Chicago Chemist Jobs Overview
If the highlight of your school days was doing experiments in the lab, a career as a chemist could be the right path for you. Chemist jobs exist across a great scope of industries and sectors. You can for example work at a research institution, production plant, laboratory, or testing facility and in the public or private sector.
Chemists are experts on chemical substances and reactions. Many chemists work either in basic research, where the goal is to expand knowledge, or applied research, which aims to create solutions to specific problems. Chemists can also use their skills in other ways, for example to prepare solutions and compounds or oversee chemical processing and testing procedures.
If you have a passion for physical science and research and are curious and analytical, this may be just the field for you. Chemists are divided into many different specialties. Some of the most common ones include:
- Biochemistry: involving chemicals and chemical reactions in human or animal bodies. Biochemists use this knowledge for genetic engineering, biomedicine, pharmaceutical research or to study different diseases.
- Theoretical chemistry: the study of chemical reactions for basic research studies.
- Forensic chemistry: to help police and other investigators solve crime by testing evidence.
- Nuclear chemistry: preoccupied with radioactivity and other nuclear matter.
- Medicinal chemistry: researching compounds that can be used for pharmaceutical drugs.
You can expand your search for physical science jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in Chicago, Illinois
If you're going to Chicago to experience "da Bears," deep-dish pizza, and windy streets, native Chicagoans say "fogetta 'bout it!" While these have made Chicago famous, you'll find many locals eating thin-crust, tavern-style pie. Plus, the city isn't on any list of the windiest cities in the U.S.—a local newspaper named it "The Windy City" after the Chicago elite's propensity toward boastfulness and self-promotion. And while the Chicago jobs list (hit jobs, that is) includes notorious mobsters from Chicago like Al Capone, John Dillinger, and Baby Face Nelson, linguists are noticing that the "Chicago accent" is disappearing.
However, there's a reason Condé Nast Traveler has named Chicago the "best big city in the U.S." Chicago is home to top universities, including Northwestern University, Wheaton College, and Valparaiso. And if you're looking for Chicago jobs, you can relocate to any one of the city's unique neighborhoods, such as North Center with its cozy Irish pubs and breweries or Uptown, the lively entertainment district. For those who want to live further out from the city, you can also find jobs in popular suburbs including Cicero, Oak Park, and Evanston.
Update Your Chicago Chemist Resume
To get a job as a chemist you’ll first need to spark a reaction to your job application. We have a list of ingredients that any cover letter should include. Make sure to also review our resume sample for an entry-level chemist position to see what you should emphasize when you update your resume.
How Much Do Chemist Jobs Pay in Chicago, Illinois?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in chemist jobs in Chicago, Illinois, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median chemist pay in Chicago is $59,390 per year, which is 2% higher than the national average.
Find Your Next Chicago Chemist Job. Monster Can Help Get You Started
Are you prepared for a career in chemist? If so, set up your profile on Monster for free and begin clicking on those chemist jobs. When you sign up with us, you’ll receive custom job alerts and expert advice on how to negotiate your salary in Chicago, how to nail your job interview, and more.