Have a good weekend

I'm not going to lie, this has been an exhausting week. I hope that you had a less tiring week than I did, and that you have a great weekend. I don't think I'm going to get much rest this weekend, but that's all right. See you on Monday. 

The inventor of the torpedo bat has a PhD in physics?

a torpedo bat 
Credit: NBC News

Via the Wall Street Journal, this important news: 

When Aaron Leanhardt was a graduate student in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he was part of a research team that cooled sodium gas to the lowest temperature ever recorded in human history.

What his colleagues didn’t realize was that in the rare moments when Leanhardt wasn’t toiling away at the lab, he was moonlighting as a speedy shortstop in a local amateur baseball league. Leanhardt was good enough to play in a 2001 All-Star Game at a minor-league stadium in Lowell. He hit .464 that season.

“We didn’t even know about that,” said David Pritchard, a professor emeritus at MIT.

More than two decades later, the baseball world suddenly knows all about the 48-year-old Leanhardt. He’s the inventor of the so-called “torpedo bat,” perhaps the most significant development in bat technology in decades...

I'm amused to look at his LinkedIn and see that he was a professor at the University of Michigan and then left to become a minor league hitting coach? Talk about someone who was in love with baseball! 

Also, I think it's pretty great that bats have basically been around forever, but "make the sweet spot of the bat bigger and well-customized" was apparently not a thing before? (In truth, I imagine that this is yet another incremental innovation in bat technology, but I'm not a baseball bat scholar so we'll see in ten years, I imagine.) 

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 504 research/teaching positions and 100 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 504 research/teaching positions and 100 teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.

On April 16, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 548 research/teaching positions and 84 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the link to the second open thread. This is the link to the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

Predictions about the Chemistry Faculty Jobs List

Dear Job Seekers of the Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 

I have been avoiding writing this piece for months, even as I have thought these things for November. For that, I am sorry, because I feel that I owe more than simply filling out this spreadsheet line-by-line for these past 9 years. Nevertheless, here are some things that I think are true. 

1. The Trump Administration's direct assault on higher education will not stop for at least the next four years. 
2. The Trump Administration's direct assault on the funding agencies will not stop for at least the next four years. 
3. The Trump Administration's direct assault on the Department of Education will not stop at least the next four years. 
4. The Trump Administration's actions with international students will drive down international student enrollment for at least the next four years. 
5. The "demographic cliff" is still coming. 

This is obvious as the nose on my face, and the nose on yours.  American colleges and universities are under tremendous governmental and financial pressure. This does not mean anything good for hiring tenure-track professors of chemistry. 

I imagine that most of the people who use this list know that, but if you don't - now you can't say I didn't say so. What does this mean for job seekers who use the list? Two things: 

1. I expect the 2024-25 list to be the local maxima for the foreseeable future. 
2. I expect the 2025-26 list to be at least 20% lower than 2024-25 (at least the drop between the 19-20 year and the 20-21 year) 
3. I expect the smaller schools (PUIs) to be hit the hardest, followed by smaller public universities.

You probably already had these thoughts already and now you know mine. I wish I had better news to share. Want to talk? Email me at chemjobber -at- gmail dot com

If you're a job seeker, you're welcome to comment. 

UPDATED: Added the word "colleges." Added an additional prediction (prediction 3)

Have a good weekend

This has been a rough week, hasn't it? Feels that way to me. I hope that you had a better week than I and that you have a wonderful, sunny weekend. See you on Monday. 

Job posting: Formulation Chemist/Chemical Engineer III, Perimeter Solutions, Green Bay, WI

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

The Formulation Chemist III will report to the R&D Manager and work closely with the laboratory and other department staff. This position is responsible for development and research related to fluorine free firefighting foams for Class A combustible materials and for Class B flammable and combustible liquids.

The individual in this position will create and develop novel formulation for the fire protection industry. The individual will collaborate with other functions in R&D to explore, test proof of concept, and produce novel products, and advance new technologies in the industry.  The individual will also provide SME (subject matter expertise) and support necessary in technology transfer, product approvals, and process scale up for new firefighting foams. This individual should be skilled in the conception and development of formulations of surfactant-based products for fire protection or with similar experience in cleaning, agricultural, pharmaceutical, personal care or related industries.

