Becoming a marine chemist depends on the type of career pursued. For fire safety, a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or engineering is needed, while oceanography requires a degree in ocean chemistry and experience in marine research. Education and experience are key, with internships and field courses being beneficial. Marine chemists in vessel safety require intensive training and licensing, while oceanographic marine chemists usually have graduate degrees. Entry-level positions are available, but further schooling is necessary for advancement.
How you go about becoming a marine chemist depends entirely on what type of marine chemist career you pursue: chemists who work aboard ships to ensure fire safety often come from chemical engineering backgrounds, while chemists who study composition of the ocean are usually trained in biology, oceanography and other exact sciences. Most of the time, you can become a marine chemist in the fire preparedness and work safety industry by earning a bachelor’s degree in basic chemistry or engineering and then gaining some hands-on experience in large vessel mechanics. This training won’t help you much if you want to become a marine chemist who studies ocean water and the health of the seas. A degree program in ocean chemistry and experience working in ocean laboratories and marine research facilities will be your best bet in this case.
In either case, the key elements to your success in the field are education and experience. With very few exceptions, you will need a college degree. You can supplement your education with experience, such as an internship or field course, or you can find opportunities that are entirely extracurricular. Especially for engineering chemists, proving aptitude in advance is one of the best ways to successfully enter the field. An interest in research, on the other hand, is essential to becoming a marine chemist on the oceanographic side of things.
To become a marine chemist who helps ships and other large marine vessels pass their safety inspections, you’ll need to start studying chemistry, with an emphasis on inorganic processes, reactions, and the physics behind chemical engineering. Many technical universities have specific courses in chemical engineering, but smaller schools with more limited departments will put more into your specialization. Look for different training opportunities in your area – during school holidays or during the summer – that will show you how your education can make sense in a vessel safety environment. This includes internships and summer courses related to ships and ship safety.
In most places, you will be able to find entry-level work once you have a basic degree. Intensive training for marine chemists is almost always required, but is usually included as part of their professional orientation. Depending on your employer, training can last from six months to a year and usually involves intensive apprentice work on board ships, working directly with more experienced supervisors. In most jurisdictions, marine chemist requirements include passing the marine chemist licensing exam, as well as regular recertification.
Marine chemists in this capacity generally have many opportunities for job growth. Ships around the world need to be inspected to ensure they are seaworthy and prepared for calamity, particularly fire. Oil transport ships and military vessels are among the most tightly regulated, and marine chemist jobs are always in demand in these industries. With the right education, training and success on the job, you’ll likely have little trouble securing meaningful employment – and you might even find that becoming a marine chemist was easier than you thought.
Getting started is often more difficult if you want to become a marine chemist who studies the ocean. The vast majority of oceanographic marine chemists have graduate degrees, usually at the doctoral level. This type of intense academic study often requires the marine chemist to focus very narrowly on one aspect of the field. Some people know exactly what they want to study by the time they graduate, but that’s not common. If you’re not sure which precise aspect of the field you want to focus on, look into work experiences in a variety of fields to get an idea of what options are available.
Many marine chemistry teams hire young graduates in entry-level positions, but there is generally little opportunity for advancement in these jobs without further schooling. However, they are a great way to gain some experience and are a common starting point for many. Tangible experience will round out your college applications and can also help you define your future goals and identify the marine chemist careers that interest you most.
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