Industry

Industrial companies vary hugely in size, from large international companies to medium-sized businesses and much smaller organisations. They also differ greatly in the things that they produce, which may include:

• cosmetics and toiletries
• medicines
• paints
• plastics
• food and drink
• cleaning products
• raw chemicals for use in manufacturing
• and many more!   

Chemical scientists work on every step in the process of developing and manufacturing a new product. They research the initial idea, develop it into a product that is safe and meets the needs of the customer, then work out how to make it on a large scale. Chemical scientists are also involved in quality control, which means they make sure the final product meets the required standards.

Some examples of the kinds of jobs available in industry are given in the profiles below.