Those working as analytical chemists are typically employed in the pharmaceutical industry, but can often find work in forensics and various manufacturing firms as well. These skilled professionals use a number of investigative methods to determine the chemical behaviour and nature of a substance
Day-to-day tasks can vary quite a bit depending on activity in the industry, but all posts will involve regularly analysing and testing samples, subjecting them to different conditions via spectroscopy and different forms of chromatography, utilising analytical software, recording data, interpreting results and creating investigative reports
A Bachelors degree in chemistry and solid knowledge of numerous chemical disciplines is a must for this position, however post-graduate degrees can be immensely beneficial in this highly competitive field.
Starting salaries for an analytical chemist can be anywhere from around £20,000 to £30,000 per annum, and senior-level chemists typically see per annum salaries stretching from £30,000 to £50,000. The average figure in the United Kingdom is just over £30,000 per annum.