Install Findmino as an app for the best experience!
Chemist
(Analytical Chemist, Research Chemist, Quality Assurance Chemist, Chemical Analyst)
Science & Research
Salary
€36,000 - €85,000/yr
Level
Professional
Outlook
Growing
Sector
Science & Research
What does a Chemist do?
As a Chemist you analyse the chemical composition of substances, carry out laboratory experiments, and translate research findings into practical production processes. Day-to-day work involves preparing samples, operating sophisticated analytical instruments such as chromatography and spectrometry equipment, and documenting results with precision. You may work on quality assurance for manufactured products, investigate the environmental impact of chemical processes, or contribute to the development of entirely new compounds and materials. Chemists in Ireland collaborate closely with chemical engineers, laboratory technicians, regulatory affairs specialists, and production teams, particularly within the pharmaceutical, food science, and materials industries.
A Day in the Life
Listen: a day as a Chemist
You arrive at the pharmaceutical manufacturing site just outside Cork at half seven, pull on your lab coat and safety glasses, and check the overnight system logs before the morning briefing begins at eight. The quality control team runs through any batch failures or equipment alerts from the night shift. One HPLC — that is, high-performance liquid chromatography — instrument flagged a calibration drift, so you log a corrective action in the site's electronic quality management system before anything else. By half eight you are preparing sample sets from yesterday's active pharmaceutical ingredient batches. This means carefully weighing out milligram quantities on an analytical balance inside a fume hood, dissolving them in precise volumes of solvent, and labelling every vial according to your standard operating procedure. Getting this wrong invalidates an entire analytical run, so you double-check each step against the written method.
Videos about Chemist
Career Advice on becoming a Medicinal Computational Chemist by Yogesh S (Full Version)
icould career stories
Some videos were filmed in the UK. The work itself is the same, but the exams, qualifications and pay they mention are British — we include them so you get a feel for the job.
Required Education
A strong Leaving Certificate, with Higher Level Chemistry and Mathematics being particularly important, is the typical starting point for a career in chemistry. Most Chemists enter the profession with an NFQ Level 8 Honours Bachelor degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, or a related discipline from universities such as UCD, UCC, TCD, University of Galway, or DCU. Some roles, especially in research and development or academia, require a Level 9 Masters or Level 10 PhD, which many chemists pursue after gaining initial laboratory experience. Technological universities such as TU Dublin, MTU, and ATU also offer Level 8 programmes in chemical and pharmaceutical science that provide strong industry-ready training. PLC courses in laboratory science at Level 5 or 6 can provide a route into laboratory technician roles, from which further study can support progression towards a full Chemist position.
Required Skills
Career Perspective
Most Chemists begin their careers as graduate chemists or laboratory analysts within pharmaceutical, food, or materials companies, building practical skills in quality control or research roles. With experience, progression to senior chemist or analytical specialist positions brings greater responsibility for project leadership, method development, and mentoring junior staff. Further advancement can lead to roles such as Principal Scientist, R&D Manager, or Quality Assurance Manager, particularly for those who have completed postgraduate study. Some experienced chemists move into regulatory affairs, technical sales, or academic research, where a PhD is often an advantage for reaching the most senior positions.
AI Impact on the job
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to accelerate chemical research by predicting molecular behaviour, identifying promising new compounds, and optimising experimental conditions, reducing the time spent on manual trial-and-error work. AI-driven laboratory automation is taking over some routine analytical tasks, meaning that chemists are expected to focus more on interpreting complex results, designing experiments, and making critical professional judgements. Proficiency in data science tools and familiarity with AI-assisted platforms is becoming a valuable asset for chemists working in research and quality environments. However, the need for expert human oversight, regulatory compliance, and practical laboratory skill ensures that qualified chemists remain indispensable rather than replaceable.
Career Ladder
→ Chemist (Current role)
Related Studies
Employers in Ireland
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork; Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Analytical chemists support drug synthesis, QA, and process development.
Dungarvan, Co. Waterford; Currabinny, Co. Cork
Chemists perform QC analysis and formulation research for medicines.
Tallaght, Dublin 24
R&D chemists develop adhesive and consumer product formulations.
Wexford, Co. Wexford; Nationwide
Chemists analyse pollutants and monitor environmental chemical standards.
Dunboyne, Co. Meath; Kilkenny
Contract laboratory chemists test food, pharma, and environmental samples.
Clonmel, Co. Tipperary; Donegal Town, Co. Donegal
Chemists conduct QC and analytical testing for diagnostics and devices.
Newbridge, Co. Kildare; Nationwide
Chemists analyse biomass, soil, and peat-related chemical compositions.
Fosters Avenue, Dublin 4
Research chemists support biopharmaceutical process development and training.
Kilkenny; Nationwide
Food chemists ensure dairy and nutrition product quality and compliance.
Grangegorman, Dublin 7
Academic chemists conduct applied research and teach analytical techniques.
Leopardstown, Dublin 18; Nationwide
Chemists support bioanalytical and clinical trial laboratory services.
We don't know whether these employers currently have vacancies — always check their own website. And if there's somewhere you'd really love to work, it can be worth applying anyway, even without an open vacancy.
Our tools can help you with that:
This website uses cookies
We use functional cookies and — with your consent — cookies for preferences, statistics and marketing.