I wish someone had told me this when I was a chemistry student…
I wish someone had told me this when I was a chemistry student…
A strong foundation in organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry is non-negotiable - that’s the grammar of our field.
But to stand out in today’s job market, you need to go beyond what most universities teach.
Here are the 3 areas I’d focus on:
1. Data Science
If you’re a chemist, building computational skills is one of the most valuable investments you can make. Today, we have access to unprecedented public and proprietary datasets. But computational skills alone aren’t enough here. Without chemical intuition, you can’t design the right models or build meaningful pipelines. Chemists who combine fundamentals with data science become the translators between raw data and real insight.
2. Chemistry Automation
Automation is how modern labs discover faster and stay competitive. If you can speak both “chemistry” and “automation,” you don’t just run experiments - you become the bridge between science and engineering. Whether it’s programming liquid handlers to dose 96-well plates or setting up self-driving labs with flow systems, automation has never been cheaper or more accessible. A single setup can compress weeks of manual benchwork into an afternoon.
3. Communication & Cross-Disciplinary Thinking
Imagine working with data scientists and mechanical engineers on a shared problem. If you can distill a complex chemical challenge into clear terms, you accelerate progress for everyone. And it doesn’t stop at science - being able to communicate with commercial or strategy teams makes you even more valuable. The best way to build this skill isn’t taught in textbooks. Try internships or side projects outside the lab. A new perspective can completely reshape how you approach problems in science and in your career.
The future belongs to chemists who combine fundamentals with data, automation, and communication.
And the barrier to entry has never been lower. With today’s large language models (LLMs), you don’t need to be an expert programmer - you can ask an AI to help you write your first script.
To every chemistry student: build your base, then go beyond it. That’s not just how you land a job, it’s how you make yourself indispensable.
At ReactWise, this is a skill set we’ve been cultivating and continue to grow within our team. If you’re on a similar path, let’s connect!
