How do I become a chemist
Get qualified to work as a chemist with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
Related career opportunities
Browse occupations related to Chemist.
Common questions
The average salary for Australian Chemists is currently $1,600 per week ($83,200 annually). These are median figures for full-time employees and include the salaries for new graduates as well as experienced chemists. Increase your earning capacity by obtaining your PhD and joining a professional organisation such as The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).
Courses.com.au Team
There are approximately 3,700 qualified Chemists employed across Australia right now. Increase your employability by pursuing a Master’s degree in a specialist field. Examples include: Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Pollution Control and Ecotoxicology, Pharmaceuticals and Medicine, Forensics, Viticulture and Brewing, Food Manufacturing, and many more.
Courses.com.au Team
You can become a professional Chemist in Australia with a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry), but you will have a wider range of employment opportunities by obtaining a Master of Science (Analytical Chemistry) or Master of Science (Applied Chemistry).
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
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13th July 2020Chemist careers
Chemists are scientific professionals who study the properties and behaviour of different chemical substances and compounds. They work in laboratories and are critical to industries such as environmental science, engineering, pharmaceuticals and medicine, food manufacturing, winemaking and brewing, forensics, mining, and industrial technologies.
As a Chemist you could be testing the reactive properties of a natural substance when it is exposed to heat, entering research data into a structured database, writing a report on your research findings for an academic institution, overseeing the production of a new pharmaceutical drug that alleviates chronic pain, investigating the chemical structure and nutritional benefits of an indigenous food plant, or attending an international conference for chemists and scientific professionals.
To succeed in this occupation you will need a natural curiosity and desire to understand chemical substances, as well as the ability to create meaningful reports and recommendations from your research and laboratory work.
