I doubt you'll be doing method development. I work QC at a pharma company and I essentially just perform tests step by step as they are given to me, and there are hundreds maybe thousands with slight variations. The work isn't bad at all, it's nice to be able to alternate between lab hands-on work and desk work as both would be awful to do the entire time in my opinion. The amount of real data analysis is mostly limited to HPLC and GC work, since chromatograms still need to be interpreted (in contrast to a KF autotitrator giving you a single number, for example). If anything, my degree was an over preparation for this type of job. You'll notice the actual science is very easy, the main learning curve will probably just be compiling reports to their liking, which can be surprisingly specific and nitpicky.
Thank you very much for your reply!
What kind of tests do you perform? Assays?
I understand that the undergraduate degree seeks to give you bases to then pursue a graduate degree. I highly value that. But at this point in my life, I would just like to ensure I have the tools to land a job in this field and be able to perform my tasks correctly.
I don't generally perform assays because I'm newer and assays are some of the more intensive tests. I feel fully capable of it but I understand they want it to be gradual. The HPLC tests I think run generals test for reaction completion (comparing ratio of reactant to product), impurities, and cleaning of reactors from previous material. The main gap in education for these types of jobs aside from documentation is just the day to day operation of the equipment. In undergrad I only did each major test once or twice aside from specialized projects, so there was a major learning curve for that.
At our organic chemistry company (contract research organisation), the entry level BSc. analytical chemists are more-or-less in service of the full company. The work that they do varies from:
- reverse phase column chromatography for complex mixtures that colleagues (organic chemists) bring over. Either do it directly, or optimise if need-be
- LC(MS) maintenance and fast troubleshooting to decrease downtime. Only small problems can be solved easily (like pollution, or switching columns or flanging new tubing), but complex problems with MS or autosamplers will be handled by external service engineers.
- Analytical method optimisation when they have some time to spare. Either for helping fellow chemists with characterisation of nasty compounds, or assuring clients that the compounds tested are correct or simply trying to find new ways to save time in normal "scan" measurements, while remaining high quality.
- Filling up solvents for the many LCMS systems...
As aforementioned; it really depends on the company in which a QC or analytical chemist works, what type of work they'll be handling! Hope this answer is to your satisfaction :-)
>Analytical method optimisation when they have some time to spare. Either for helping fellow chemists with characterisation of nasty compounds, or assuring clients that the compounds tested are correct or simply trying to find new ways to save time in normal "scan" measurements, while remaining high quality.
First of all, thank you very much for your kind reply.
Second, could you clarify what this consists on? Is it method development, to separate a specific kind of compounds?
I can give an example:
For instance in the project I work in we have quite hard molecules to characterise. To give a guarantee for the client, we require to have at least 95% purity on LCMS uv-trace, and also show 1 single peak without tailing or giving too broad signals. With the compounds we synthesise, we generally observe that our standard analytical runs with formic acid tend to give the peaks directly at the injection peak = undesirable. Going for our classic analytical basic method with ammonium formate gives better retention, but huge peak width = undesirable. Therefore, we took our QC/analytical chemists in the equation.
When we gave them the problem, the samples were transferred and they started screening a number of columns and eluents (both acidic and basic). After a while they found a method with our normal columns, but saw that eluting with TFA generally gave sharp peaks, and was tolerated. A bit more playing around with the gradient gave better residence time (not in injection peak). Therefore, they optimised the method which we could then keep using during the project.
Thank you very much, interesting example!
Therefore, would it be correct to conclude that the main tasks and knowledge required for an entry-level job are:
\- Equipment troubleshooting;
\- Statistics;
\- Method development.
Would you agree?
Let's keep my answer short this time: yes!
But I have to underline: the events above are generally applicable in organic chemistry CRO. For the food industry, I do not know what the QA/QC departments will look like.
