The State of Spectroscopy Careers

Analytical chemists building careers in spectroscopy are increasingly finding that their prospects hinge less on which technique they master and more on which industry they serve, according to a survey conducted by Spectroscopy magazine.¹ The poll of more than 50 professionals across research, academia, and industry found that pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and materials science stand out as the three sectors offering the strongest career momentum for the field.

This shift toward industry and less on techniques is currently transforming the field. Instead, knowledge of techniques is being substituted with skills that are associated with the techniques, meaning that spectroscopists that can apply their knowledge to deliver actionable results and insights will stand out in the job market.

“Scientists who can bridge chemistry with computing, data analytics, and regulatory understanding are increasingly valuable,” Caroline Hroncich, previously Spectroscopy’s associate editorial director, wrote in her report.¹ “Professionals who can turn raw spectral data into actionable insights will stand out in a landscape where data fluency is as critical as technical skill.”

What are seasoned spectroscopists witnessing in the job market?

In response to the survey we conducted at the end of last year, we launched an ongoing video series titled “Pathways in Spectroscopy,” to spotlight the perspectives from spectroscopists, analytical chemists, and industry professionals currently in the field.²

One of the first topics that we wanted to explore is how academia is responding to these changes in the job market and how it is influencing how they educate students. Mary Kate Donais, a professor at St. Anselm College, explained that a more practical, hands-on approach has become essential for preparing students for the careers of today, especially in the laboratory.

“The foundations that I had from previous positions in government and industry have led me to a more practical and hands-on approach to my teaching, especially in the laboratory,” Donais said.³ “It has brought me to the point of that practical approach of recommending to the students to consider the situation at hand, whether this is a discussion of something in class or whether it's an experiment that we're doing in the laboratory or whether it's their research, and approach it with the practical stance of what is necessary to answer the question.”

Saikat Banerjee, a Senior Analytical Laboratory Manager at DuPont, reinforced this point, highlighting the need for students and young spectroscopists to understand how to use their technical skills to solve problems.

“Master those technical strengths, but also build breadth,” Banerjee said.⁴ “Build a large set of tools that you understand and know how to use to solve problems because in industry, I have rarely seen a scenario where one particular tool is the best.”

What other changes are being seen in the job market?

For the three major fields hiring spectroscopy experts (pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and materials science), their strong growth potential can be attributed to spectroscopy's expanding role in applied, regulated work. The technique has become central to precision-driven work ranging from process analytical technology in continuous drug manufacturing to molecular fingerprinting in biopharmaceutical characterization and materials development.¹ Respondents indicated that infrared (IR) and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques currently lead in cross-industry applications, with future demand concentrated in batteries, materials, and biopharmaceuticals.¹

That growth is arriving alongside a workforce constraint that could limit how quickly laboratories can capitalize on it. According to the survey, a shortage of skilled personnel as the industry's top challenge, cited by 35.3%, followed closely by cuts to research funding and capital budgets at 33.3%.¹ The result is a widening distance between what spectroscopy teams want to accomplish and the staffing and budget they have to do it.¹

“This gap is both a challenge and an opportunity,” Hroncich wrote.¹

What about postdoctoral research training?

After graduating from university with a college degree, young spectroscopists have a new important decision to make. They need to decide which field to enter and what job function interests them the most. Do they want to pursue education and become a professor? Do they want to enter industry and become a laboratory manager?

Either way, young spectroscopists will need to choose a path that allows them to continue to build on the skills they acquired at the university level. One way they can accomplish this task is by finding a postdoctoral research opportunity. Postdoctoral research gives young professionals the chance to receive mentorship during supervised research. These temporary opportunities routinely help young professionals build new skills and the confidence to take the next step in their careers.

“The postdoctoral research definitely trained me to think creatively and rigorously under constraints,” Banerjee said.⁵ “We'll always have constraints, but how we can still help solve the problem by creative thinking. So that was really critical for me.”

What are the current skill gaps employers are trying to fill?

Based on the survey results, 50.9% of respondents reported that most urgent need is for training in advanced data analysis and chemometrics, followed by method development and validation at 41%.¹ The emphasis suggests that competitive advantage in spectroscopy careers is shifting from operating an instrument to interpreting what it produces and automating that interpretation at scale.¹

Budget pressure is also reshaping the instrumentation market that spectroscopists depend on. When evaluating new equipment, 69% of respondents said analytical performance remains their top purchasing priority, well ahead of cost of ownership at 15.7% and vendor support or training at 9.8%.¹ Even so, 57% identified up-front capital cost as the biggest barrier to acquiring new instruments, and 43% of organizations reported no immediate plans for major purchases, underscoring how funding constraints are tempering demand even where performance needs are clear.¹

Why does all of this matter?

For hiring managers, the data suggests that recruiting and retention strategies built around technique-specific expertise may be increasingly out of step with where the jobs actually are. For individual scientists, it reframes career development: fluency in a given spectroscopic method is important, but the ability to apply that method within a regulated industry context and to extract actionable insight from the resulting data is what increasingly separates candidates.

Given the competitiveness of the job market, understanding how to apply spectroscopic methods in a specific environment or context is the bare minimum employers expect. They also expect that any candidate applying for these types of roles will have the curiosity to constantly innovate.

“Whether you want to go full-time into the analytical side of things, or just want to do your job better, I think curiosity is something that can really help you do your job better,” Ayush Agarwal, a postdoctoral researcher at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) in Berlin, said.⁶

References

1. Hroncich, C. State of the Industry: Spectroscopy at a Crossroads. Spectroscopy 2025, 40 (8), 14–16. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/state-of-the-industry-spectroscopy-ai-automation-pharma-biotech-materials
2. Wetzel, W. Spectroscopy Announces Launch of Pathways in Spectroscopy Video Series. Spectroscopy Online, 2026. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/spectroscopy-announces-launch-of-pathways-in-spectroscopy-video-series (accessed July 10, 2026).
3. Donais, M. K.; Wetzel, W. Educating Students on Spectroscopy. Spectroscopy Online, 2026. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/educating-students-on-spectroscopy (accessed July 10, 2026).
4. Banerjee, S.; Wetzel, W. What Skills Are Needed for Analytical Laboratory Managers? Spectroscopy Online, 2026. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/what-skills-are-needed-for-analytical-laboratory-managers- (accessed July 10, 2026).
5. Banerjee, S.; Wetzel, W. The Importance of Postdoctoral Research in Career Progression. Spectroscopy Online, 2026. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/the-importance-of-postdoctoral-research-in-career-progression (accessed July 10, 2026).
6. Agarwal, A.; Wetzel, W. Preparing for a Transition to Analytical Chemistry. Spectroscopy Online, 2026. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/preparing-for-a-transition-to-analytical-chemistry (accessed July 10, 2026).