What Do Chemistry Professors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Chemistry Professors teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Work may include 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. They also prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation.

Other tasks include:

• 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.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

We asked Chemistry Professors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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83% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Chemistry Professors prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation. They keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.

A typical day for a Postsecondary Chemistry Teacher will also include:

• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers.
• Supervise students’ laboratory work.

We asked some Chemistry Professors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	49% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	45% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	77% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	8% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	34% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Chemistry Professors also maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. They may also participate in campus and community events.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Chemistry Professors Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. They might also Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

In addition, they Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

To some Chemistry Professors, it is also their responsibility to Evaluate and grade students’ class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postsecondary Chemistry Teacher, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

http://www.cgsnet.org/

https://www.acteonline.org/

http://www.teach.org/