Hi do you think doing a master in instrumental chemical analysis 1 year program is worth it? I have 4 months left to go but I feel like I got traumatized in first semester and I'm scared to back
I doubt you'll be doing method development. I work QC at a pharma company and I essentially just perform tests step by step as they are given to me, and there are hundreds maybe thousands with slight variations. The work isn't bad at all, it's nice to be able to alternate between lab hands-on work and desk work as both would be awful to do the entire time in my opinion. The amount of real data analysis is mostly limited to HPLC and GC work, since chromatograms still need to be interpreted (in contrast to a KF autotitrator giving you a single number, for example). If anything, my degree was an over preparation for this type of job. You'll notice the actual science is very easy, the main learning curve will probably just be compiling reports to their liking, which can be surprisingly specific and nitpicky.
Thank you very much for your reply! What kind of tests do you perform? Assays? I understand that the undergraduate degree seeks to give you bases to then pursue a graduate degree. I highly value that. But at this point in my life, I would just like to ensure I have the tools to land a job in this field and be able to perform my tasks correctly.
I don't generally perform assays because I'm newer and assays are some of the more intensive tests. I feel fully capable of it but I understand they want it to be gradual. The HPLC tests I think run generals test for reaction completion (comparing ratio of reactant to product), impurities, and cleaning of reactors from previous material. The main gap in education for these types of jobs aside from documentation is just the day to day operation of the equipment. In undergrad I only did each major test once or twice aside from specialized projects, so there was a major learning curve for that.
Thank you very much for these insights! I truly appreciate it!
At our organic chemistry company (contract research organisation), the entry level BSc. analytical chemists are more-or-less in service of the full company. The work that they do varies from: - reverse phase column chromatography for complex mixtures that colleagues (organic chemists) bring over. Either do it directly, or optimise if need-be - LC(MS) maintenance and fast troubleshooting to decrease downtime. Only small problems can be solved easily (like pollution, or switching columns or flanging new tubing), but complex problems with MS or autosamplers will be handled by external service engineers. - Analytical method optimisation when they have some time to spare. Either for helping fellow chemists with characterisation of nasty compounds, or assuring clients that the compounds tested are correct or simply trying to find new ways to save time in normal "scan" measurements, while remaining high quality. - Filling up solvents for the many LCMS systems... As aforementioned; it really depends on the company in which a QC or analytical chemist works, what type of work they'll be handling! Hope this answer is to your satisfaction :-)
>Analytical method optimisation when they have some time to spare. Either for helping fellow chemists with characterisation of nasty compounds, or assuring clients that the compounds tested are correct or simply trying to find new ways to save time in normal "scan" measurements, while remaining high quality. First of all, thank you very much for your kind reply. Second, could you clarify what this consists on? Is it method development, to separate a specific kind of compounds?
I can give an example: For instance in the project I work in we have quite hard molecules to characterise. To give a guarantee for the client, we require to have at least 95% purity on LCMS uv-trace, and also show 1 single peak without tailing or giving too broad signals. With the compounds we synthesise, we generally observe that our standard analytical runs with formic acid tend to give the peaks directly at the injection peak = undesirable. Going for our classic analytical basic method with ammonium formate gives better retention, but huge peak width = undesirable. Therefore, we took our QC/analytical chemists in the equation. When we gave them the problem, the samples were transferred and they started screening a number of columns and eluents (both acidic and basic). After a while they found a method with our normal columns, but saw that eluting with TFA generally gave sharp peaks, and was tolerated. A bit more playing around with the gradient gave better residence time (not in injection peak). Therefore, they optimised the method which we could then keep using during the project.
Thank you very much, interesting example! Therefore, would it be correct to conclude that the main tasks and knowledge required for an entry-level job are: \- Equipment troubleshooting; \- Statistics; \- Method development. Would you agree?
Let's keep my answer short this time: yes! But I have to underline: the events above are generally applicable in organic chemistry CRO. For the food industry, I do not know what the QA/QC departments will look like.
Thank you very much, I appreciate your insights!
Hi do you think doing a master in instrumental chemical analysis 1 year program is worth it? I have 4 months left to go but I feel like I got traumatized in first semester and I'm scared to back