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| Credit: Diablonet.com |
From Kazoo Chemist, at In the Pipeline: "The one in the picture is Building 209. That housed most of the medicinal chemists on the 6th and 7th floors." Sigh.
17 Şubat 2013 Pazar
A sad picture.
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Thanks to the latest report from The Day's Lee Howard about Pfizer's quiet layoffs from its Groton site (now, less than expected!) and Derek Lowe's report about it, I heard tell of stories of a funny/sad juxtaposition from the old from the old Upjohn site, I believe. I found it on a random website. The blue banner says: "The science of being a good neighbor" and the red one says "We love where we live."
From Kazoo Chemist, at In the Pipeline: "The one in the picture is Building 209. That housed most of the medicinal chemists on the 6th and 7th floors." Sigh.
From Kazoo Chemist, at In the Pipeline: "The one in the picture is Building 209. That housed most of the medicinal chemists on the 6th and 7th floors." Sigh.
The David Challenge: which alternative career would you suggest?
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From a couple of weeks ago, an excellent question from a frequent commenter (David Formerly Known as a Chemist) at In the Pipeline,
Far be it from me to discourage anyone to do what many of the readers of this blog has done, which is to get a Ph.D. in chemistry -- even more narrowly, organic chemistry. But as I keep saying, I think it is terribly important to have a finely calibrated sense for where you stand compared to your peers nationwide and to have a clear-eyed expectation of what might lie ahead for you (salary, length of job search) if you do not snag a Big Pharma entry-level senior scientist post. So that's my first response to David's challenge: I would encourage those who plan on a career in chemistry to understand the tradeoffs for what might lie ahead.
For those who find a 7-year journey to $90,000/year job (to pick some round numbers that are likely too short and too much) to be too long for not enough money, I've always asserted that engineering and nursing must have the best returns on investment for schooling. 4 years, a decent wage, government support (nursing) and licensure all seem to be things that weigh in favor of these two fields. That said, they're not free of complaints, so that fails the second part of David's challenge.
(If time and family were no object, I would personally be very interested in becoming a physician. I like people enough that I think I could deal with them day-to-day (I think) and the balance between routine work and long-term problem-solving would be interesting. But again, there are plenty of complaints about medicine as a career, so it fails part 2 of the David challenge.
Some days, I fancy a career as a short-order cook at an old-style diner, but that's not exactly lucrative.)
Finally, it seems to me that computer science has a relatively low barrier-to-learning and accepts informally-trained folks for jobs routinely. I plan to try to teach my kids the basics of coding as soon as practical; it sees like a fun computer-oriented activity and it seems to me that coding will be a basic skill for the future.
Readers, what would be your alternative career of choice?
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| An actual "CJ's Diner." Credit: PALMETT0 |
And again I ask all of you, what alternative career paths would any of you encourage people to pursue? What other careers don't have high numbers of people complaining about how tough it is out there?From the comments, a number of different suggestions:
- Anon012820131032a: "Pharmacists, Dentists, Opticians, Engineers"
- My 0.02: "It seems that there are endless positions for computer programmers."
- Anon012820130852p: "Accountants, doctors, pharmacists, optometrists, dentists, nurses, chiropractors, computer programmers, market researchers, sales folks."
- Regret: "Everyday of my life, I regret the decision to choose chemistry over computer science. Worst. Decision. Ever."
Far be it from me to discourage anyone to do what many of the readers of this blog has done, which is to get a Ph.D. in chemistry -- even more narrowly, organic chemistry. But as I keep saying, I think it is terribly important to have a finely calibrated sense for where you stand compared to your peers nationwide and to have a clear-eyed expectation of what might lie ahead for you (salary, length of job search) if you do not snag a Big Pharma entry-level senior scientist post. So that's my first response to David's challenge: I would encourage those who plan on a career in chemistry to understand the tradeoffs for what might lie ahead.
For those who find a 7-year journey to $90,000/year job (to pick some round numbers that are likely too short and too much) to be too long for not enough money, I've always asserted that engineering and nursing must have the best returns on investment for schooling. 4 years, a decent wage, government support (nursing) and licensure all seem to be things that weigh in favor of these two fields. That said, they're not free of complaints, so that fails the second part of David's challenge.
(If time and family were no object, I would personally be very interested in becoming a physician. I like people enough that I think I could deal with them day-to-day (I think) and the balance between routine work and long-term problem-solving would be interesting. But again, there are plenty of complaints about medicine as a career, so it fails part 2 of the David challenge.
Some days, I fancy a career as a short-order cook at an old-style diner, but that's not exactly lucrative.)
Finally, it seems to me that computer science has a relatively low barrier-to-learning and accepts informally-trained folks for jobs routinely. I plan to try to teach my kids the basics of coding as soon as practical; it sees like a fun computer-oriented activity and it seems to me that coding will be a basic skill for the future.
Readers, what would be your alternative career of choice?
Daily Pump Trap: 2/14/12 edition
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Good morning! Between February 12 and February 13, there were 12 new positions posted on C&EN Jobs. Of these, 4 (33%) are academically connected.
