Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary is the O*NET name for people who teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. With a code of ISR, this is mostly a job for people drawn to research, analysis and working through hard problems. Social interests also help, rated 5.7 out of 7. The preparation level is extensive preparation, typically graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. O*NET’s skill data points to writing, speaking, and reading comprehension as the ones to build. Expect to prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation. People who want research, analysis and working through hard problems usually fit better here than those who need leading, persuading and making business decisions.
What they do
Teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Work may include providing instruction in the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Main tasks
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation.
- Establish, teach, and monitor students' compliance with safety rules for handling chemicals, equipment, and other hazardous materials.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers.
- Supervise students' laboratory work.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
Skills
- Writing
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Science
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on writing and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 2.1 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ISR takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Master's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Biochemistry Professor
- Chemistry Faculty Member
- Chemistry Instructor
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.