Little Change in Hiring for New Graduates

Chemists who are ready to enter the workforce or change jobs–and who are hoping that the industry has finally made a recovery and is hiring in earnest again–may be disappointed in the coming months. Many of the industry representatives and university chemistry department heads C&EN talked to about the 2005–06 hiring season said they predicted hiring levels for new chemists will roughly mirror those of last year or be slightly reduced. That's not good news, as last year's employment situation showed little sign of recovery from the prolonged downturn that has been affecting chemical hiring for years now.

It's still early in the hiring season, though, and a number of factors complicate this year's hiring forecasts. Economic and political events, for example, have buffeted an already beleaguered chemical industry. Drastic increases in the price of petroleum products have sent feedstock, material, and transportation costs skyrocketing, and a record-breaking hurricane season has made things worse by battering manufacturing facilities and oil production on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Companies continue to invest heavily in foreign facilities, lured by inexpensive labor and production costs.

Even the pharmaceutical industry, which has traditionally been a huge source of jobs for chemists, biochemists, and chemical engineers even in difficult economic situations, seems to have slowed its growth in the face of a number of unique controversies and dilemmas. Fallout from the Vioxx controversy may dramatically affect the regulatory climate for new pharmaceuticals, making companies skittish about announcing large hiring increases. Uproar over vaccine production and increasing prescription drug costs have deepened public distrust of pharmaceutical companies. And in an effort to alleviate the massive costs of drug research, pharmaceutical companies continue to contract research to offshore firms.

All this means that chemists looking to enter the workforce in the coming year will have a tough time. Most candidates are unlikely to have multiple job offers, and searches may take months longer than expected. Yet not all recruiters C&EN talked with were pessimistic about the hiring outlook. Petrochemical companies are doing especially well, and the forecast for chemical engineers and bachelor's- and master's-level chemists is promising. Other firms will continue to hire at modest levels to replace their aging workforces, and some are still expanding their research capacities significantly.

Strong candidates with expertise in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry will still land coveted positions in the pharmaceutical industry. And even in difficult circumstances, most chemists fare decently. The university representatives C&EN interviewed said that, on the whole, almost all of their graduate students and postdocs searching for jobs last year ended up finding the kind of position they were looking for.

At the two largest U.S. chemical companies, reports are mixed. DuPont predicts that the recruiting season will generally be tough for new graduates, though there will be exceptions. This may again be a challenging year for chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical engineering grads, due mainly to the uncertainty in the global economic climate, says Senyo Opong, the company's Ph.D. and science staffing manager. Chemical engineers are likely to be the most affected.

The uncertain economy–including the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita–is hurting the renewal effort of most U.S. manufacturing–based companies, and our industry is no exception, he adds. Despite the uncertain economy, I believe DuPont is positioned to have a great recruiting season. Our science and technology leadership is fully committed to science workforce renewal, particularly at the Ph.D. level.

For that reason, the needs of DuPont this year are similar to last year, Opong says. The company has been hiring more Ph.D.s in the past few years, and this year will be no exception. We are recruiting actively on campus at all degree levels, including chemists, chemical engineers, biochemists/biologists, material scientists, and others, he says.

The level of experience needed varies with the job opening, he adds. The company is focusing on chemists with backgrounds in organic chemistry and polymer chemistry, scientists with synthesis skills, and analytical and materials chemists and biochemists. DuPont also has increased its recruiting of chemical engineers, particularly those with interdisciplinary skills and those with process development skills.

Dow is more optimistic. Overall, the job market appears to be strong, with more companies hiring more graduates than in the previous couple of years, says Sarah Kok, workforce planning specialist for Dow. Some companies have announced extremely large recruiting goals.

