About Medicinal Chemists
Medicinal Chemists work at the heart of medicine discovery, designing and then making or 'synthesising' new chemical compounds - the active ingredients in medicines.
"Every day you're making different compounds that could become fantastic new medicines, improving the quality of life for thousands of people."
What does the job involve?
You'll spend most of your time in the laboratory conducting experiments. Here you'll create new compounds from the huge variety of chemical building blocks available, using data from biologists, pharmacologists and molecular modellers. Once you've created a new compound it will be tested and you will then use the results to see if you can make a better compound.
What kind of qualifications do I need?
Start off by getting good GCSEs and A-levels in chemistry and maths. You'll then need to take a chemistry-based degree, specialising in synthetic organic or medicinal chemistry. A degree is the minimum entry requirement for chemists. However, many choose to undertake postgraduate study as well before joining us. You'll also need to maintain a genuine interest in experimental work.
What kind of career opportunities will I enjoy?
Postgraduates take most of the leadership positions in medicinal chemistry but if you're a top class graduate, you'll still have the opportunity to progress into these positions. However, the main role for graduates is laboratory-based, with opportunities to supervise teams of chemists as you develop your skills and experience.
Where can I work
We employ Medicinal Chemists predominantly at two sites in the UK - Charnwood in Leicestershire and Alderley Park in Cheshire. However, there are also opportunities to move to sites in Sweden and the US, as well as smaller sites in Australia and the rest of the world.
Where can I find out more?
Check out our website
www.astrazeneca.co.uk
Another website you might find useful is
www.abpi.org.uk
You might also want to ask your careers officer if you're choosing the right subject options for a career in medicinal chemistry.