Major Responsibilities/Accountabilities:

• Research and development with primary emphasis on improvement of current Fire Safety Products
• Design and conduct research that addresses customer needs and supports Perimeter Solutions business objectives

Requirements:

• Minimum BS in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, Master’s degree or PhD preferred with experience in HI&I or cosmetics industry
• Minimum 10 years of experience formulating/developing surfactant-based products or other specialty chemicals in a manufacturing environment. Must be able to travel a minimum of 10% throughout the US

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

TIL Antoine Lavoisier made gunpowder for France

Via Smithsonian Magazine: 

In March 1776, Congress’ Committee of Secret Correspondence dispatched Connecticut politician and merchant Silas Deane on a mission to France, where he covertly met with Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, a confidant of Louis XVI. Beaumarchais, who described himself in a letter to Congress as an “ardent” supporter of the American rebels, established a front organization, Roderigue Hortalez & Company, to smuggle French, Dutch and Spanish guns, clothing and other supplies to the colonists, directly and via the West Indies. He also provisioned Washington’s troops with gunpowder made by Antoine Lavoisier—France’s gunpowder guru. 

In 1775, Lavoisier had assumed control of France’s national gunpowder production. Considered the founder of the Chemical Revolution, he brought exacting standards and new refining techniques to what had previously been a simple but inexact process of mixing three simple ingredients. After extensive tests, Lavoisier eventually settled on a ratio of 75 percent saltpeter, 12.5 percent charcoal and 12.5 percent sulfur. He later declared the resulting French gunpowder “the best in Europe.”

More important than its quality was its availability. The Colonies lacked the industrial capacity to make powder and guns, so they didn’t need the best—they just needed any at all. Thanks to Beaumarchais and other sympathizers, they got them. By the end of 1777, France had smuggled roughly two million pounds of gunpowder and 60,000 French arms into the Colonies—roughly one for every soldier in the Continental Army. These shipments led to the American victory at Saratoga in October 1777, a decisive moment for independence. 

I guess America's defense industrial base wasn't always what it is (or was, anyway.) 

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 502 research/teaching positions and 94 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 502 research/teaching positions and 94 teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.

On April 9, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 547 research/teaching positions and 82 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the link to the second open thread. This is the link to the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

C&EN on the second Trump Administration tariffs

Via C&EN's Alex Tullo: 

The Donald J. Trump administration is imposing the toughest trade barriers in generations, levying new duties of at least 10% on every major trading partner. But the duties exempt many chemicals and most pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and energy products.

Here's the key paragraphs: 

The White House has excluded many products from the tariffs, including an expansive number of major chemicals. These products include polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate; petrochemicals like phenols and ethylene; and other large-volume chemicals such as titanium dioxide. The list also has exclusions for pharmaceutical products, semiconductors, and energy products. Some products on the exemption list may be subject to later tariffs.

Chemical industry groups are weighing in on the measures carefully. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) says it is studying them to see how they affect the US industry. “ACC wants to work consistently with the Administration on a pro-growth trade agenda that decreases America’s supply chain vulnerabilities while negotiating new measures that benefit domestic production and jobs,” the group says in a statement.

The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) calls for a “strategic, sector-informed approach” in a statement. “Many SOCMA members are now confronting significantly higher costs for the raw materials they rely on—inputs often unavailable at scale within the US,” the trade group says.

In a note to clients, Laurence Alexander, a stock analyst with the investment firm Jefferies, says the most important impact of the new tariffs will be their effect on demand for chemicals from all sources. The global chemical industry overall will face a roughly 0.8% headwind, he says, while demand for chemicals serving durable goods and clothing markets could see as much as a 6% impact.

