Analytical Chemist Job Kit

CAREERS

withSTEM JOB KIT ™

ANALYTICAL

CHEMIST Solve problems in everything from medicine and the environment to food and forensics with this exciting career.

CHANGE IT. WITH ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. From environmental protection to medical breakthroughs, analytical chemistry opens doors to exciting careers where you can make a difference.

CRICOS provider: Monash University 00008C Monash College 01857J

Study the Bachelor of Science at Monash and help shape a better tomorrow.

Find out more here:

FOREWORD

Make a difference

Shezmin Ismail Analytical chemist

Analytical chemists solve problems for a living

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it might not be obviou s but you’re surrounded by analytical chemistry daily”

inspired to hen I was young, I was by the books follow a pat h in science home who I saw at a family friend ’s This started was a famous scientist. and delving in to the my passion for research biolog y in university un known. I took up micro ng in a research lab, but when I started worki chemistr y was to all I rea lised how close knit transitioned to being s fields of science and thu an analy tical chemist. ys a critical role in Analy tical chemistr y pla ence around obtaining, understanding basic sci ating information processing and communic lying it to a variety of about chemicals, and app transcends different practical applications. It ensic science, the fields be it medicine, for aceuticals or industria l arm environment, food, ph immediately obvious, processes. It might not be analy tical chemistr y but you’re surrounded by ich perfume fragrance daily. From deciding wh an fuel for your car, to you like, to obtaining cle compounds, to food and identifying crime scene al diagnosis – the list beverage testing to medic chemists focus on al is endless! Some analy tic of data collected as nts ou exploring the large am s with the advent of AI thi part of the process, and of h adt useful. The bre is becoming even more ans you can find your me y str mi analy tical che ence. I enjoyed the niche, and ma ke a differ my PhD in Analy tical opportunit y of pursuing iversity as part of the Chemistry at Monash Un

Bachelor of Science (Chemistry, Microbiology) PhD in Analytical Chemistry at Monash University

Graduate Research Indust ry partnership - this exposed me to people wo rking in a variety of chemistr y fields which also meant I cou ld build a network of professiona ls that helped me shape my career and transitio n bet ween industry and academia. During my Ph D I also did an internship with BA SF, on e of the largest chemical manufacturers in the wo rld. This internship fur ther opened my eyes to how much the world of chemistr y can ma ke a difference to human, animal and plant lives in mu ltiple fields.

Today, as a senior applica tion scientist and analy tical lab manager, my role incorporates a large focus on analy tic al chemistr y principles.

Working as an analy tical chemist has placed me in a field that conne cts scientific challenges with technological needs , enabling me to ma ke well-informed decisions that create impact.

There’s a continuous sen se of fulfillment in solving problems and un covering answers to questions.

Shezmin Ismail Senior Application Scien tist and Lab Manager, Trajan Scientific and Me dical Research Assistant (Soil microbial biotechnology)

Master of Science (Biotechnology)

tion Teaching Associate & Applica Chemist, Monash University

Analytical Chemist (Solvent Based Fuel)

t and Lab Manager, Senior Application Scientisand Medical Trajan Scientific

Check out CareerswithSTEM.com for more insights, information, inspiration and advice about analytical chemist careers!

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ANALYTICAL CHEMIST

DEEP DIVE

Analyse this Love science and want a career that’ll make a difference to people’s lives and the planet? Here’s why you’ll have a *positive reaction* to studying analytical chemistry!

A What to study STEP 1

Enrol in any Bachelor of Science Degree or Honours program and undertake at least eight chemistry units including the Analytical Chemistry Units listed below.

STEP 2

igates the n analytical chemist invest substances chemical composition of de of ma to work out what they’re they how as ll and how they form, as we ct in rea and ials interact with other mater ke ma to s thi do ey different conditions. Th the and ns ma hu for e sure products are saf l chemistry can environment. “Analytica ries including ust ind ny take you into ma ality control, pharmaceuticals, food qu mining and environmental analysis, Perran Cook consulting,” says Professor ool of Sch of Monash University’s direct the to n Chemistry. “In additio more the rn, lea analytical skills you orting rep g, vin sol m generalised proble

In your first year, choose these prerequisites:

• CHM1011 (Chemistry I) or CHM1051 (Chemistry I Advanced) and • CHM1022 (Chemistry II) or CHM1052 (Chemistry II Advanced)

and understanding of an alytical chemistry will also help underpin car eers in diverse fields including the public service, environmental managem ent and NGOs.” When it comes to the exp ertise an analytical chemist will nee d, Perran says, “A good analytical chemi st requires a fundamental understand ing of how chemicals behave, good att ention to detail, an ability to follow stand ard procedures as well as problem solving ski lls.”

If analytical chemistry sou nds like your dream STEM study path and future gig, dive into this Job Kit. You’ll learn more about the purpose of analy tical chemistry, and be able to explore stu dy and career paths in this diverse scient ific field.

professor philip marriott monash school of chemistry

STEP 3

In your second year, take:

• CHM2922 (Spectroscopy and Analytical Chemistry) • And one or two more second year chemistry units STEP 4

In your third year, take:

• CHM3952 (Advanced Analytical Chemistry) • And two or three more third year chemistry units

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STEP 5

If you’ve completed four units of third-year chemistry and have an average distinction grade, you can then undertake an honours year which includes an advanced research project.

