Medicinal Chemist Job Description
A medicinal chemist applies the basic principles of chemistry to research and develop new medications and to improve the effectiveness of existing drugs. According to the American Chemical Society (ACS), in the early years of the pharmaceuticals industry, medicinal chemists focused on isolating plant substances with healing properties. The emphasis has shifted, and medicinal chemists work primarily to develop new synthetic drug compounds.
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Responsibilities
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The primary goal of medicinal chemists is to develop new pharmaceutical applications based in large part on synthetic compounds. Often working in teams, these scientists also are expected to look for more efficient and economical ways to make medications in their employers' existing product line. To reach these goals, medicinal chemists must work at the molecular level---often with scientists of other disciplines---"to identify a candidate for clinical studies," Joel Barrish, a project leader in pharmaceutical and drug discovery research at Bristol-Myers Squibb, told ACS.
Job Opportunities
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Most medicinal chemists work for pharmaceutical companies in the research and development of new medications. Others spend the bulk of their careers in academia, in scientific research or as teachers of others who aspire to work in this field. Researchers in the private sector and academia spend the majority of their working hours in the laboratory, although some in the private sector eventually take management positions in which the management of people and process becomes their primary responsibility. Medicinal chemists are also employed by the federal government to review new drug applications.
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Qualitative & Educational Requirements
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The ACS says that the ideal candidate for a career in medicinal chemistry is someone who enjoys "exploring the unknown." Other helpful personal qualities include persistence, imagination, an ability to work well with others and superior communications skills. Advanced degrees are essential for anyone who hopes to advance in this field. The ACS says that for the most part "pharmaceutical companies hire only people with research experience, advanced degrees especially in organic chemistry, and at least two years of post-doctoral experience."
Job Outlook
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Job prospects for chemists as a whole are promising but are better than average for medicinal chemists who work for the pharmaceuticals industry. Overall, the Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts a 9 percent increase in the total number of chemists employed between 2006 and 2016. The handbook also points out that medicinal chemists working for the pharmaceuticals industry are less likely to be laid off during economic downturns because "long development cycles generally overshadow short-term economic conditions." It also predicted that job candidates with only a bachelor's degree would face increasing difficulty in finding a job.
Earnings
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The Bureau of Labor of Statistics (BLS) reports that, as of May 2008, the U.S. pharmaceuticals industry employed 16,580 chemists, whose mean annual earnings were $70,570. Chemists employed by the federal government's executive branch numbered 5,580, and their mean annual earnings were $98,060. The government figures cover all chemists, because the BLS offers no breakdown as to area of specialty.
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