San Jose, CA: Becton Dickinson is looking for a B.S. chemist for a managerial position:
Shimadzu: A field engineer position for Baltimore, MD and a San Diego sales position.
Oak Ridge, TN: Oak Ridge National Laboratories is looking for a postdoctoral fellow for NMR work towards batteries and electrical energy technology.
Golden, CO: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is looking for a Ph.D. chemist (doctorate within the last 3 years) for a postdoctoral fellowship towards polymers in "organic radical batteries."
A broader look: Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed and USAjobs.gov show (respectively) 200, 716, 2,374 and 18 positions for the search term "chemist." LinkedIn shows 100 position for the job title "chemist", with 7 for "research chemist", 16 for "analytical chemist" and 1 for "organic chemist."
San Jose, CA: Becton Dickinson is looking for a B.S. chemist for a managerial position:
This position is managing our core chemistry team focused on the introduction of new antibody conjugate reagents used in Flow Cytometry. A complete understanding of conjugation and dye chemistry is needed to accurately guide the team through technical issues as they arise.5 years supervisory experience, 3 years of FDA regulatory experience desired.
Shimadzu: A field engineer position for Baltimore, MD and a San Diego sales position.
Oak Ridge, TN: Oak Ridge National Laboratories is looking for a postdoctoral fellow for NMR work towards batteries and electrical energy technology.
Golden, CO: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is looking for a Ph.D. chemist (doctorate within the last 3 years) for a postdoctoral fellowship towards polymers in "organic radical batteries."
A broader look: Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed and USAjobs.gov show (respectively) 200, 716, 2,374 and 18 positions for the search term "chemist." LinkedIn shows 100 position for the job title "chemist", with 7 for "research chemist", 16 for "analytical chemist" and 1 for "organic chemist."
Quick Weeknight Dinner for 2 with Campbell's Skillet Sauces
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Back in November, I changed jobs and transitioned from working about 30-35 hours a week from my home to working 40+ hours a week at an office about 1 hour away from my home. That meant that between the added commute and extra work hours, I suddenly had about 20 less hours a week for household chores, cooking and (as you've probably noticed) blogging.
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.
There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
As you might imagine, this also means that dinner isn't always on the table promptly at 6... or 7... or even sometimes 8! I've definitely started to look for shortcuts and simpler meals for weeknights. So when I heard about the new Campbell's® Skillet Sauces for two that promised an easy #Dinnerin15, I was eager to try them out!
Before heading to my local Albertsons, I checked out the Campbell's Kitchen website and saw that they suggest serving the skillet creation over rice or pasta. So, when I got to Albertsons, that was the first aisle I looked in. Low and behold, there they were between the rice and pasta and near other pre-packaged sauces and gravies:
You can check out my whole shopping trip on Google+.There are 6 flavors in all - Fire Roasted Tomato, Scampi, Thai Green Curry, Creamy Chipotle, Marsala and Toasted Sesame. I was in a pasta mood, so I went with the scampi skillet sauce pouch so I could do shrimp scampi over whole wheat spaghetti. According to the directions, all you need in addition to the sauce packet is 1 tbsp. of oil, 1 lb. of protein and 15 minutes prep/cooking time. Given my excitement over the possibility of having dinner on the table in about 1/3 the time it usual takes, I also grabbed a bottle of wine so I could turn it into date night!
The cooking process for the sauce and shrimp was as simple as the 3 easy steps that were promised. Heat oil, cook protein, add sauce. And all of that could easily be accomplished in 15 minutes. Since I had to boil water for pasta, though (and don't have an induction burner), it took an official total of 24 minutes. But that was still a HUGE time saver, cutting my usual dinner making time by about half and allowing me to set up a little dinner date for 2 at the table (instead of on the couch...):
Prepared exactly according to the package directions, the scampi looked creamy and wonderful:
And it was good, but also very rich. I thought it needed a little more balance, so I added some more parsley, fresh ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice for Shrimp Scampi a la Valley Writer:
My husband and I both agreed it was very good--and we would definitely have it again. The portions were ample, easily feeding 2 hungry adults whose main meal is dinner. (For smaller eaters, you could probably stretch this to 3 meals.) The only thing I would (will) do differently next time is to add some marinated artichoke hearts or other veggies for a more complete meal.
If you're interested in trying out Campbell's Skillet Sauces, pop over to their Facebook page and grab a $1 off coupon by the end of January. They also have coupons on display in-store through January, but all of them were gone when I went shopping - so plan ahead!
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell's. All opinions expressed are my own. #cbias #Social Fabric
Things to Do in San Diego's Balboa Park
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There are many well-known San Diego attractions that you will want to consider when you are planning a visit to this popular Southern California city. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, or even if you're a local that needs to entertain out-of-town visitors, you definitely won't run out of things to see. One of the best places you could go -- especially if you like the outdoors -- is Balboa Park.
