Study Sees Big Leap In Science Jobs By 2000

Profession Study Sees Big Leap In Science Jobs By 2000 Author:WENDY WALKER Date: June 13, 1988 Brisk hiring for public-and private-sector life scientists expected to set pace The number of jobs in scientific fields will increase by 27% between now and the year 2000, according to a recent forecast by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). At this rate of gain, scientists will find their specialties listed among neither the fastest-growing occupations—such as paralegals, medical assistants, and physical therapists—nor the fastest-declining ones. Electronic assemblers, semiconductor processors, and railroad conductors have that distinction. Regarding the scientific fields as a percentage of the national work force overall, things will remain pretty much as they are today. For example, natural scientists and computer specialists now make up 0.7% of the work force; in 2000, the BLS predicts, that figure will move up almost imperceptibly to 0.8%. However, the outlook classifies most scientists as “professional workers,” a category that the BLS expects will grow more rapidiy than average. (Growth averaged 18% for all categories.) “Employment in many of the occupations in this group is expected to surge, including the engineering, computer specialty, and health-professional occupations, which together are expected to account for more than one-half of the 3.7 million new professional jobs added by the year 2000,” according to the report. The BLS uses its statistics to compile the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a detailed forecast for various occupations. The 1988-89 edition, released last month, predicts the following growth patterns—with salaries based on 1986 figures—for various scientific occupations: " Life Sciences. The number of life scientists is expected to grow 21%, or by 30,000 jobs, by the year 2000. The BLS predicts that both the public sector and health services industries will hire more life scientists as genetic research expands into such areas as new medicines, plant and animal variations, and diagnostic techniques for genetic defects. More than one-third of the nation’s 61,000 biologists now work in the private sector; one-fifth are employed by the federal government. The average salary for a biologist is $26,156 per year; more than a third of biologists are women. Jobs for agricultural and food scientists (listed as a separate category) are expected to increase slightly, except for a predicted increase in research positions created by biotechnology. " Physical Sciences. Military and private R&D will lead to an expected increase of 13%, or 24,000 jobs, for physical scientists, especially in the fields of laser research and high-energy physics. The BLS made detailed predictions for the following groups of physical scientists: " Chemistry. Full-time jobs for chemists will grow modestly compared to other disciplines during the 1990s, the BLS predicts, due to improvements in productivity and the practice of contracting out work that previously was performed by in-house chemists. The BLS predicts an 11% increase in the number of jobs for chemists by 2000, up to 96,000. It’s difficult to predict the future for petroleum and refining chemists, notes the BLS, because of the volatile nature of the industry. However the Bureau’s current opinion is that “efficiency in the use of energy as well as advances in the production and transmission of electricity will keep petroleum demand at moderate levels. Chemists in pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields will have a better time of it. Strong long-term growth is projected due to a strong demand for established drugs, a vast array of new products, and an expanding elderly population. Chemists make an average of $31,252 a year, 20% of them are women. "Earth Sciences. Geologists, geophysicists, and oceanographers also will be affected by instability in the oil industry; half of the estimated 44,000 professionals are employed by the oil and gas industries. A large number of geological jobs rely heavily on government contracts; the job market could boom or bust depending on shifts in governmental priorities. Based on current policies, the BLS predicts that 50,000 jobs will be available for geologists, geophysicists and oceanographers by 2000, an increase of 13%, largely fueled by an anticipated increase in exploration for petroleum and minerals. Meteorologists will enjoy a significant increase in their field, due to increased government funding for meteorological activities. ·Physics. The job outlook for physicists, too, depends heavily on governmental priorities, because most physicists are employed in defense-related fields. The BLS predicts that many physicists who were hired in the space-technology days of the 1960s will be retiring in the 1990s, opening job slots for new Ph.D.s. Currently, a physicist with a master’s degree can expect a starting salary of $31,200; with a doctorate, $42,500. A particular group of these physicists, those employed by the government, make an average of $45,600 a year. "Mathematics. The mathematical field will experience average growth; a shortage of candidates with doctoral degrees is expected to continue through the 1990s. The BLS estimates that currently there are 20,000 jobs in government and industry mathematics, with an additional 29,000 elementary, secondary, and university-level teachers and professors. Because many mathematicians are employed by the U.S. government (primarily by the Department of Defense), the job outlook may be influenced by political factors such as increases in defense spending. Salaries for mathematicians with a doctoral degree average $48,300 for a government employee, $40,200 for an academic, and $51,200 for a mathematician employed by a business. Wendy Walker as a freelance science writer in Chadds Ford, Pa.

Study Sees Big Leap In Science Jobs By 2000

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