineers and chemists, particularly those with a background in catalysts. In addition, its refining technology group is actively searching for chemists with experience. The company looks for candidates with solid technical skills who have demonstrated creativity and drive. “In addition to strong academic performance,” Wilson says, “experiential work, such as internships, distinguishes most higher quality candidates. Other petrochemical companies have similar outlooks. “The job market appears to be very good for chemical engineering students this year,” says Doug Chauveaux, manager of college relations and staffing for Chevron Phillips Chemical. “We attribute this to three factors: the economic market conditions in the chemical and petrochemical industry, the approaching retirement age of the baby boomer generation, and an insufficient number of students entering these disciplines each year. “Chevron Phillips Chemical’s recruiting situation generally mirrors that of the chemical industry,” he adds. The company is actively recruiting B.S.level chemical engineers in anticipation of large hiring needs. “When employees retire, our preference is to promote from within. As a result, there is a need for qualified graduates to fill these vacancies,” Chauveaux says. “In fact, Chevron Phillips Chemical expects to hire more graduates in the next two years than the total number of new hires in the company’s previous five years.” The company also recruits scientists and engineers with more experience when positions requiring such expertise open up. Currently, the company’s joint-venture project in Saudi Arabia, Jubail Chevron Phillips, has a need for experienced engineers, he says. University department heads mirror the uncertainty of industry representatives over this year’s hiring trends: Many were discouraged by early signs, fearing the recruiting situation for their students will be similar to or worse than last year, though others were encouraged by the initial progress of job seekers. The University of Pennsylvania’s Gary A. Molander, a professor of chemistry and acting vice chair of the chemistry department, for example, is optimistic about prospects for the department’s students. More companies than last year are coming to campus, he notes, the bulk being pharmaceutical or biotech companies. “It will be as good as last year or better,” he says. “There seem to be more opportunities at companies.” But he warns that it’s early in the season and first impressions might be misleading. Still, “last year turned out well,” Molander says. “Almost everyone got a job who was looking.” OF COURSE, chemists whose prime desire is pure research and who want the freedom to pursue their own interests without too much outside interference won’t be seeking positions in industry, but rather a place among the faculty of university or college chemistry departments. This is a longer and more challenging road, as postdocs are required for many of these positions, and competition for slots is fierce. Hiring committees often seek candidates with specific specialties, but they are also always on the lookout for star scientists. Yet, the outlook for jobs is promising, as advertising for academic positions in C&EN has jumped and most universities C&EN talked with continue to hire at a modest pace. The University of Pennsylvania is busy trying to fill four open chemistry faculty positions. “We’ve been authorized by the dean to search for three senior faculty, and we have the initial go-ahead to hire one junior faculty member,” Molander says. “This is part of a new initiative to try to recruit outstanding senior faculty.” The effort represents a marked departure from the department’s typical hiring pattern. “This is the most we’ve hired in the past six to 10 years,” he says. “We’ve been hiring one or fewer faculty a year on average over the past six years.” These faculty searches are open to any qualified candidate. “Our searches recently have been for the best candidate in any area,” Molander says. “Previously, we had been searching for candidates with specific specialties.” David E. Clemmer, chair of the department of chemistry at Indiana University, agrees that students looking for jobs will 3 8 C & E N / N O V E M B E R 7 , 2 0 0 5 W W W . C E N – O N L I N E . O R G
fare well. “I think in general that it’s still a pretty good market for our people,” he says. “I do think it may have slipped a little bit from last year, but I don’t know anyone having trouble finding a job.” He says that slightly fewer companies have visited the campus this year, but it’s not a significant difference. Those that do come are mostly pharmaceutical companies in the Midwest looking mostly for analytical and organic chemists. “Everybody got good positions” last year, he says. “We had people who had a range of different offers. But for others, offers didn’t come as quickly. And maybe searches are taking a little bit longer.” Fueled by a number of university initiatives, especially a new program in materials science and a new interdisciplinary science building that will feature genomics and proteomics facilities, the