This is a good year to be graduating with chemistry and chemical engineering degrees, she adds. There are specific business segments that are experiencing significant growth, and they will need engineers to support that growth. Dow plans to recruit heavily to meet booming business needs. Our needs in 2006 are higher due to business growth and also expected attrition in the next several years, Kok says. The company will be hiring mostly bachelor's-level scientists, but it will remain on the lookout for a fair number of candidates with graduate degrees, as well as some scientists with work experience.

Traditional chemical companies, however, are responsible for only a small portion of chemical hiring. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies remain the strongest sectors hiring chemists, even as the segment faces public controversy and increasing pressure to cut costs. But reports from pharmaceutical representatives this year are also mixed.

My assessment is that it is a somewhat below-average job market for new graduates, says Hans Maag, vice president of chemistry for Roche Palo Alto. It's very uneven in terms of which companies are hiring and not hiring.

Company visits on average are down, he adds. It's very clear that some companies that have routinely visited schools have not gone this year.

But Roche is hiring at a slightly higher level than it has averaged over the past several years, Maag says. We are part of a multinational company. Roche is doing quite well in the industry, so our situation has not been affected much by high-profile controversies in pharmaceuticals, he says. We have been well-insulated from these kinds of events.

In particular, the firm is looking for medicinal chemists and process chemists, both at the Ph.D. and the bachelor's/master's level. Like most pharmaceutical companies, Roche is looking for candidates with extensive training in synthetic organic chemistry. But hiring is slightly down from last year, he says, which was an exceptional year for us.

Pfizer echoes many of those sentiments. I would classify this year as being fairly similar to last year, says Brian S. Bronk, director of medicinal chemistry in neurosciences at the company and head of the Ph.D.-level organic chemistry recruiting efforts in the U.S. for Pfizer Global Research & Development. But I also see signs that it'll be leaner than last year-overall demand is not as high as it was.

What's changed is demand from major pharma, he adds. Whereas before, a single company would have upward of 10 openings, openings are now spread out over more firms, and candidates will have to work harder to secure positions. Still, there are opportunities for qualified candidates, he says. It just requires more effort and diligence.

Pfizer, he says, has a small number of openings for chemists at all levels-bachelor's, master's, Ph.D.s, and postdocs. For Ph.D.s, the company is looking for scientists with strong synthetic organic chemistry backgrounds, while extensive research and lab experience are essential for B.S.- and M.S.-level candidates.

Bronk believes candidates looking for jobs in the pharmaceutical industry need to be flexible and adaptable. The pharmaceutical industry is facing a new set of challenges, he says. Opportunities are still going to be there, but the opportunities are going to be in a much more dynamic environment and industry than it used to be. The pace of change strikes me as different than before.

At AstraZeneca's Boston site, we will continue our recruiting effort, at all levels-Ph.D., bachelor's, and master's, says John Primeau, director and head of infection chemistry at AstraZeneca R&D Boston. It will likely be a similar level of recruiting as last year.

The company has settled into a modest growth pattern after rapidly expanding some of its core chemistry groups, such as those focusing on infection and cancer, earlier in the decade. We're growing more slowly now, Primeau says, at about 67% a year.

The company is looking for synthetic medicinal chemists, analytical chemists, informaticians, and computational chemists at a range of levels, including some right out of school and others with experience.

Typically, Primeau adds, AstraZeneca conducts much of its hiring locally, in the Boston area. There's pretty strong competition for talent with other pharmaceutical companies in the area, he says. That's very good for candidates. But he adds that he has seen some downsizing locally as well.

Novartis also has a pessimistic take on hiring. My impression is that this will be a tight recruiting year. There aren't as many jobs around as in the recent past, says Scott Biller, head of global discovery chemistry for the company. I've even heard of other companies reducing staff. That's the general tenor in the pharmaceutical industry.

At Novartis, hiring will be comparable to last year, he says. We've been growing our chemistry at a steady pace since I came to the company in 2003, and we'll at least continue that in 200506.

The company is looking to hire scientists at all levels, though Ph.D.s with postdocs are preferred. And we plan to increase our experience base by also hiring some people with pharmaceutical company experience, Biller adds.

