Chemical Information Management Specialist

Chemical information management specialists are responsible for finding, organizing, and disseminating information. Their primary role is to organize the overwhelming amount of chemical information found in journals, patent literature, etc. to make it easily accessible to researchers, students, industry professionals, and others.

Chemical information specialists are hired by libraries, chemical companies, market research firms, publishing units of professional societies, and management consulting firms. They are also employed by the technical and trade divisions of publishing houses and by software and chemical information database companies. Some work as independent consultants hired on a project-by-project basis. Most roles require both technical understanding and computer expertise.

Job responsibilities include balancing patrons’ needs with budget availability, balancing online and print resources, planning for disaster recovery, evaluating usage and impact of various resources, and negotiating contracts.

Computer software development is one of the fastest growing areas for chemical information specialists.

Professions for Chemical Information Specialists

• Science librarian
• Technical information specialist—organizing and archiving company reports, standard operating procedures, and historical data
• Data curation—enabling access to, and ensuring quality of, chemical data sets over their entire life cycle
• Market researcher
• Patent researcher
• Management consultant
• Technical publisher
• Software developer
• Abstracter—summarize technical content for a specific audience
• Indexer—create indices so users can find information easily

Educational requirements vary considerably, depending on the specific area in which you want to work. Indexers and document analysts generally have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, although a master’s or doctoral degree may be required for more specialized work. Additional training and a master’s degree in library science (M.L.S.) are necessary to be a chemical librarian in an academic or industrial work environment, and information specialists in industry often have an advanced degree in their scientific discipline.

The ability to efficiently and effectively search for chemical structures and for biosequences is also a highly desirable skill. Market researchers, consultants, and individuals in sales and management positions generally combine their technical training with a business degree.

• The ability to read, search, and understand technical information for a technical audience is crucial for many career paths in chemical information management
• A solid foundation in science and chemical reference works, including the ability to search chemical databases and conduct chemical structure and patent searches, is required
• The ability to write about or summarize (abstract or index) chemical information is also required for some positions
• With the huge shift to online information, web programming and web development skills may also be useful

Most chemical information professionals start out as researchers, with varying areas of expertise. Over time, they may start managing other researchers, sometimes taking charge of a division or an entire library or information center. They may also move into project management.

Professional Organizations

• ACS Division of Chemical Information
• American Society for Information Science and Technology
• Council on Library and information Resources
• Drug Information Association Career Center
• Special Libraries Association Chemical Division

The job outlook for chemical information specialists is steady for the foreseeable future. Since this is a fairly specialized market, obtaining a position often requires a willingness to relocate. Computer expertise is becoming a prerequisite, and patent or intellectual property work is a growing area.

Chemical Information Salaries (2007)

A greater interest in scientific literature than in scientific method is a good sign that this is a career path worth exploring for you. An eye for detail and a propensity for public service are also important. Most chemical information specialists stress the importance of being able to work with people and communicate well, both verbally and in writing. It helps to be highly organized. Information specialists combine their technical skills with good interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work in a service-oriented position.