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career options inistry analytical chem m the School of Chemistry Professor Philip Marriott fro re are lots of career at Monash University says the try. options in analytical chemis mistry and allied sphere che the in “Many industries ped in the analytical have a need for the skills develo analytical chemistry lab chemist; many have their own ess incoming raw materials, which provides services to ass duces,” he explains. or products the company pro and minerals production, “Food industries, materials and per fume petrochemicals, essential oil nufacturers, forensics, manufacturers, chemical ma analytical ser vices labs, clinical labs, environmental, anufacturers all benefit and instrument suppliers/m from analytical chemistry.”

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All the skills strong foundation in •A chemistry fundamentals roficiency in various •P analytical techniques (spectroscopy, chromatography, and mass spectrometry) ata analysis and •D interpretation skills nderstanding of •U instrument operation and maintenance nowledge of quality •K control and assurance practices • F amiliarity with relevant software and data management tools roblem-solving, critical •P thinking abilities, and communication skills for reporting results

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Techniques Professor Bayden Wood, Head of Monash Biospectroscopy Group, says a career in analytical chemistry requires a diverse set of skills and knowledge, like in the list to the left.

Bayden adds that expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has also become valuable.

“At Monash University, we cultivate these skills through a comprehensive approach that combines theoretical coursework with practical experience,” he says. “Our program features hands-on laboratory sessions using state-of-the-art instrumentation, research projects that expose students to real-world analytical challenges, industry partnerships providing internship opportunities, workshops on data analysis and scientific writing, and an emphasis on method development and validation in advanced courses. We have integrated AI and ML into our curriculum, offering specialised courses and projects that teach students to apply these powerful tools to analytical chemistry problems.”

ANALYTICAL CHEMIST

REAL PEOPLE

l a c i t y l a n a e r e Wh u o y e k a t n a c chemistry Check out three unique career areas in this exciting field of science!

INDUSTRY

Andrew Wright LC/VOC Team Leader

you work…

Cw S: Tell us about where testing and quality a A: I work at SGS Australia, Switzerland. SGS has in ed assurance company bas divisions that all involve many different and diverse ision mainly conducts some kind of testing – my div l, water and air samples. environmental testing on soi involve?

Cw S: What does your job uid chromatography) (liq A: Making sure that the LC pounds) teams can get and VOC (volatile organic com day, sometimes with reports out at the end of the s can involve coordinating a same-day turnaround. Thi , troubleshooting tasks, repairing instruments reports, responding methods, training staff, writing I also try to take on as to client queries and more. earch and development much special project and res work as I’m able to. have for students who Cw S: What advice do you tsteps? want to follow in your foo lls as much as possible. ski al ctic pra r A: Exercise you the industry who can fix We need more ‘tinkerers’ in utions on the fly. things and develop new sol

Julia Ellingsen Laboratory Manager + Senior Scientist

Bachelor of Science (Honours), Monash University Chemist, SGS Australia

PhD in Organic Chemistry, Monash University Senior Chemist, SGS Australia

Senior Laboratory Technician, SGS Australia LC/VOC Team Leader, SGS Australia

CwS: What drew you to analytical chemistry?

J: Funnily enough I didn’t particularly enjoy chemistry in high school.

When I got to university, I decided to do a postgraduate degree in Forensic Science, which required first year Chemistry. After going back to basics, I discovered I actually enjoyed it (particularly the lab side of things) so continued it through second and third year and eventually completing an Honours project at the end of my degree.

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CwS: What do you do in your role at Sharp & Howells?

J: We do a lot of work with concrete testing (both site and laboratory) so I coordinate all of the site testing bookings. I also assist with delegating projects, assigning tasks, reviewing staff reports, and getting into the lab and performing varying tests. From food contaminants, identification of foreign matter, concrete testing, synthetic cannabinoids analysis, de-formulations – there are so many different opportunities each day.

CwS: What exciting opportunities do you see coming up in your field?

J: Projects in sustainability – particularly in the concrete industry are becoming a bigger focus every day. Working with customers to assist in developing lower carbon alternatives and increasing the use of recycled materials wherever possible.

Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Chemistry), La Trobe University

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Analyst, Sharp & Howells

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Laboratory Manager and Senior Scientist, Sharp & Howells

Callum Gassner Research assistant

RESEARCH

alytical chemistry skills an r’s ne ss Ga m llu Ca ? ch mu , Full circle his pathway started have taken him back to where

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t things broad, fter high school Callum kep ence at Monash Sci enrolling in a Bachelor of eventually to n sio Univer sity with the mis ously chose sci con er nev narrow down a major. “I s. “But it was say he ” try, mis to pur sue analytical che cool things that the opportunity to discover eventually led me to it!” he in chemistry. He Callum went on to find his nic , a handful of research undertook an honour s degree g from carbon storage jobs - “studying in everythin ” - and then eventually to mummification practices!

