就业机会因学科不同而有很大的差异。此处对一些主要的欧洲化学公司的研究工作的类型加以概述，听听各公司人力资源主管对人才需求的看法。
1. 有机化学家
据荷兰精化公司DSM的一位技术副总所说，在DSM公司，2300名研发人员中三分之二是化学家，有很多专业专事于有机化学，对制药行业所需的新的活性成分、食品业所需的添加剂以及一系列制造业应用中所需的原材料的研究与开发。在德国大公司拜耳（Bayer）化学公司，有机化学工作者是该公司8600名科学工作者中的主要部分，这些有机化学工作者正在为药物、除草剂、高性能材料寻找新的有效成分。瑞士的汽巴精化公司（Ciba Specialty Chemicals ）1600多名人员中30%是化学家，这是一支强大的研发队伍，他们为汽车、纺织、造纸业提供相关化合物。
2．医药化学家
在过去的几年，许多化学公司已遭遇困难，但制药公司及其员工继续保持良好的态势。例如，在英国的AstraZeneca公司，研发人员稳步增长，从2001年的1万人增长到目前的1.2万，其中大部分是具有化学背景。具有有机化学背景的药物化学工作者也在诸如Bayer这样的公司找到工作，不仅开发个人护理产品，而且为人类和动物的保健开发有效成分。
3. 高分子化学家
德国巴斯夫（BASF）公司，主要生产塑料、聚合物，在高分子研究方面有很强的基础。据该公司负责招聘科学家和工程师业务的Rainer Bürstinghaus称，该公司的7000名研发人员中的大多数是有机和高分子化学工作者。他们的工作是为汽车、建筑和电信业设计材料，同时生产由化妆品、药品、营养等行业定制的产品。
4．无机化学家
无机化学工作者开发了一系列应用产品，其人数也在不断增加。巴斯夫公司雇用无机化学家合成催化剂和开发新颜料。在一家法国精化公司——Rhodia公司，有近1500名研发人员，其中无机化学家正开发各种应用品，例如矽型加浓牙膏。对于专攻纳米技术的无机化学工作者来说，就业机会也正在增长。
5．计算化学家
为生物活性、选择性和安全，制药公司需要计算化学家的帮助，通过电脑虚拟筛选化合物来发明药品，这是目前一个正在增长的领域。
6．分析化学家
在所有的化学家中，分析化学家可能就业的公司范围最为广泛。Bayer公司在每一个研究或生产单位（通常作为一个中心实验室）都雇用分析化学家。当DSM公司从石化生产者转向精化公司时，分析化学家评估了工业加工过程，开发了专门的分析方法。DSM公司也需要更多的分析化学家。
Disciplines and Jobs
Elisabeth Pain
Opportunities and job descriptions can differ markedly by discipline. Here‘s a snapshot of the types of research jobs at some major European chemical companies:
Organic chemists. At the Dutch specialty chemicals company DSM, two-thirds of 2300 R&D workers are chemists, many with a specialization in organic chemistry, according to Ellen de Brabander, DSM‘s vice-president of corporate technology. Organic chemists at DSM work on new active ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry, additives for the food industry, and raw materials for a range of manufacturing applications. At the German chemical giant Bayer, organic chemists, who make up a substantial fraction of the company‘s 8600 scientists, are seeking new active ingredients for pharmaceuticals, herbicides, and high-performance materials. Switzerland-based Ciba Specialty Chemicals employs chemists--30% of its 1600-strong R&D workforce--to synthesize compounds intended to confer protection, color, or strength to automotive, textile, and paper-industry products.
Medicinal chemists. Many chemical companies have found the past years difficult, but pharmaceutical companies have continued to fare well, and so have their employees. At AstraZeneca in the U.K., for example, R&D employment has grown steadily from about 10,000 people in 2001 to the current figure of 12,000, of which "the majority are from a chemistry background," says human resources spokesperson Jez Chance. Medicinal chemists with backgrounds in organic chemistry also find work at companies such as Bayer, developing active ingredients for human and animal health, as well as personal-care products.
Polymer chemists. BASF, a leading producer of plastics, has a strong base in polymer research. The majority of the company‘s 7000 R&D staff are organic and polymer chemists, says Rainer Bürstinghaus, head of BASF‘s scientist and engineer recruiting services. Their job is to design materials for the automobile, construction, and telecommunications industries, along with custom components with functionality specified by the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and nutrition industries.
Inorganic chemists. Inorganic chemists develop a range of applications, and their numbers are growing. BASF employs synthetic inorganic chemists to develop new catalysts and pigments. At Rhodia, a French specialty chemical company with nearly 1500 R&D employees, inorganic chemists develop silica-based products for thickening toothpaste, among other applications. Employment opportunities are also growing for inorganic chemists who specialize in nanotechnology.
Computational chemists. Pharmaceutical companies need computational chemists to help with drug discovery by screening compounds in silico for biological activity, selectivity, and safety. "We think it is going to be a growth area for a while," says Jez Chance of AstraZeneca.
Analytical chemists. Of all chemists, analytical chemists probably work in the widest range of companies. Bayer employs analytical chemists in every research or production unit, often as a central lab, according to Dirk Pfenning of Bayer‘s Human Resources Services, who adds that Bayer sometimes doesn‘t get enough applications for special analytical areas. As DSM transformed itself from a petrochemical producer to a specialty chemicals company, analytical chemists assessed industrial processes and developed specialized analytical methods. DSM needs more analytical chemists, too.
