Gained a Chemistry degree because I love science but it became obvious during my time at uni that a lab based job was not going to be for me, decided to go down the sales route for the excitement but I think I'm beginning to see its not really for me as well!

I'd love a job outdoors but I think I need a problem solving one more than anything, that's what I love but with so many career paths to choose from I don't really know where to start looking so any ideas or advice would be very helpful, I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment and I just want some focus and direction!

cheers guys

A job in Forensics?
Archaeologist?

Tree surgery? That's outside and takes a fair bit of intelligence, and u I'll have the sales pitch nailed with your sales back round. Might have to learn bout trees though.

Oh forensics is better. Csi is cool

Join the Armed Forces

thanks guys, looked into forensics and it seems the people who actually go out to the scene are scene of crimes officers and are recruited from inside the police force, a forensic scientist would be lab based and not something I'm looking for really. Armed forces was always my dream, had that crushed pretty early on though thanks to the myopia I have, a fraction over the limit but it's really just as well because I am blind as a bat, may consider trying again for Sandhurst though after laser surgery.

Tree surgeon sounds fantastic exactly the type of thing I meant, outdoors aswel as intellectually stimulating, will be looking that up definitely.
I do love history and archaeology but I fear the pay would be so low as to almost unbearable!
any more ideas would be mega useful!

Illegal drug factory? Plenty of problems to solve there

Don't beleive the CSI forensics hype. Forensics is nothing like CSI. You are lab based and genrerally jobs are hugely repetitive with little stimulation – I been into plenty of forensics labs to know.

Chemistry and outdoors probably suits some sort of enviromental sciences?

G, what about Construction, maybe project managment side of things? Out on site most of the time and def plenty or problems to solve.

I'm in the final year of a distance learning degree with the College of Estate Management so you could work and gain qual at the same time. also came from a sales background. It is hard work at times but very rewarding.

http://www.cem.ac.uk

go get a job on a cruise ship as a bike guide/sport person. travel the world for two years effectively for free; all accom and food is paid for, live from your tips and return home after two years to £20k+.

that's what a friend did and what i, looking back, wish i'd done after spending one year in Oz.

Illegal drug factory? Plenty of problems to solve there

How about a legal drugs factory? Legal highs are the future! Fortunes to be made. Invent a new legal alternative to MDMA. Doesn't have to be far away from it to be unclassified. You be a millionare before legislation catches up.Unless it kills someone 😆 then don't pick up the soap.

Project manager, business analyst, finance analyst etc… then you can forget all your Chemistry stuff, but use your problem solving and numbers skills.

I did Chemistry and like you was useless in the lab. Also like you I dabbled with sales before getting a job doing pensions admin (big finance company) before moving into performance management, sales stats, business planning, project management etc… It works for me and I have plenty of time to spend with the family and get out on the bike.

Friend of ours with a chemistry background does fire investigation. Seems interesting, and it's in the field.

Brewer

I have been brewing for nearly ten years and it is a brilliant industry. won't earn a fortune but you will have fun and meet a lot of good people.

Standards are clearly falling at STW. The thread is this long and no one has yet mentioned the career of choice for such a thread;

Fluffer.

Medicine?

Petrol industry? £££!

Material Scientist for a racing sector (F1, motorbikes but they was absolutely shoddy) and you would some physics too.

Loads of stuff out there!

I know chemists who got MBA's and went into project business management.

Fluffer?

Train driver? – seems like a very contemplative and rewarding career. Stalwart custodian of the rolling stock, piloting locomotives up and down the iron byways of the UK. Not sure of the problem-solving dimension though.

A chemistry degree is supremely versatile, so if you've got a decent classification from a decent place you're in a good spot. You really cover a lot of ground – it's a difficult, broad subject that confers both analytical and creative thinking. You can direct these skills anywhere, really.

Environment agency, you drive to weird places dip a bottle in the water, sit in the van for an hour, and drive back to the office.

HSE
Civil Service
Forestry
http://www.carboncentre.org/
windfarms
neuclear industry
pharmacutical industry, this lot has changed owners and are restrting soon;
http://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/projects/rhodia/

biomass; http://www.eon-uk.com/generation/stevenscroft.aspx

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/geophysicist_field_seismologist_job_description.jsp
Son was asked if he would consider doing this last year, apparently showed some apptitude whilst studying it at uni.

