More Than Numbers
Students who complete a graduate internship work in a wide variety of roles in government, clinical, and academic labs, as well as research and development in industry. Alumni develop skills which have been successfully transferred to a wide variety of science and analyst roles. A selection of roles is highlighted below. These example positions share core competencies: significant overlap of responsibilities between different roles is possible.
Common Job Titles for Polymers Graduates
Students who complete the polymer science track work in a wide variety of chemistry and engineering roles within the life sciences, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, paint, performance clothing and shoes, and construction materials sectors as well as peripheral sectors. Alumni from this track develop skills which have been successfully transferred to a wide variety of engineering and management roles in consumer product development, manufacturing, raw material development, and research and development. A selection of roles is highlighted below.
Application Engineer: Develops deep relationships with product users and customers to understand and create solutions for their technical needs. Example: Develops a polymer technology allowing the application of sunscreen under high moisture conditions (e.g., sweaty skin).
Research and Development (Polymer) Chemist: Synthesizes materials and conducts early stage performance testing of new polymeric compounds and derivatives. Example: Develops a novel polymer film that enables biologists, biomedical engineers and biochemists to take the highest clarity pictures to date of tissue and cell cultures.
Polymer Scientist: Includes a broad range of responsibilities within synthesis, characterization, applications evaluation, failure analysis, reverse engineering, and others. Polymer scientists typically occupy the role of polymeric materials experts at their respective company. Example: Determines which polymer should be used in a sports helmet to minimize impact-related injuries.
Polymer and Process Engineer: Ensures manufacturing processes run efficiently and troubleshoots issues as they arise. Combines process knowledge and experimentation methods to maintain and improve the quality of a processing step. Example: Improves bioavailability of a drug by finding optimal encapsulation conditions to embed pharmaceuticals within a polymer matrix.
Polymer Metrologist and Physical Polymer Scientist: Uses thermal, mechanical, and spectroscopic characterization instrumentation to characterize the physical and structural properties of polymers. Example: Determines whether a polymeric material can safely house explosive compounds over a wide range of operational conditions (temperature, high impact, etc).
Quality Control Specialist: Tests and assesses the properties of materials to ensure that all items meet company performance and environmental standards. Example: Ensures each batch of a polymeric product used in the food industry meets safety standards.
Biomedical Scientist and Engineer: Develops biocompatible polymers for use in the human body. This includes many areas of focus such as tissue scaffolding, medical stents, artery repair, dental composites, replacement joints, and many other medically relevant areas of research. Example: Develops a bioresorbable suture specifically designed for a particular surgical procedure.