Analytical Chemistry. in y a Doctorate of Philosoph g relationship he In fact, it was the great workin rs that led him to his first had with his PhD superviso ch assistant at Monash. big postgrad gig as a resear that required someone “They had a couple projects lucky they were keen with my skill set,” he said. “I’m to keep me around!” , currently studying Now Callum works on campus g out on a project ancient materials and helpin lapse treatments, and pro an researching pelvic org lytical chemistry as he is just as excited about ana was during first year. d you think you’d like His advice? “Identify the fiel hniques they use and to work in, find out what tec m as possible while you get as much exposure to the are still studying.”

Bachelor of Science (Honours), Monash University

Day in the life of a research assistant

• Arrive at uni, sort samples and prepare instruments.

• Check emails and organise

discussions with collaborators.

• Begin analysis of samples.

• While waiting for analyses, tackle

other tasks - meeting with collaborators, potential collaborators or other research groups, read and write journal articles, look into new options for sample prep, tackle data analysis from previous days and prepare samples for future analysis.

Doctor of Philosophy (Analytical Chemistry), Monash University

Research Assistant, Monash University

• Finalise sample analysis, transfer data and head home around 6pm.

Kai Robinson senior technical officer

OVERSEAS

ry in analytical chemist Kai Robinson’s career en gigs all over the world has landed him next-g

of the lab and into mistry regularly takes him out ai’s career in analytical che says. “I have he uable in many workplaces,” the field. “The skills are val and PET recycling es ies, breweries, wineries, min worked in chocolate factor facilities, you name it.”

(Applied Chemistry), Masters in Applied Science a h wit ay hw pat his off g Kickin s in labs around the sive product specialist role res imp h wit ed per pep is CV Kai’s lysis, atomic spectroscopy niche areas like thermal ana in ise ert exp h wit And rld. wo , we’re not surprised. and molecular spectroscopy Kai has dedicated his heart of analytical chemistry, With communication at the instrumentation of the world’s top scientific career to suppor ting some tions and training users tomers, developing applica manufacturers and their cus , Thailand, Vietnam, Ma ua New Guinea, Fiji, laysia Pap as h suc ies ntr cou t throughou Australia and New Zealand.

K

Master of Applied Science, Applied Chemistry, RMIT

Applications Chemist, Varian, Inc.

Product Specialist, PerkinElmer

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analytical ch istry skills are valuableem many environments” in Applications Chemist, Mettler Toledo

Senior Technical Officer, Monash University

ANALYTICAL CHEMIST

Follow

Get the job!

If analytical chemistry is the right pathway for you then you’ll be in your *element* on this page.

Stay across all things chemis try by following Monash Che mistry on LinkedIn and X. Here you’ll find what current students are up to, get a behind-the-scenes look at their labs and facilities, read about the latest research in this space, hear about upcoming chemis try webinars, and see what studen t life is like at Monash Universit y!

Monash Chemistry

@ChemistryMonash

Choose this career if you…

✔ Love al l th ings ch em istry ✔ Are an analytica l th in ker ✔ Have good attention to deta il ✔ Li ke a chal lenge

Electives checklist

ol electives?

Fi na lising hi gh scho t you on ll These subjects wi se reer in ca a the right path to ry. ist em analy tical ch g ✔ Applied Computin sh gli En ✔ Chem istry ✔ ience ✔ Envi ronmenta l Sc ✔ Mathematics

Listen Analytical chemistry podcasts to subscribe to!

Analytically Speaking

separation This podcast deep dives into scopy. ctro spe al science and analytic al lytic ana new You’ll hear about roaches, techniques, methods and app data in ges llen cha me rco how to ove rument inst in st late the all and s, analysi er and software tech. They cov too. ory the try mis che al lytic ana

Watch Level up your chemistry knowledge by binge watching these docos.

Chemistry: A Volatile History (BBC) Learn about the history of modern chemistry and how elements were discovered and mapped. This one is presented by theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili.

istry Careers in Analytical Chem

The Chemical World (ABC) Explores how studying chemistry gives us hope in fighting cancer and other diseases and looks at how scientific breakthroughs can help reverse human damage to the environment.

ple Listen to interviews with peo analytical of field the in or with king wor into what s ght chemistry. Such good insi this gig! in like be your workdays could

Employer guide Get to know the following workplaces who all need analytical chemists.

Laboratories: • ALS • Eurofins • SGS • Sharp & Howells Scientific manufacturers:

Pep talk

school of Chemistry

• Agilent • Metrohm • Mettler Toledo • PerkinElmer • Thermo Fisher Scientific • T rajan Scientific and Medical

Check out your study options at istry monash.edu/chem

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detective work for molecules “Analytical chemistry is like blems and uncover what’s - you get to solve complex pro s. Whether you’re hidden in the tiniest of sample dicine, forensics, or the investigating problems in me turning data into environment, you’re the one even the smallest details discoveries. It’s a field where hroughs. It’s where can lead to the biggest breakt iosity, and it’s the cur and science meets precision ances. Every molecule adv ific ent backbone of so many sci re out what it’s saying.” has a story, and we get to figu dr kamila kochan er, School of Chemistry – Dr Kamila Kochan, Lectur lecturer, Monash at Monash University.