Offshore Chemist every time. Via these guys: Staffhunt

Seriously, work sucks but you have to pay the bills. Why not do a job that you get paid a metric shitload of cash for, and 3 weeks out of every 5 to do whatever you want. I'll never work 9-5 again if I can help it.
And I say that work sucks, but this is actually a pretty sweet job. Sure, I live on what is technically a bomb, but the guys/girls here are all a superb craic, and there is opportunity for advancement and world-wide travel if you want it.

Thanks guys some really helpful ideas, love the offshore chemist one, but looking into it seems to be the old catch 22, they always want 3+ years experience it seems, but how can you get any experience on an offshore rig its not the type of thing you can do some volunteer work for!

Tried the environment agency a few times, they always seem to have very little going, either very high retention rate for staff or hardly any staff at all! I'll keep looking though!

Always tempting to go down the illegal drugs factory route, tax free earnings, job satisfaction (if you also double as the QA assurance 😉 ) – unlimited holidays – could this be the way?

ps any one want to buy any cheap smack or speed?

Why stick to chemistry based jobs, ever thought about the play industry, sales or design, it's a growth industry and mostly outdoors. Take a look here and see what you think…Good luck.

Try the utility companies. Water companies have to both test all their water on a daily basis and develop new methods of cleaning the stuff. UU (in the North West), have massive testing and devlopment labs in Warrington, I'm sure those chaps get out and about on a regular basis if they get the right job.

Obviously that's no good to you if you live down south where you only have one half empty well for drinking out of and have to buy water off us.

Environmental scientist for an engineering or similar consultancy. I can think of a couple of people I know who do it (one for Arup). You get to spend time on site, time in the office, they never have to work that hard (these guys can always get out of the office before 7pm to go riding). You have to come up with solutions for problems and deliver a plan for remdiation.

Sorry, I've just realised you might be a girl but I've found the perfect job for you.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/funny-words-/page/2?replies=58#post-1367182

…love the offshore chemist one, but looking into it seems to be the old catch 22, they always want 3+ years experience it seems, but how can you get any experience on an offshore rig its not the type of thing you can do some volunteer work for!

That's just general recruitment company spiel. I can vouch from personal experience that as long as you're willing and able, you can be as wet-behind-the-ears as you like. My experience comprised of a year working for the Immigration department, a year working for the prison service and 18 months in a research lab on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Give them a ring. That's all it took for me, and I've been out here for 3 years now. Most important, life-changing phonecall I ever made.

Military pilot.

Ox

were the Immigration/Prison roles in any way beneficial?

Just started a thread on Govt jobs 30 mins ago. Got at least twenty good years left for working, and want to make 'em …. I dunno …. safe?

were the Immigration/Prison roles in any way beneficial

Beneficial to working offshore? Only in that in the prison service I did shift work, so knew what shift work would be like out here. Is that what you meant?

Chemistry + Outdoors = Hydrogeologist
You'll need to get a masters, but you'll be niche as ****! I'm going to start a masters next year in this.
Has good pay and travel too.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/tree-surgeon-tell-me-about-it

land contam engineer working for a multi disciplinary consultancy or remediation contractor.

I'm an engineering gelogy/ geotechnical engineer working for a multi disciplinary eng consultancy in civil engineering.

Farming
http://www.fwi.co.uk/jobs/default2.aspx

Fluffer

offshore fluffer.

FLUFFER! Classic!

I cant reccomend a job but i do recommend avoiding the events industry! Too much booze, drugs and loud noises.

Agree with much of Treksters list…with that background plenty of mileage in renewables, evolving generation technology/biomass, 'smart-grid'…

How could I have forgotten the farming connection;
http://www.sac.ac.uk/research/centres/farms/crichton/
http://www.arlafoods.co.uk/ @ Lockerbie

Food technologist?
http://www.theseafoodcompany.co.uk/web/pinneys_of_scotland.asp @ Annan

All right in the middle of 7Stanes country 😆