I think this bears a lot of watching and close reading. It sounds like there will be pharma tariffs as well. I can't imagine this does anything good for industrial chemist hiring this year but we will see. I thought this comment from Lilly's CEO was grimly ironic: 

Lilly has been one of the industry leaders in building up its U.S. production capabilities. Since 2020, the Indianapolis drugmaker has earmarked $50 billion to construct and upgrade new plants in the U.S. But Lilly also depends largely on foreign manufacturing, most notably in business-friendly Ireland, where it employs more than 3,000 and is constructing a new $800 million facility. 

“We can’t breach those agreements, so we have to eat the cost of the tariffs and make trade-offs within our own companies,” Ricks told BBC. “Typically, that will be in reduction of staff or research and development, and I predict R&D will come first. That’s a disappointing outcome.”

If Lilly with all of this Mounjaro revenue is planning on cutting R&D back, what will the other pharma firms do? 

Have a good weekend

Uh, I don't think I had a good week, even though I tried mightily to move my 300 balls forward. I hope that you had a good week, and that you have a great weekend. See you on Monday. 

Trump: Pharma tariffs to start

Via the Wall Street Journal on Thursday: 

President Trump reiterated his pledge to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors during his Air Force One flight Thursday, but he didn't say when they would be announced.

“The chips are starting very soon,” he said. “The pharma is going to start coming in, I think, at a level that we haven’t really seen before. We are looking at pharma right now. Pharmaceuticals. It’s a separate category. We’ll be announcing that sometime in the near future. It’s under review right now.”

Well, I don't know what this all means, but I don't think it means anything good for chemists in the United States. I guess we're going to find out. 

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 501 research/teaching positions and 94 teaching positions

The 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 501 research/teaching positions and 94 teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list.

On April 2, 2024, the 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 546 research/teaching positions and 82 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the link to the second open thread. This is the link to the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

Celanese plant has acid spill on March 20

Via WDBJ: 

NARROWS, Va. (WDBJ) - Six people were injured Thursday morning in an acid spill at the Celanese Corporation chemical plant in Narrows. There were no fatalities, according to the company and the Giles County Sheriff’s Office.

Of the six victims, three are being treated at Carilion Giles Community Hospital; two are in critical condition, according to a Carilion spokesperson. The third is reportedly stable. One more victim was taken to LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, but has been released. The other two were not hospitalized.

Approximately 10 a.m. March 20, 2025. “a release of acetic acid vapor occurred in the Cellulose Acetate Unit at Narrows, Virginia, initially causing injuries to six employees. The release has been contained and is confined to the immediate area of the plant within the fenceline; no additional impact is expected,” according to a company spokesperson.

The Giles County Sheriff’s Office confirms, “The incident was contained to the Celanese Plant property and there no longer appears to be any danger to anyone in the area. The majority of emergency personnel have cleared the scene.”

This is a good reminder that acetic acid is pretty harmful stuff at industrial concentrations and volume. Best wishes to the victims. 

I'd love to understand how the release happened, but I'm guessing it was one of those "turned the wrong valve" situations... 

Have a good weekend

Well, this was a fun week, even as I am enthusiastic for the weekend. I hope you had a week with less driving than I did, but I can't say I didn't sign up for it. I hope you have a good weekend, and we'll see you on Monday. 

Job posting: Principal Chemist - Research, Development and Engineering (RDE), ChampionX, Sugar Land, TX

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

The Chemical Technologies RD&E team is seeking a Principal Chemist to support new product development related to oilfield phase separation and flow improvement. The qualified candidate will support the entire life cycle of the Oilfield Chemicals emulsion breaker, reverse emulsion breaker and flow improvers product lines. Job responsibilities include the development of new experimental products and digital solutions, field evaluation at customer sites, new product introduction, manufacturing and supply chain support, and customer-facing technical support.  The ideal candidate is highly versatile, communicates effectively, and thrives in a collaborative environment.  

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or related technical field. PhD and < 2 years of experience, MS and 3+ years of experience, BS and +5 years of experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
• Proven innovator and problem solver
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 50%
• No immigration VISA sponsorship will be offered for this role

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience building emulsion breaker or reverse emulsion breaker formulations in a field setting is desired
• Prior experience in the oil and gas industry specifically oilfield chemicals, is desired
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested.