Career options for Chemistry at Murdoch University

Our Degrees are changing.

In 2014, Part I (first year) units will be introduced with Part II (second year and higher) units becoming available in subsequent years. Detailed information about Part II will be available here from mid-2014.

Find out more about our new degrees, or to get in touch and ask us what this means for you head to AskMurdoch. Continuing students can still access information for degrees commencing 2013 and prior in the Course Handbook.

Career options

As a Murdoch Chemistry graduate, your employment outlook is bright, especially if you combine it with other disciplines. Depending on which skill combinations or specialisations you have, your Murdoch degree may lead you towards work and study opportunities in a number of areas. The following are some professions to consider, including extra majors and minors that will improve your prospects of achieving them.

Forensic Biologist

Forensic Biologists investigate crimes by collecting and analysing physical evidence. Often, they specialise in areas such as DNA analysis or firearm examination, performing tests on weapons or on substances such as fibre, glass, hair, tissue, and body fluids to determine their significance to the investigation. Proper collection and storage methods are important to protect the evidence. They also prepare reports to document their findings and the laboratory techniques used, and they may provide information and expert opinion to investigators. When criminal cases come to trial, forensic science technicians often give testimony, as expert witnesses, on specific laboratory findings by identifying and classifying substances, materials, and other evidence collected at the scene of a crime.

Medical Physicist

Medical Physicists are members of a multi-disciplinary team who help in the commissioning of new equipment and planning of radiotherapy treatments.

Nanoscientist

Basic and applied research comprises the bulk of work for Nanoscientists because immediate applications of nanotechnology are still relatively few. The Australian Research Council Nanotechnology Network ARCNN facilitates the development of new technologies resulting from this research. Australia has distinct nanotechnology thrusts in areas of nanoparticles, nano materials and devices, semiconductor electronics and optoelectronics, functional nanomaterials, and polymers/composites.