Dear AMMRL Folks,
I posted a query concerning the market for BA/BS graduates in NMR
facilities. Several requested summaries and some indicated a current
or future interest in hiring a BA/BS, so I have posted the information
to the list. (We had recent server/email issues so some responses were
lost, but I have tried to give a comprehensive account.)
My query:
Is there a job market for BA or BS graduates in NMR facilities? I
often see PhD-level positions, but cannot remember any BA/BS level
offerings. Is there a good source or clearinghouse for such information?
Overall, there is not a clearinghouse for this information, most places
end up hiring locally at the BA/BS level, the positions are limited,
and this list seems like one of the top resources. I've listed the
specific responses below.
THANKS to all who responded.
Responses:
"There certainly is, but from my experience, we don't do print
advertising for those kind of positions nationally, only
locally/regionally ... although our OAA does post all positions on web
services so they are technically visible anywhere. Now whether the
salary being offered would represent an inducement for someone to
relocate across the country unless they had some other reason (e.g.
family) to do so--I'd be dubious."
"Here at Purdue, we have a clerical assistant (no degree), a LN2 fill
technician (BSME), an engineer (myself, BSET), a scientist (PhD), and a
Director (PhD). There are many NMR and MRI field engineers with a BS,
AS or no degree. They mostly come from electronics backgrounds, often
in the
military. I doubt a BS Chemist could have enough experience to be
desirable in the market."
"Yes, there is definitely a market, but it is rare to find a B.S. level
graduate who has NMR experience. Typically the jobs are posted as
'general spectroscopy' and candidates are evaluated by their ability to
learn quickly and communicate well."
"I see assistant NMR administrators at the BS level and I see NMR
positions in industry at the BS/MS quite frequently. More often than
not the lead NMR facility person is a PhD and assistants are BS/MS."
"We are currently looking for someone with a BS to run our NMR
spectrometer. The job would not be just routine work. The person
would need to do some rather complicated and interesting experiments on
a regular basis. NMR spectroscopy is the most complicated analytical
procedure that we do here. I think that there is a job market for NMR
spectroscopists at any degree level. However, most places hire based
on skills other than the instruments that a person is proficient with.
I need someone enthusiastic about NMR that knows the basic physics.
The rest is not difficult to teach. I would be interested in any
information you gather.
Patrick Tishmack, Ph.D.
Research Investigator/NMR Spectroscopist
SSCI, Inc.
3065 Kent Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906-1076
Tel. 765-463-0112 ext. 376
Fax: 765-463-4722"
"I can only tell you from our experience that our HR department asks us
to hire from within first and then to go to local colleges and
universities. We have always filled openings this way except for
engineers and we got tons of PhD's as well as BS people by advertising
in C&E News, local papers and Science. You can also post jobs at NMR
Meetings, ENC, EAS, ACS or SMASH for example. I think I have seen a
few on AMMRL for lower degree positions too."
"This listserve will probably be your best bet. Though a BA/BS chemist
or physicist could run an instrument, there are a lot of details that
go beyond a BS knowledge.
1. There's a huge amount of computer knowledge, generally Unix or
Linux that most of us use to do routine things like maintain disks,
upgrade software, protect from hackers, backup data ......
2. When there is a problem with the spectrometer, experience counts.
Personally, I spent several years learning in a multiuser NMR facility
before going on to direct a lab. Each instrument has its own quirks
and knowing how to solve those is helpful.
3. Lab directors often are problem solvers. We constantly answer "Can
I solve this problem by NMR?" Most of us know chemistry, biology and a
little physics as well."
"A BS/BA degree may well serve for an associate to the lab director.
Many problems are repetitive and easily solved by someone with a small
amount of knowledge.
"There is a market but I suspect that most people hire locally like we
do so you don't see many listings. Serious advertising and moving
expenses are
avoidable for positions that can be filled locally."
"I have seen most of the BS level jobs requiring NMR on the more
general job sites. For example, search on Monster.com with the key
word NMR."
"The pharmaceutical industry uses several BS/MS level persons at each
site. Often we have to take new BS with little or no NMR training and
bring them up to speed using in-house, vendor, or commercial training."
"In my observations and experiences related to NMR facilities, it seems
there are relatively few NMR facility positions available to, or
actually suited for, BA/BS chemists---especially for those without a
truly sound training in the field. The exceptions are more likely to
occur in large facilities that are staffed by large support groups; the
training and talents of a BS/BA chemist there could probably be used in
a relatively effective manner."
"I asked this question at an NMR conference ("why do all the ads ask
for a PhD?") and got the reply that the pharmaceutical company they
worked for used this as a first pass filter, discouraging applicants
with BS, MS degrees. If the person wanted to apply they could and then
it was up to personnel to look at the credentials of the applicant. If
you don't apply you won't be considered."
I work for the government and have a BS in Chemistry. My agency (U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration) is hiring chemists with a BS in
Chemistry at present. The jobs are not NMR specific, but knowledge in
basic NMR would be a plus for the applicant.(and the lab that hires
them) since all the labs have new Varian Mercury 400's for quantitative
and qualitative analysis. I would encourage you to have anyone (even
MS and PhDs) check out DEA. Its interesting work.
[
http://www.dea.gov/job/chemist/index.htm]"
Judith C. Amburgey-Peters
Associate Professor of Chemistry
College of Wooster
Department of Chemistry
943 College Mall
Wooster, OH 44691
330-263-2014 voice
330-263-2386 fax
Progress involves risk. You cannot steal second and keep your foot on
first. (Unknown)
Received on Wed Jun 16 2004 - 10:51:33 MST