Does anyone have experience doing a postdoc at the NIH?

A friend of the blog would like to know what it is like to postdoc at the NIH. Anyone know anyone who has worked at NIH as a postdoc? Care to comment?

If you'd like to do so anonymously via e-mail, send me an e-mail at chemjobber@gmail.com and I'll connect you. 

Tell me your job story

Dear blog friends:

Help allay my fears that I am falling behind in understanding the industrial job market. No matter your education level or your professional status (beginning, mid-career, etc), please tell me how you got your last job. 

Helpful details: 

• Timeframe 
• How you found the position
• How you applied to it (LinkedIn? e-mail, etc) 
• The process (phone interview? Skype interview? On-site?) 
• The negotiation after an offer
• Relocation packages
• Sector of the economy
• General idea of pay

Please do so in the comments, or if you would like, send me an e-mail. Confidentiality guaranteed, this is purely for my own edification. Or, if you would really like to, you can send me a text or call at (302) 313-6257.

Thank you so much - I really appreciate it.

Cheers, Chemjobber

Daily Pump Trap: 12/1/15 edition

A few (?) of the positions posted at C&EN Jobs this past week: 

Slim: Not too many positions, to be frank. 

"Knowledge of French a plus": L'Oreal USA looking for an associate scientist.  

Basking Ridge, NJ: Lexicon looking for an associate director/director of chemical development. 

Weird question: Anyone know anything about Infineum? What's it like to work there? 

Bleg: old chemistry texts?

It must be Chemistry Book Day in the chemblogosphere, with Derek asking about ideas for new drug discovery/development texts.

Here's my question: what is your favorite pre-1980s chemistry text/reference book?, i.e. a book that chemists use (not a popular chemistry text). Bonus points if it is an organic chemistry text. 

Guest bleg: Novel organic chemistry demos

From the inbox, a good request:

Dear CJ Readers, 

I've been asked for some suggestions on creating a "modern-day" organic chemistry/general chemistry demonstration curriculum.  Basically I'm looking for some fresh ideas on how to make the S in STEM bigger.  This is what I'm looking for:

1. A "modern-day" organic chemistry demonstration.  I know we've all had experience with making Nylon, silly putty, etc., but was hoping for some new ideas.  
2. The demos need to be tailored toward K-12, and we are looking for some "hands-on" demonstrations.  Something that students can do on a desk/table.  
3. We also would like ideas that could be "mobile."  That is we can take the demos from site to site, and/or have the students take part in the demo on a bus or some type of trailer.
4. Since we're dealing with K-12 the demos need to cover a range of experience.  Older students could work on the more complicated demos, while the younger students can get exposure to more fun experiments.
5. We are looking at developing some lesson plans as well and are thinking about making a crime scene investigation that students could work out over a course of a couple of days that would introduce some chemistry techniques that are used in the field.  

I know it's asking a lot, but I would appreciate any type of feedback and/or suggestions. 

With today's litigation-eager society, it's hard to come up with useful/fun/exciting organic chem applications for students.  A lot of demonstrations we were exposed to growing up are unable to be performed in today (guncotton for example).  That's why I'm asking for some help from you on a modern approach to organic/general chemistry demos. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your suggestions.

Signed, NZ 

My very preliminary suggestion - a very long time ago, I did the synthesis of aspirin in a vial, with salicyclic acid, acetic anhydride, complete with TLC.

Readers, I'm sure you can do better than that. Thoughts? 

Bleg: laptop choice for blogging

I'd like to purchase a laptop for blogging on the go (coffee shops, airports, abandoned crack houses, etc.)  Any recommendations?

Here's what I need: 4 to 5 hour battery life, medium sized screen, okay to travel with and type on, can do standard web-based stuff (Blogger (duh), Flickr, Gmail, video chat, etc.), can access YouTube and other parts of the internets.

I've looked at the HP laptops at Best Buy (oh, here comes the spam) and been tempted; the $429 G42-415DX is something I'm looking at (AMD Athlon II processor). I've been tempted by the HP laptops with the Intel i3 processors ($599, I think.)

I don't have the money right now for an Apple product, so I apologize for that in advance. Sorry, folks.

I'm also looking at purchasing a Verizon mobile broadband card, too. Any thoughts on this and how much I need to purchase? $50? $100?

Thanks in advance for any help you might give.