All about the chemist-technologist

Those who are still interested in chemistry at school may find a profession suitable. chemical technologist... This specialty is always in demand, it is promising, attractive from the point of view of career growth and professional self-development. Such specialists work in a variety of enterprises - from oil production to cosmetic factories.

A chemical technologist can work in an enterprise, but within the same profession he can engage in research activities. The profession appeared along with the chemical industry itself... Back in the 15th century, manufactories began to open in Europe, where salts and alkalis, acids for the manufacture of medicines and dyes were produced. Each new discovery in the field of chemistry became a new milestone in the evolution of the profession itself.

A simple example: at the beginning of the last century, equipment for the synthesis of ammonia on an industrial scale was invented. And the use of this equipment in the agrochemical industry has led to the emergence of a large area of ​​the economy - the production of mineral fertilizers. Closer to the middle of the last century saw the light of theoretical work on chain reactions, which were able to find practical application in the manufacture of plastics, resins, artificial fibers (synthetics).

The work of a modern chemist-technologist is the optimization of an existing production or the creation of a new product in cosmetology and pharmacology, the pulp and paper industry, at metallurgical and oil refineries, at military facilities, etc. The specialist is engaged in the creation of an object for consumption or a production facility with certain properties.The result of his work must have the capabilities of production on an industrial scale according to the algorithm.

The specialist must get acquainted with various samples, study their composition, analyze properties, determine costs and waste, methods of disposal of production waste. First, a chemical technologist controls samples of incoming raw materials and consumables, then - the quality of the finished product, its compliance with the stated criteria. A chemist-technologist can combine practical and scientific activities. He can also be part of the administrative and management level.

The description of the profession would be incomplete without listing its pros and cons.

The pluses of the specialty include the following:

• an interesting profession for those who are sincerely passionate about chemistry;
• work does not imply monotony;
• the profession is developing, scientific research is promoting the industry, and with today's focus on environmental friendliness of production, exactly those companies will be in demand that can move in this direction;
• if a person wants to combine practice and scientific activity, this profession has all the opportunities for this;
• work in a large team, at large enterprises;
• business trips, participation in forums, exhibitions, scientific conferences are possible;
• good salary if a specialist is in demand and works, for example, at a large prosperous plant or factory.

But there are also disadvantages:

• they can be called side effects of work - vibration, noise, interaction with reagents, solutions (but the risks are minimized by special equipment and compliance with safety measures);
• starting opportunities should be high - you need to study well at school, most likely, even choose a chemistry and biological profile.

Responsibilities are strictly prescribed in the job description. Industry specifics make its own adjustments.

The basic duties of a chemical technologist in any industry are as follows:

• study of the chemical properties of a material or substance, as well as its compounds in the course of a physicochemical experiment;
• processing and interpretation of the results of conducted experiments;
• design, as well as the manufacture of new versions of the product with other physicochemical properties on the basis of the obtained experimental data;
• carrying out a chemical examination of the properties of this or that product, researching the possibilities of using this product in the national economy;
• technological control of chemical processes during the launch of a product in mass production;
• research work on the impact of production, storage and waste on the ecological profile of the environment.

Of course, industry specificity adds its own points to this list, but the main list of responsibilities of a specialist in any field looks like this. Responsibilities also change in the course of professional advancement of a chemical technologist. For example, an ordinary employee can become a chief specialist, a leading chemical technologist. In this case, he is responsible for the development of the company's production, expansion of the range of products, and its improvement. A chemical technologist can also take an administrative position. In this case, he will have to show organizational skills, since he becomes a managerial link.

This item can also consist of a fairly long list. It is worth listing the most important competencies of a specialist.

What a chemical technologist should know.

• Principles and methodology of scientific research and experiment.
• The order of work on the release of new products (substances, formulations).
• Technologies and rules for using professional equipment, setting up and repairing equipment.
• Working with software for a professional process.
• The basics of competent (primarily from a legal point of view) filling out various documents - from the work schedule to the preparation of estimates and requests for supplies.
• Basics of analytical information processing, reporting and work plans.
• The basics of economic knowledge regarding the effectiveness of a company in its profile, as well as the economic feasibility of launching new technologies (or increasing the range) through the development and emergence of an innovative product.
• Principles and technologies of product quality control.
• The main competencies related to team management, the work of departments, management in their industry.

Modern chemist-technologist - a specialist who constantly learns and strives for self-development in the profession. It used to be thought that professional knowledge and skills need to be renewed every 3 years. Today this figure can be reduced. Technological progress, the emergence of a dominant digital market, new forms of marketing, new environmental standards force specialists to adapt to the innovations of the time and professionally meet these requirements.

It will not be superfluous to note that a good specialist must know foreign languages. Compulsory English today is often a requirement for hiring: international contacts of an enterprise, projects with foreign companies, and finally, compliance with international protocols requires a confident knowledge of at least basic English.

As noted above, even at school you can choose a class with a bio-chemical profile, in order not only to better prepare yourself for admission to the appropriate university, but also to accurately determine the profession. The specialty is in demand, the competition for it is high, the training cannot be called simple for sure. Therefore, school pre-training will not be an ordinary reinsurance. Well, do not forget about all the same English, which will significantly increase the competitiveness of the future young specialist. At the university you need to choose specialty "Chemical technologies", this is the main specialty in which future chemists-technologists can be trained.

There are also alternatives (narrow profiling):

• chemical technology of organic substances;
• chemical technology of materials of modern energy;
• control technology for chemical compounds, etc.

You can also become a chemist-technologist, having received education in such specialties as "Biotechnology", "Fundamental and Applied Chemistry", as well as "Materials Science, Materials Technology"... You can start studying at a college. This is far from the worst option: it is easier to enter college, and during the training you can understand whether the profession is chosen. In college, it will be more dramatic to understand. Finally, after college, a young specialist can already work, simultaneously combining professional practice with training at the university.

The best universities in this specialty - this, of course, is the Moscow State Technical University. N.E. Bauman, Moscow Polytechnic University, D. Mendeleev, St. S. Kirov, KNRTU (Kazan), TIK (Tyumen), SamGTU (Samara) and others. Entering a specialized institution is worth those girls and boys who have a primary idea of ​​the profession. If a person is able to act according to an algorithm, to observe labor discipline, realizing that the life of people may even depend on his work (after all, he is responsible for the quality of the products produced), then it is possible to act.

To the future chemist-technologist in the professional field accuracy and perseverance, attention to detail, high efficiency will help. If a person has a physiologically well-developed sense of smell and color perception, he has good prospects in the profession. But if an applicant has an allergy, this is tantamount to professional incompetence.

The place of work of a chemical technologist may beresearch center, practical laboratory, industry. Specialists work in the pharmaceutical and food industries, in the oil company and in the cosmetics industry. A specialist can work and in a medical facility. Someone gets on the distribution for production related to the technology of organic substances, and finds himself in this industry.

There are many cases and how, for example, a specialist came to cosmetic production and eventually opened its own brand, based on our own developments. This profession can be called quite versatile, especially if the place of employment is a large city. They also attract chemical technologists to startups, where they, as part of a team, work on some kind of innovative product. And even students sometimes get involved in such projects.

As for the salary, there can be a big gap here. From an almost unprofitable plant on the periphery with a salary of 25,000 to a large company in Moscow with a monthly income of 100,000. It all depends on the place of work, city, prospects. You can start as a laboratory assistant and grow to a process engineer in a few years.