*（Science 19 May 2006）http://www.sciencemag.org/
1. 有机化学家
据荷兰精化公司DSM的一位技术副总所说，在DSM公司，2300名研发人员中三分之二是化学家，有很多专业专事于有机化学，对制药行业所需的新的活性成分、食品业所需的添加剂以及一系列制造业应用中所需的原材料的研究与开发。在德国大公司拜耳（Bayer）化学公司，有机化学工作者是该公司8600名科学工作者中的主要部分，这些有机化学工作者正在为药物、除草剂、高性能材料寻找新的有效成分。瑞士的汽巴精化公司（Ciba Specialty Chemicals ）1600多名人员中30%是化学家，这是一支强大的研发队伍，他们为汽车、纺织、造纸业提供相关化合物。
2．医药化学家
在过去的几年，许多化学公司已遭遇困难，但制药公司及其员工继续保持良好的态势。例如，在英国的AstraZeneca公司，研发人员稳步增长，从2001年的1万人增长到目前的1.2万，其中大部分是具有化学背景。具有有机化学背景的药物化学工作者也在诸如Bayer这样的公司找到工作，不仅开发个人护理产品，而且为人类和动物的保健开发有效成分。
3. 高分子化学家
德国巴斯夫（BASF）公司，主要生产塑料、聚合物，在高分子研究方面有很强的基础。据该公司负责招聘科学家和工程师业务的Rainer Bürstinghaus称，该公司的7000名研发人员中的大多数是有机和高分子化学工作者。他们的工作是为汽车、建筑和电信业设计材料，同时生产由化妆品、药品、营养等行业定制的产品。
4．无机化学家
无机化学工作者开发了一系列应用产品，其人数也在不断增加。巴斯夫公司雇用无机化学家合成催化剂和开发新颜料。在一家法国精化公司——Rhodia公司，有近1500名研发人员，其中无机化学家正开发各种应用品，例如矽型加浓牙膏。对于专攻纳米技术的无机化学工作者来说，就业机会也正在增长。
5．计算化学家
为生物活性、选择性和安全，制药公司需要计算化学家的帮助，通过电脑虚拟筛选化合物来发明药品，这是目前一个正在增长的领域。
6．分析化学家
在所有的化学家中，分析化学家可能就业的公司范围最为广泛。Bayer公司在每一个研究或生产单位（通常作为一个中心实验室）都雇用分析化学家。当DSM公司从石化生产者转向精化公司时，分析化学家评估了工业加工过程，开发了专门的分析方法。DSM公司也需要更多的分析化学家。
Disciplines and Jobs
Elisabeth Pain
Opportunities and job descriptions can differ markedly by discipline. Here‘s a snapshot of the types of research jobs at some major European chemical companies:
Organic chemists. At the Dutch specialty chemicals company DSM, two-thirds of 2300 R&D workers are chemists, many with a specialization in organic chemistry, according to Ellen de Brabander, DSM‘s vice-president of corporate technology. Organic chemists at DSM work on new active ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry, additives for the food industry, and raw materials for a range of manufacturing applications. At the German chemical giant Bayer, organic chemists, who make up a substantial fraction of the company‘s 8600 scientists, are seeking new active ingredients for pharmaceuticals, herbicides, and high-performance materials. Switzerland-based Ciba Specialty Chemicals employs chemists--30% of its 1600-strong R&D workforce--to synthesize compounds intended to confer protection, color, or strength to automotive, textile, and paper-industry products.
Medicinal chemists. Many chemical companies have found the past years difficult, but pharmaceutical companies have continued to fare well, and so have their employees. At AstraZeneca in the U.K., for example, R&D employment has grown steadily from about 10,000 people in 2001 to the current figure of 12,000, of which "the majority are from a chemistry background," says human resources spokesperson Jez Chance. Medicinal chemists with backgrounds in organic chemistry also find work at companies such as Bayer, developing active ingredients for human and animal health, as well as personal-care products.
Polymer chemists. BASF, a leading producer of plastics, has a strong base in polymer research. The majority of the company‘s 7000 R&D staff are organic and polymer chemists, says Rainer Bürstinghaus, head of BASF‘s scientist and engineer recruiting services. Their job is to design materials for the automobile, construction, and telecommunications industries, along with custom components with functionality specified by the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and nutrition industries.
Inorganic chemists. Inorganic chemists develop a range of applications, and their numbers are growing. BASF employs synthetic inorganic chemists to develop new catalysts and pigments. At Rhodia, a French specialty chemical company with nearly 1500 R&D employees, inorganic chemists develop silica-based products for thickening toothpaste, among other applications. Employment opportunities are also growing for inorganic chemists who specialize in nanotechnology.
Computational chemists. Pharmaceutical companies need computational chemists to help with drug discovery by screening compounds in silico for biological activity, selectivity, and safety. "We think it is going to be a growth area for a while," says Jez Chance of AstraZeneca.
Analytical chemists. Of all chemists, analytical chemists probably work in the widest range of companies. Bayer employs analytical chemists in every research or production unit, often as a central lab, according to Dirk Pfenning of Bayer‘s Human Resources Services, who adds that Bayer sometimes doesn‘t get enough applications for special analytical areas. As DSM transformed itself from a petrochemical producer to a specialty chemicals company, analytical chemists assessed industrial processes and developed specialized analytical methods. DSM needs more analytical chemists, too.
*（Science 19 May 2006）http://www.sciencemag.org/