QC/QA certification in chemistry

phildin

Hi,

I notice that most of the vacancies advertised in Ireland for chemists are in the area of QA/QC and they generally seem to require at least 6 months of experience. For someone who has graduated and is looking for a role in this area, are there any courses or certifications in this area that that can help your CV to stand out a little in lieu of actual industrial experience? I'm thinking of something along the lines of the GMP certification offered by CFPIE but that's only appropriate for someone with 5 years of experience. Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Phil

AaronEnnis

Most employers put 6 months down as they usually take into account a 6-month co-op in 3rd year, provided by most courses. Really with a lot of these jobs they require a strict adherence to GLP requirements...so without taking unpaid experience, I'd highlight things on your CV (if present) such as:

- HPLC experience, probably the most widely-used technique across labs that I've come across
- Method validation ; what are the benefits of it analytical method validation? Remember you'll be following strict SOPs in these positions, so be sure to show an interest in setting up and validating methods
- GC experience, again widely used across different labs
- Show an active interest in the generic analytical techniques used regularly, as opposed to thinking of them as daily duties - ELISA, FTIR, Karl Fischer, LCMS, etc. Each company will train you up on their instruments regardless, so even knowing the theory behind each in detail and being able to explain these things in interview will stand to you.
- IT experience of any kind is also a big help, QC and QA involve a serious amount of report writing to deadlines.

In terms of extra learning, I suppose it would be of interest to learn the basis of software packages such as Empower2/3, as lots of bigger labs run on these systems. Also, download manuals for instruments, to get a feel for the maintenance requirements of them.

phildin

Thanks, sounds like good advice, it should serve to make my CV a little more buzzword compliant as well:)

Cheers,
Phil

dirtyden

All of the above very sound advice.

I would also emphasise your ability to work in a team as although that seems obvious it is exactly what an employer will look for in this field.

If you can also emphasise attention to detail, another soft skill that is important in any pharma discipline. If you are applying for a particular job you would impress highly if you can reflect how you might analyse the particular products/compounds that company makes.

Best of luck, employment oourtunities appear to be picking up compared to last few years.