In particular, the company is looking for scientists with synthetic organic and bioorganic backgrounds who can apply their skills to drug discovery. They also need some computational chemists.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is also not hopeful. In pharma in general, research budgets aren't growing at the same rate that they used to, says Carl P. Decicco, vice president of discovery chemistry. There are probably fewer jobs available in the industry this year than previous years, but I can't say that for certain. The number of companies recruiting seems to be a little down.

He points to a number of factors that have contributed to the slowdown, including the rapid consolidation the industry has seen recently. Organizations are trying to make strategic decisions on how big their research groups should be, he says. It'll take some time to work through, so they'll be a little careful and hesitant doing too much at this point.

Bristol-Myers Squibb will be hiring at roughly the same rate as it did the previous two years, with a number of positions available in both its discovery and process chemistry groups, he says. Though it's still early, he adds that he is very pleased at the number of extremely qualified candidates he's seen at the Ph.D. and postdoctoral level.

The industry is very cyclical, Decicco says. There's a trend where there's not a lot of growth right now. That's likely to change as the pipeline delivers and there is a reinvestment in research. Still, he adds, there will always be a demand for highly skilled synthetic organic chemists in drug development and research.

The pharmaceutical industry's challenges are also affecting associated companies, such as contract research firms. Things are not as rosy as they were a year ago, says Alexander Chucholowski, vice president for chemistry at ChemBridge Research Laboratories. There's a lot of uncertainty in our business and the whole area we're working in.

We are providers to the pharmaceutical industry. If it is hurting, we are hurting, he adds. And it's very difficult for contract research organizations operating in the U.S. That's reflective of the pharma industry in general. The industry has problems, and it's trying to save money wherever possible, such as sending research overseas. Offshoring is the biggest threat to us.

For those reasons, ChemBridge is being especially careful in its hiring plans this year. In previous years, we hired with the expectation that new business would appear, he says. We will be much more cautious this year.

The company is looking for new chemists on a case-by-case basis, at all levels. But it's easier to find qualified Ph.D.s than it is to find well-trained bachelor's- and master's-level candidates, Chucholowski says. Most of the Ph.D.s Chembridge hires-upward of 80%-have postdocs, he adds.

Chucholowski is not completely pessimistic about the industry, though. Recently I have seen more start-up and biotech companies getting financing. We hope we'll see some improvement in business from this, but we're not sure, he says. Still, if the situation improves, it will take some time to improve.

One counterpoint to the modest hiring plans of many pharmaceutical companies is Gilead Sciences. As a company, we are rapidly growing, says Norbert W. Bischofberger, executive vice president of research and development. We're investing a lot of money into research, discovery, and development.

In fact, he adds, one interesting challenge we're facing is that hiring takes time. Because the company can only interview a limited number of chemists, and integrating new hires into the team-based setting of drug discovery takes a while, there's a limit on just how many people you can bring onboard in one year.

The company continues to look for chemists, biochemists, molecular biologists, and analytical chemists for drug discovery, process chemistry, and analytical formulation. Synthetic organic chemists are especially important, Bischofberger says. They are the bread and butter of the pharmaceutical industry. He adds that Gilead is seeking, to a lesser extent, chemical engineers.

Gilead has also had trouble attracting good bachelor's- and master's-level chemists. We're very interested in finding good candidates, he says, but we have found it a little more challenging.

But Bischofberger tempers his company's hiring plans with a warning. There are a lot of changes going on, with the potential to affect very greatly the future of the pharmaceutical industry, he says. It's a changing environment and political landscape, and that will affect how much the pharmaceutical industry is willing to invest in research and development.

Albany Molecular Research also predicts a bright recruiting season. We primarily serve the pharmaceutical/biotech sector,says Brian D. Russell, the firm's senior director of human resources. The growth in that sector provides a positive outlook for Albany Molecular, he adds.

