Dear AMMRL Colleagues:
I must post a followup to my summary message yesterday. I advertently,
and very inappropriately, left identifying information in one of the
responses which was believed would be summarized anonymously as is
customary practice. The mentioned position has been filled through the
appropriate and typical procedures, and the contributor should not be
contacted directly.
I apologize profusely for an breech in etiquette and any inconvenience
I may have caused. I certainly do not want to abuse the privileges of
this list nor compromise any responses that list members may want to
contribute.
Sincerest apologies,
Judith C. Amburgey-Peters
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Judy Amburgey-Peters <jamburgey_at_wooster.edu>
> Date: Wed Jun 16, 2004 10:19:25 AM US/Eastern
> To: ammrl_at_chemnmr.colorado.edu
> Subject: Job market followup
>
> 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)
>
>
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 Thu Jun 17 2004 - 16:47:46 MST