Drug Developers: Job Description, Education, Skills and Duties, Earnings and Outlook
Submitted by: paula
Job Overview Drug developers are the so called scientists who are responsible for making and releasing of the drugs that people use in the market. They are directly involved in the development of the pharmaceuticals that benefited mankind for centuries. A certain department in the pharmaceutical industries or manufacturers called the R and D or the research and development employ professionals such as chemical engineers, chemists, biologists, pharmacists doctors and pharmacologists to create and innovate drugs and test the pharmaceuticals used by the doctors to treat different medical conditions and injuries.
Education, Knowledge and Trainings Required
If you wish to establish a career in this field, prepare as early as high school by taking subjects such as physical sciences (physics, chemistry, and een biology), and mathematics (algebra, geometry, calculus). As for the post secondary training, there are many options to take to be considered part of the Research and Development of a Drug company and become a drug developer. Courses such as Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmacy, Molecular Biology and related areas can be taken and are preferred by most employers.
Skills and Abilities
The skills that are needed to be able to fulfill the task as a drug developer include research skills, analytical skills, communication skills both in written and in oral form as well as manipulative and mechanical skills. Research skills is needed as they will be dealing with a lot of studies that are in need of exploration and verification in relation to the project or the drug to be developed or tested. Analytical skills are needed when undertaking experiments and actual studies. Manipulative and mechanical skills are exemplified by the appropriate and skilled use of the equipment in the laboratory while communication skills are necessary in doing reports and participating in research defense of the projects.
Duties
To be able to make new drugs, business executives and scientist work together. The business executives fund and market the drug to be developed while the scientists study and develop the actual drugs to be released to the market. The drug developers comprise of the biologist, chemists, chemical engineers, pharmaceutical engineers as we all the laboratory assistants and some informational professionals. As soon as the pharmaceutical company has identified a drug to be developed, the scientists start to make proposals and research plans to do the project. This involves designing of the experiements, research methods, as well as work schedules to undertake the study. These different drug developer members of the team collaborate with each other for the success ofthe project.
They do testing of the drug for to specific tissues and accurately identify the pharmacokinetics and pharmacologic charactersitics of each. After a successful development of the drug, they will then subject the product ot the FDA or Food and Drug Association approval for safety tests and effectivity check.
Earnings and Job Outlook
The job outlook for this profession is said to move as fast as the average for the other professions. This is because the medical arena is continuously seeking for latest treatments for the neverending appearnce of new medical conditions and diseases thus in need of an equal attention to the pharmacological treatments with the use of better and more effective drugs. The salary for a drug developer in a drug manufacturing company ranges from 30,000 to 59,000 U.S. dollars per annum. Those who are already in a supervisory position with proven years of expertise in the field may earn above or over 92,000 U.S. dollars per annum.
Paula Hiz is a researcher and a human resource specialist who helps newly graduates, job applicants and post graduate professionals be aware of their job opportunities and available trainings for skills and practice upgrading.
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Word Count: 620 Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 Time: 10:44 PM
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