The company will have an active recruiting year in the area of organic chemistry, Russell says. And talks with other recruiters have suggested to him that chemical engineering graduates will enjoy a relatively strong market.

Our current and expected customer demand indicates strong hiring trends in 2006 on the chemistry services side, he adds. While we cannot speak for the chemical industry as a whole, we believe our recruiting situation reflects the confidence in Albany Molecular from the market we serve, as well as current trends in that market.

The company is planning on hiring chemists at all degree levels in 2006, including new graduates and scientists with industry experience. In particular, he adds, Albany Molecular is looking for candidates with degrees in or experience with organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, and chemical engineering.

Another bright segment for new chemists and chemical engineers is the petrochemical industry.Despite extensive hurricane damage this year and last year, oil companies recently posted record profits. Though this irks a public battling dramatic increases in the cost of gasoline and heating oil, the windfall may translate into a number of opportunities for new chemists.

Higher demand is evident, particularly in the energy business, where there is an aging workforce, says Susan K. Wilson, manager for recruitment marketing at BP America. The current job market is very competitive for the best in class. Top chemical engineers are getting multiple offers, she says, and all students are enjoying a lot of attention.

At BP, our needs are up about 30%, due to increased needs in exploration and production, she says. The company is looking mostly for B.S.-level chemical engineers, plus a handful of Ph.D. chemical engineers and chemists, particularly those with a background in catalysts. In addition, its refining technology group is actively searching for chemists with experience.

The company looks for candidates with solid technical skills who have demonstrated creativity and drive. In addition to strong academic performance, Wilson says, experiential work, such as internships, distinguishes most higher quality candidates.

Other petrochemical companies have similar outlooks. The job market appears to be very good for chemical engineering students this year, says Doug Chauveaux, manager of college relations and staffing for Chevron Phillips Chemical. We attribute this to three factors: the economic market conditions in the chemical and petrochemical industry, the approaching retirement age of the baby boomer generation, and an insufficient number of students entering these disciplines each year.

Chevron Phillips Chemical's recruiting situation generally mirrors that of the chemical industry, he adds.

The company is actively recruiting B.S.-level chemical engineers in anticipation of large hiring needs. When employees retire, our preference is to promote from within. As a result, there is a need for qualified graduates to fill these vacancies, Chauveaux says. In fact, Chevron Phillips Chemical expects to hire more graduates in the next two years than the total number of new hires in the company's previous five years.

The company also recruits scientists and engineers with more experience when positions requiring such expertise open up. Currently, the company's joint-venture project in Saudi Arabia, Jubail Chevron Phillips, has a need for experienced engineers, he says.

University department heads mirror the uncertainty of industry representatives over this year's hiring trends: Many were discouraged by early signs, fearing the recruiting situation for their students will be similar to or worse than last year, though others were encouraged by the initial progress of job seekers.

The University of Pennsylvania's Gary A. Molander, a professor of chemistry and acting vice chair of the chemistry department, for example, is optimistic about prospects for the department's students. More companies than last year are coming to campus, he notes, the bulk being pharmaceutical or biotech companies. It will be as good as last year or better, he says. There seem to be more opportunities at companies. But he warns that it's early in the season and first impressions might be misleading.

Still, last year turned out well, Molander says. Almost everyone got a job who was looking.

Of course, chemists whose prime desire is pure research and who want the freedom to pursue their own interests without too much outside interference won't be seeking positions in industry, but rather a place among the faculty of university or college chemistry departments. This is a longer and more challenging road, as postdocs are required for many of these positions, and competition for slots is fierce. Hiring committees often seek candidates with specific specialties, but they are also always on the lookout for star scientists. Yet, the outlook for jobs is promising, as advertising for academic positions in C&EN has jumped and most universities C&EN talked with continue to hire at a modest pace.

The University of Pennsylvania is busy trying to fill four open chemistry faculty positions. We've been authorized by the dean to search for three senior faculty, and we have the initial go-ahead to hire one junior faculty member, Molander says. This is part of a new initiative to try to recruit outstanding senior faculty.

