Chemist to philosopher
A chemist already meets 70% of what the philosopher role asks for. The move turns on 8 required skills not yet in the profile.
40.9/ 100
1 How much of what a philosopher is expected to do is already part of a chemist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the philosopher role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A philosopher role treats 32 of its required skills as things a chemist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply for research funding
- apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities
- apply scientific methods
- communicate with a non-scientific audience
- conduct research across disciplines
- demonstrate disciplinary expertise
What stands in the way is 8 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 35 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A philosopher role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a chemist background worth leading with.
- already held develop scientific theories information skills
- already held scientific literature generic programmes and qualifications
- already held apply scientific methods information skills
- already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data information skills
- already held think abstractly communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held communicate with a non-scientific audience communication, collaboration and creativity
All 35 carried skills, including the 32 the philosopher role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 25 missing skills fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn ethics required
- still to learn history of philosophy required
- still to learn logic required
- still to learn morality required
- still to learn philosophical schools of thought required
- still to learn philosophy required
- optional, not held phenomenology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held metaphysics optional
- optional, not held history optional
- optional, not held religious studies optional
- optional, not held theology optional
- still to learn rhetoric required
- optional, not held journalism optional
- optional, not held political ideologies optional
- optional, not held political science optional
- optional, not held politics optional
- optional, not held sociology optional
- optional, not held source criticism optional
- still to learn present arguments persuasively required
- optional, not held perform lectures optional
- optional, not held teach philosophy optional
- optional, not held write research proposals optional
- optional, not held Ancient Greek optional
- optional, not held Latin optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a philosopher role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 35 skills that carry over
- already held apply for research funding skill
- already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
- already held apply scientific methods skill
- already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
- already held conduct research across disciplines skill
- already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
- already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
- already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
- already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
- already held evaluate research activities skill
- already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
- already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
- already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
- already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
- already held manage intellectual property rights skill
- already held manage open publications skill
- already held manage personal professional development skill
- already held manage research data skill
- already held mentor individuals skill
- already held operate open source software skill
- already held perform project management skill
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held promote open innovation in research skill
- already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
- already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
- already held publish academic research skill
- already held scientific literature knowledge
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held speak different languages skill
- already held synthesise information skill
- already held think abstractly skill
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held apply blended learning skill
- already held develop scientific theories skill
- already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held phenomenology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held metaphysics optional
- optional, not held perform lectures optional
- optional, not held Ancient Greek optional
- optional, not held Latin optional
- optional, not held history optional
- optional, not held journalism optional
- optional, not held political ideologies optional
- optional, not held political science optional
- optional, not held politics optional
- optional, not held religious studies optional
- optional, not held sociology optional
- optional, not held source criticism optional
- optional, not held teach philosophy optional
- optional, not held theology optional
- optional, not held write research proposals optional
61 held skills the philosopher role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role CAE software knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise on chemical use reduction skill
- not needed by the target role alternative fuels knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse chemical substances skill
- not needed by the target role analytical chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role analytical methods in biomedical sciences knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply liquid chromatography skill
- not needed by the target role apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
- not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
- not needed by the target role assist scientific research skill
- not needed by the target role biological chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role calibrate laboratory equipment skill
- not needed by the target role collect samples for analysis skill
- not needed by the target role communicate with external laboratories skill
- not needed by the target role conduct quality control analysis skill
- not needed by the target role cosmetics industry knowledge
- not needed by the target role customer relationship management knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop chemical products skill
- not needed by the target role develop components separation processes skill
- not needed by the target role develop new food products skill
- not needed by the target role develop scientific research protocols skill
- not needed by the target role dispose of hazardous waste skill
- not needed by the target role document analysis results skill
- not needed by the target role execute feasibility study on hydrogen skill
- not needed by the target role follow nuclear plant safety precautions skill
- not needed by the target role follow procedures to control substances hazardous to health skill
- not needed by the target role formulate cosmetic products skill
- not needed by the target role good manufacturing practices knowledge
- not needed by the target role green chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role inorganic chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role laboratory techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage chemical testing procedures skill
- not needed by the target role materials engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role nuclear energy knowledge
- not needed by the target role nuclear medicine knowledge
- not needed by the target role nuclear physics knowledge
- not needed by the target role organic chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role oversee quality control skill
- not needed by the target role oxidation knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform physico-chemical analysis to food materials skill
21 further entries not listed here
21 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn ethics required
- still to learn history of philosophy required
- still to learn logic required
- still to learn morality required
- still to learn philosophical schools of thought required
- still to learn philosophy required
- still to learn rhetoric required
- optional, not held phenomenology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held metaphysics optional
- optional, not held Ancient Greek optional
- optional, not held Latin optional
- optional, not held history optional
- optional, not held journalism optional
- optional, not held political ideologies optional
- optional, not held political science optional
- optional, not held politics optional
- optional, not held religious studies optional
- optional, not held sociology optional
- optional, not held source criticism optional
- optional, not held theology optional
Other moves recorded from chemist
- analytical chemist 76% covered · moderate
- religion scientific researcher 74% covered · moderate
- cosmetic chemist 74% covered · moderate
- thanatology researcher 71% covered · moderate
- palaeontologist 70% covered · moderate
- astronomer 70% covered · moderate
- seismologist 70% covered · moderate
- toxicologist 67% covered · moderate
Common questions about this move
Can a chemist become a philosopher?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A chemist already covers 70% of what a philosopher is expected to do: 35 skills carry over, 32 of which the philosopher role treats as required.
What skills does a chemist need to become a philosopher?
8 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by arts and humanities. The single most important is ethics.
How hard is the move from chemist to philosopher?
Its learning distance is 40.9 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.