department is hiring pretty rapidly. It is looking for new faculty in all areas but in particular is “expanding in the area where chemistry merges with biology,” Clemmer says. Because of the expansion in lab space and losses from retirement, the department is “still understaffed at this point,” he adds. So it will continue to hire at an average rate of about three new faculty members a year, as it has in the past four years. “It’s a matter of the right fit of people—the right age distribution,” Clemmer says. “It’s not a matter of positions.” James J. Valentini, chair of Columbia University’s chemistry department, says the university is searching for two junior chemistry faculty—one in organic chemistry and the other in theoretical chemistry. And at the University of California, Berkeley, two faculty searches are also under way, says Michael A. Marletta, chair of the department of chemistry there. The department is looking to fill positions in interdisciplinary fields, specifically chemical biology and materials chemistry. “The exciting stuff is happening at the interfaces,” he says. “So we’re looking for people to work at the interfaces of traditional disciplines.” The recruiting efforts are designed to fill department needs and support a university-wide initiative in nanoscience. But, like most departments, Berkeley will still consider other strong applicants. “Outstanding candidates in any area of chemistry will be hired,” Marletta says, pointing out that recently the department created an extra position for a theoretician during a search for an experimental scientist, based on a candidate’s extremely strong potential. The recruiting situation for the depart- WHERE NEW GRADS FIND JOBS Universities and pharmaceutical firms employ large numbers of chemists ... Biotech 2% Elementary & secondary teaching 7% Federal, state & local government 8% Traditional chemical Other manufacturing 15% a 14% Respondents with Ph.D. degrees = 175 Pharmaceutical 14% Universities & colleges 13% Other manufacturing 16% Traditional chemical Analytical & hospital labs 13% Respondents with bachelor’s degrees = 704 a 11% Elementary & secondary teaching 1% Biotech 5% Federal, state & local government 6% Other 16% Universities & colleges 30% Pharmaceutical 18% ... and traditional chemical companies still employ the most chemical engineers Food 5% Universities & colleges 7% Pharmaceutical & biotech 8% Federal, state & local government 10% Other 10% ment’s students seems pretty similar to last year, Marletta says. The department’s graduate students headed mostly to postdocs, he adds, while its postdocs, “based on the reputation of their training, found jobs. But I can’t say everyone got their first choice.” IN ADDITION, the job market remains tight, and those who want to go from “a Ph.D. straight to industry might have to end up doing a postdoc that they wouldn’t have had to otherwise,” he says. Michael P. Doyle, a professor and chair of the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Maryland, is also worried. “It’s too early in the season to tell for sure, but from what I sense, there has been a shrinking in the marketplace for our students,” he says. “Responses are coming slower and fewer.” Last year, “our students did very well. I don’t know anyone who was left unemployed—individuals found the positions they wanted to be in,” he says. “I don’t think the same is going to be true this year.” He has already noticed more people applying for postdoctoral positions, possibly in anticipation of a difficult job market. The department is looking to hire two new faculty members this year, one specializing in organic chemistry and the other in biochemistry. “We’ve had open searches in the last couple of years, but we’re focusing more this year,” Doyle says. “We’re targeting these areas because of certain needs we have.” But like most universities, the department will pull strings to hire additional candidates if they are especially strong, regardless of their area of specialization. “There are always opportunities for people who present themselves who might be suitable for a position,” he adds. The chemical and pharmaceutical industries continue to face a number of difficult challenges, but hiring will continue at rates comparable to last year. That means job hunts may be difficult, but they won’t be impossible, as suggested by the ultimately successful outcomes reported by university representatives about last year’s graduates. There are still plenty of positions available for talented scientists with patience and perseverance. ■ W W W . C E N – O N L I N E . O R G C & E N / N O V E M B E R 7 , 2 0 0 5 3 9 Other 11% Traditional chemical a 28% Other manufacturing 20% Professional services 12% Respondents with bachelor’s degrees = 246 NOTE: Data are for newly graduated chemists and chemical engineers working full time. a Includes agricultural chemicals, basic chemicals, coatings and inks, personal care products, petroleum, plastics, rubber, soaps and detergents, specialty chemicals, and textiles. SOURCE: 2004 ACS Starting Salary Survey
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