Senior Scientist

Salary

£30,000

What is it that you do?

Chemical analysis of rocks and minerals.

What does your day-to-day job involve?

Analytical chemistry (using TGA,DSC,GC-MS, HPLC, XRF, XRD, IC, TOC, FTIR, SEM and more). 

How long have you been working in the industry?

30+ years in analytical chemistry, 4 years in latest job.

What qualifications do you have?

MPhil, CChem MRSC.

How did you get into this role?

Contacted by a recruitment agency I enrolled with following a voluntary redundancy.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Staying in continuous employment despite 4 compulsary and 1 voluntary redundancy.  Being adaptable.  I have worked for 13 different companies (the majority being 'blue chip') in 7 different areas(food/environment/pharmaceuticals/academia/microbiology/construction/mining).

What do you like most about your job?

The delivery of the work and the team of people I share it with.

Anything you particularly dislike?

Paperwork for the sake of it!

What qualities do you believe you need to succeed in this job?

Be a team player. Be attentive to details. Be adaptable.

What advice would you give someone wanting to get into your industry?

Consider science as a vocation. Only do it because it really interests you. If you want a top-notch salary, go be a stock broker or apply to Sales and Marketing. 

Finally, what is the strangest thing you have ever had to do in your working life?

Attempting to block up a hole in a pressurised (15 p.s.i) tank full of Guinness while inside a Ship's hold. Getting saturated from head to foot in stout and having to be 'rescued' by the Ship's First Officer.