Uses computers to search and design chemicals, predicting which ones could be useful drugs.
Screens a virtual library of a billion molecules against a protein target overnight, then picks the top 100 for chemists to buy and test.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 10 years after high school. PhD in computational chemistry or cheminformatics.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Chemistry, Computer Science.
Growing faster than average (about 7% over 10 years). Estimate.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI models screen billions of molecules and propose new ones themselves; fewer specialists, focused on validating with chemists.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.