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Published: 24 January 2024

Top jobs with a chemistry degree

Find out what you could do with a chemistry degree from Surrey and discover some of the jobs our graduates have secured.

Our degrees in chemistry, medicinal chemistry and chemistry with forensic investigation consistently produce graduates who secure jobs.

94 per cent of our chemistry graduates are in work or further study after graduating (Graduate Outcomes 2023, HESA). 

Many of our students boost their employability by taking advantage of our exceptional Professional Training placement programme, which enables you to spend a year gaining valuable work experience with a relevant company, and often leads to a job offer on graduation. This is one reason why we were awarded Best University Careers/Employability Service at the National University Employability Awards 2022.

Careers with a chemistry degree

A chemistry degree creates opportunities in a huge range of fascinating careers in many diverse areas.

Whether you’re interested in pursuing a career in the chemical industry, scientific research, technology, the energy sector, production and quality control of processes, industrial development or forensic investigation, our undergraduate chemistry programmes provide you with a strong foundation for an exciting career.

Jobs specifically related to chemistry can include:

  • Chemistry teacher
  • Computational chemist
  • Environmental chemist
  • Experimental chemist
  • Forensic scientist
  • Medical industries scientist
  • Process chemist
  • Pharmaceutical researcher
  • Research chemist.

Graduate success stories

Surrey chemistry graduates have taken up roles as chemists, research scientists, forensic scientists and electro-physiologists at EDF Energy, Royal Society of Chemistry and LGC Forensics.

While many graduates enter the chemical industry, as positions often follow successful Professional Training placements, others choose to take up roles in finance or government.

In recent years, our graduates have secured many roles in industry, including:

  • Accounts and Audit Associate at Rouse Partners
  • Analytical Chemist at Minerva Scientific
  • Analytical Chemist at Whitman Laboratories
  • Analyst at LGC
  • Chemist at Applied Polymer Developments Limited
  • Chemist at Infineum
  • Finance Analyst at JP Morgan
  • Future Leadership Programme Associate at Reckitt Benckiser Health Care
  • Graduate Analyst at Centrica
  • Laboratory Technician at Eurofins Forensic Services
  • New Product Development Assistant at Stamford
  • Quality Control at Synergy Flavours
  • Research Scientist at RedT Energy
  • Technical Applications Scientist at Perkin Elmer
  • Trainee Financial Advisor at St James Place.

Further academic study

Many of our graduates also go on to undertake PhD research, investigating an area of personal interest.

Discover more about our chemistry degrees, our award-winning Professional Training placement scheme and student life at Surrey.

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