Synthetic materials engineer to chemical tester
A synthetic materials engineer already meets 33% of what the chemical tester role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.
61.6/ 100
1 How much of what a chemical tester is expected to do is already part of a synthetic materials engineer’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 chemical tester role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A chemical tester role treats 5 of its required skills as things a synthetic materials engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- chemical processes
- handle chemicals
- prepare scientific reports
- quality standards
- work safely with chemicals
What stands in the way is 6 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 5 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A chemical tester role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a synthetic materials engineer background worth leading with.
- already held handle chemicals handling and moving
- already held chemical processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held prepare scientific reports communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held work safely with chemicals assisting and caring
- already held quality standards business, administration and law
All 5 carried skills, including the 5 the chemical tester role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 18 missing skills fall into 7 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 conduct chemical testing on basic metals required
- still to learn report well results required
- still to learn monitor manufacturing quality standards required
- optional, not held assess suitability of metal types for specific application optional
- optional, not held execute analytical mathematical calculations optional
- still to learn work in metal manufacture teams required
- optional, not held train staff in quality procedures optional
- optional, not held train staff in safety procedures optional
- optional, not held give instructions to staff optional
- optional, not held speak different languages optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
- still to learn ensure public safety and security required
- optional, not held ensure compliance with environmental legislation optional
- still to learn organize chemical reagents required
- optional, not held chemical technologies in metal manufacture optional
- optional, not held types of metal manufacturing processes optional
- optional, not held physics optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a chemical tester role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 conduct chemical testing on basic metals practise this
- 02 ensure public safety and security practise this
- 03 organize chemical reagents practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 5 skills that carry over
- already held chemical processes knowledge
- already held handle chemicals skill
- already held prepare scientific reports skill
- already held quality standards knowledge
- already held work safely with chemicals skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held conduct laboratory chemical research on metals optional
12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held chemical technologies in metal manufacture optional
- optional, not held conduct laboratory chemical research on metals optional
- optional, not held train staff in quality procedures optional
- optional, not held train staff in safety procedures optional
- optional, not held types of metal manufacturing processes optional
- optional, not held assess suitability of metal types for specific application optional
- optional, not held ensure compliance with environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held execute analytical mathematical calculations optional
- optional, not held give instructions to staff optional
- optional, not held physics optional
- optional, not held speak different languages optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
33 held skills the chemical tester role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adjust engineering designs skill
- not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
- not needed by the target role anticipate installation maintenance skill
- not needed by the target role assemble machines skill
- not needed by the target role basic chemicals knowledge
- not needed by the target role build machines skill
- not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
- not needed by the target role civil engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role communication knowledge
- not needed by the target role design engineering components skill
- not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role design process skill
- not needed by the target role electrical machines knowledge
- not needed by the target role examine engineering principles skill
- not needed by the target role injection moulding machine parts knowledge
- not needed by the target role inspect quality of products skill
- not needed by the target role manage environmental impact of operations skill
- not needed by the target role manage processes skill
- not needed by the target role manufacturing processes knowledge
- not needed by the target role materials engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role measure materials skill
- not needed by the target role perform maintenance on installed equipment skill
- not needed by the target role quality assurance methodologies knowledge
- not needed by the target role record test data skill
- not needed by the target role rubber technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role synthetic materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role test materials skill
- not needed by the target role types of plastic knowledge
- not needed by the target role use CAD software skill
- not needed by the target role use hand tools skill
- not needed by the target role use technical drawing software skill
- not needed by the target role work with chemicals skill
- not needed by the target role write technical reports skill
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held chemical technologies in metal manufacture optional
- optional, not held types of metal manufacturing processes optional
- optional, not held physics optional
Other moves recorded from synthetic materials engineer
Common questions about this move
Can a synthetic materials engineer become a chemical tester?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A synthetic materials engineer already covers 33% of what a chemical tester is expected to do: 5 skills carry over, 5 of which the chemical tester role treats as required.
What skills does a synthetic materials engineer need to become a chemical tester?
6 required skills are missing, plus 12 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is conduct chemical testing on basic metals.
How hard is the move from synthetic materials engineer to chemical tester?
Its learning distance is 61.6 out of 100, which is the substantial 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.