Chemists
If you woke up one day, looked in the mirror, and found strange spots on your face, you'd obviously go see a specialist doctor. They'd run some tests on you and prescribe some medication to help you get better, and then you'd head to a pharmacy to buy it. But have you ever thought about how medicines are actually made? The process of manufacturing medicine goes through many different stages that can take decades. Producing a single medicine for any disease is a complicated undertaking that requires hundreds of studies and trials. Any new medicine is first tested on animals, then on human volunteers who receive careful medical monitoring while using it. Only after its effectiveness is fully confirmed is it released onto the market. But do you know who actually makes these medicines and handles all these tasks? They're the chemists who work in research centers, laboratories, and pharmaceutical companies.
Meet the Writer: Waleed Abo Omiraa
What You'll Actually Do
The core tasks and responsibilities that fill a typical day.
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- Compile and analyze test information to determine process or equipment operating efficiency or to diagnose malfunctions.
- Confer with scientists or engineers to conduct analyses of research projects, interpret test results, or develop nonstandard tests.
- Direct, coordinate, or advise personnel in test procedures for analyzing components or physical properties of materials.
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- Prepare test solutions, compounds, or reagents for laboratory personnel to conduct tests.
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
- Conduct quality control tests.
- Evaluate laboratory safety procedures to ensure compliance with standards or to make improvements as needed.
- Purchase laboratory supplies, such as chemicals, when supplies are low or near their expiration date.