The effort represents a marked departure from the department's typical hiring pattern. This is the most we've hired in the past six to 10 years, he says. We've been hiring one or fewer faculty a year on average over the past six years.

These faculty searches are open to any qualified candidate. Our searches recently have been for the best candidate in any area, Molander says. Previously, we had been searching for candidates with specific specialties.

David E. Clemmer, chair of the department of chemistry at Indiana University, agrees that students looking for jobs will fare well. I think in general that it's still a pretty good market for our people, he says. I do think it may have slipped a little bit from last year, but I don't know anyone having trouble finding a job.

He says that slightly fewer companies have visited the campus this year, but it's not a significant difference. Those that do come are mostly pharmaceutical companies in the Midwest looking mostly for analytical and organic chemists.

Everybody got good positions last year, he says. We had people who had a range of different offers. But for others, offers didn't come as quickly. And maybe searches are taking a little bit longer.

Fueled by a number of university initiatives, especially a new program in materials science and a new interdisciplinary science building that will feature genomics and proteomics facilities, the department is hiring pretty rapidly. It is looking for new faculty in all areas but in particular is expanding in the area where chemistry merges with biology, Clemmer says.

Because of the expansion in lab space and losses from retirement, the department is still understaffed at this point, he adds. So it will continue to hire at an average rate of about three new faculty members a year, as it has in the past four years. It's a matter of the right fit of people-the right age distribution, Clemmer says. It's not a matter of positions.

James J. Valentini, chair of Columbia University's chemistry department, says the university is searching for two junior chemistry faculty-one in organic chemistry and the other in theoretical chemistry.

And at the University of California, Berkeley, two faculty searches are also under way, says Michael A. Marletta, chair of the department of chemistry there. The department is looking to fill positions in interdisciplinary fields, specifically chemical biology and materials chemistry. The exciting stuff is happening at the interfaces, he says. So we're looking for people to work at the interfaces of traditional disciplines.

The recruiting efforts are designed to fill department needs and support a university-wide initiative in nanoscience. But, like most departments, Berkeley will still consider other strong applicants. Outstanding candidates in any area of chemistry will be hired, Marletta says, pointing out that recently the department created an extra position for a theoretician during a search for an experimental scientist, based on a candidate's extremely strong potential.

The recruiting situation for the department's students seems pretty similar to last year, Marletta says. The department's graduate students headed mostly to postdocs, he adds, while its postdocs, based on the reputation of their training, found jobs. But I can't say everyone got their first choice.

In addition, the job market remains tight, and those who want to go from a Ph.D. straight to industry might have to end up doing a postdoc that they wouldn't have had to otherwise, he says.

Michael P. Doyle, a professor and chair of the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Maryland, is also worried. It's too early in the season to tell for sure, but from what I sense, there has been a shrinking in the marketplace for our students, he says. Responses are coming slower and fewer.

Last year, our students did very well. I don't know anyone who was left unemployed-individuals found the positions they wanted to be in, he says. I don't think the same is going to be true this year. He has already noticed more people applying for postdoctoral positions, possibly in anticipation of a difficult job market.

The department is looking to hire two new faculty members this year, one specializing in organic chemistry and the other in biochemistry. We've had open searches in the last couple of years, but we're focusing more this year, Doyle says. We're targeting these areas because of certain needs we have.

But like most universities, the department will pull strings to hire additional candidates if they are especially strong, regardless of their area of specialization. There are always opportunities for people who present themselves who might be suitable for a position, he adds.

The chemical and pharmaceutical industries continue to face a number of difficult challenges, but hiring will continue at rates comparable to last year. That means job hunts may be difficult, but they won't be impossible, as suggested by the ultimately successful outcomes reported by university representatives about last year's graduates. There are still plenty of positions available for talented scientists with patience and perseverance.