Although there are plenty of attractions to see, Balboa Park is unique in that it offers a lot of diversions to keep you and your guests busy. Among the various attractions you can see on the park, there are some must-see locations which you should visit to make your sightseeing excursion complete.
One of these "must-see" attractions is the Star Trek exhibition. It contains all the original costumes and props as well as the sets that were used in all series and films of Star Trek. If you are going to get an admission ticket, you would also be granted access to other exhibits on the Air and Space Museum.
If flowers are more to your taste, then the poinsettia display will rank as your number one among the San Diego attractions. The display can be found on the Botanical Building and features more than five hundred poinsettias that were arranged in harmony with the rest of the botanical wonders around which came from all over the world. You do not have to spend anything to see the display because it is for free.
If you are searching for IMAX film among the San Diego attractions, then you can have a single ticket so that you can be admitted to one of the new films on IMAX that are shown on a seamless dome screen which is very modern. If you know of the zoo in San Diego, you would probably visit it too; but if you are going to go there, it is advisable that you go early so that you can avoid the business of the day. One of the unique things to see in the zoo is the Panda Research Station and perhaps you could go there directly.
You may have a long list of other San Diego attractions that are worth seeing, just be sure to save at least a few days of your vacation for exploring Balboa Park and all the sites it has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Romel have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for short sales in San Diego and great passion and knowledge for San Diego Coastal and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here sandiegorealestatecafe.com
There are many well-known San Diego attractions that you will want to consider when you are planning a visit to this popular Southern California city. Whether you are in the city for business or pleasure, or even if you're a local that needs to entertain out-of-town visitors, you definitely won't run out of things to see. One of the best places you could go -- especially if you like the outdoors -- is Balboa Park.
Although there are plenty of attractions to see, Balboa Park is unique in that it offers a lot of diversions to keep you and your guests busy. Among the various attractions you can see on the park, there are some must-see locations which you should visit to make your sightseeing excursion complete.
One of these "must-see" attractions is the Star Trek exhibition. It contains all the original costumes and props as well as the sets that were used in all series and films of Star Trek. If you are going to get an admission ticket, you would also be granted access to other exhibits on the Air and Space Museum.
If flowers are more to your taste, then the poinsettia display will rank as your number one among the San Diego attractions. The display can be found on the Botanical Building and features more than five hundred poinsettias that were arranged in harmony with the rest of the botanical wonders around which came from all over the world. You do not have to spend anything to see the display because it is for free.
If you are searching for IMAX film among the San Diego attractions, then you can have a single ticket so that you can be admitted to one of the new films on IMAX that are shown on a seamless dome screen which is very modern. If you know of the zoo in San Diego, you would probably visit it too; but if you are going to go there, it is advisable that you go early so that you can avoid the business of the day. One of the unique things to see in the zoo is the Panda Research Station and perhaps you could go there directly.
You may have a long list of other San Diego attractions that are worth seeing, just be sure to save at least a few days of your vacation for exploring Balboa Park and all the sites it has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Romel have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for short sales in San Diego and great passion and knowledge for San Diego Coastal and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here sandiegorealestatecafe.com
16 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi
40+ and alternative careers?
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Respected commenter and reader The Aqueous Layer has this to say on the alternative careers front:
I think this line of thinking is great for people under the age of 35. When you start pushing into your 40s and beyond, it becomes much harder to transition into an alternate career, from both ends. Employers are going to be much less willing to take on a 45 year old with no experience. The adage about "It's easier to find a job when you have one" is also true as well. HR and/or hiring managers might not admit it, but there is a bias towards hiring people who already have jobs...
50 and older it becomes more of 'what will I settle for' or 'what can I do to help make some money to pay the bills'. Unfortunately, I know several people who ended up in that boat, cobbling together small teaching gigs earning less than $25K total.As someone who is in TAL's gray zone (i.e. NLT35, NMT41), I would be interested in hearing from readers who have successfully (or unsuccessfully!) transitioned away from traditional bench/research-related work to something else. Please tell us in the comments or write me at chemjobber -at- gmail/dot/com.
Situations Wanted?
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From the pages of the ACS' Dallas-Fort Worth section's February newsletter, the Southwest Retort, a rather wonderful and typical "Situations Wanted":
I bring this up because I would like reader suggestions to see if a regular "Situations Wanted" feature on the blog would be useful. Do we have readers with enough networks and influence on hiring to make it worth it? Please, let me know how you feel about this. What should the format be?
Recent double masters (organic and analytical) graduate... actively seeking job in chemical industries. Experience in methods development and analysis by chromatographic techniques. Excellent management and organization skills, instruments maintenance and troubleshooting. E-mail: *******@gmail.comOne of the unfortunate transitions away from the printed version of Chemical and Engineering News is the seeming lack of "Situations Wanted" ads -- if you leafed through a copy from the 1980s, it seems like the Situations Wanted section was quite populated with people looking for um, new situations.
I bring this up because I would like reader suggestions to see if a regular "Situations Wanted" feature on the blog would be useful. Do we have readers with enough networks and influence on hiring to make it worth it? Please, let me know how you feel about this. What should the format be?
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