Professional profiles
Chemist in charge of regulatory issues
FUNCTION IN A PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT:
Role
The role of chemist in charge of regulatory issues includes the acquisition, processing and interpreting of information concerning relating to compliance with legislation, regulations and guidelines; the acquisition and interpreting of information concerning health and safety at work, with particular reference to chemical plants and the hazardousness of chemical substances; the performance of risk assessments linked to production and the use of chemical substances; the assessment and management of economic and market problems and social impacts linked to the use of chemical substances; provision of instructions and indications to production managers and persons in charge of applications involving compliance with regulations and instructions; proposals to regulatory bodies in relation to regulatory solutions and guidelines to protect human health and the environment, as well as the effectiveness and competitive nature of chemical products; protection of intellectual property, patents and compliance with ethical rules.
Functions
The Chemist in charge of regulatory issues may fill the following professional functions:
- assessment of the risk profile of chemical products;
- assessment of the risk profile of chemical plants;
- coordination of Chemical Assessment Reports for registration of chemical substances with control bodies within the REACH regulations and/or other national and international regulations;
- evaluation of chemical substance dossiers;
- coordination of the drafting and evaluation of chemical product data sheets and risk labels;
- cooperation in the evaluation and improvement of chemical plant and production safety;
- scientific support to political and regulatory decisions on chemical substances and processes, disseminating advice and information on the chemical safety culture;
- promotion of the protection of intellectual property at corporate level, performing prior research to support the preparation of technical dossiers for patent applications by authorised parties; supervision of the ethical integrity of research and other corporate activities.
COMPETENCIES ASSOCIATED TO THE FUNCTION:
Depending on the activities performed, the Chemist in charge of regulatory issues must:
- have in-depth knowledge of the properties of chemical substances that can determine a risk: for human health and well-being (toxicology); due to the possibility to cause physical damage (fire, explosions); for the health and survival or other species present in the environment (eco-toxicology); for the alteration of environmental and climatic parameters (climate-altering gases, volatile organic compounds (VOC), stratospheric ozone destroyers, water pollutants, high environmental persistence, etc.);
- know the methods for formulating laws, standards, regulations, guidelines, particularly those setting limits and indications for the design, production and use of chemical substances produced by man or of natural origin; the methods of implementation and compliance with laws;
- know the methods of acquiring and evaluating analytical data on chemical substances and their risk profile: concentration measurements, toxicological properties, LCA, environmental fate;
- know how to understand the aspects of economic, market and business evaluation relating to chemical substances; how to draft and assess business plans; be able to liaise with political authorities and authorisation and evaluation bodies;
- be able to communicate correctly with managers, plant workers, innovation workers; communicate using appropriate information dissemination methods.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
To undertake the Chemist profession, graduates must pass the state exam and register with the professional association.
- Supranational and national regulatory authorities (e.g. ECHA, SNPA, ISS, etc.);
- Control bodies (e.g. ARPA);
- Chemical industries and companies in other production sectors;
- Professional and consulting firms working in environmental impacts and regulation;
- Scientific research and technological innovation institutions;
- PhD programme degree;
- As provided for by the legislation in force, graduates with enough credits in appropriate subjects may sit the entrance exams for secondary education courses.
Chemist working in research, development and analysis
FUNCTION IN A PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT:
Role
Chemists working in research, development and analysis manage innovation in the design, synthesis, analysis and quality control of products and processing intermediates. The activity may be performed in public research centres and universities, corporate research centres, or organisations in charge of preservation of the cultural heritage, environmental control, health protection, as well as in hospitals.
Functions
-Professional chemists working in research, development and analysis may perform the following functions:
- design of innovative effective products (molecular designer);
- design of synthetic processes meeting the criteria of affordability, environmental sustainability, safety, material savings, recyclability;
- analytical chemist for the development, identification and optimization of analytical techniques and methodologies;
- quality control laboratory technician/manager;
- environmental and toxicological control technician;
- chemical-clinical analysis laboratory technician/manager;
-safety, environmental protection and industrial quality technician.
COMPETENCIES ASSOCIATED TO THE FUNCTION:
To perform the described functions, the following competencies and skills are required:
- ability to design new molecular and supramolecular structures on the basis of structure-property relations according to the final application of the industrial chemical product;
- use of IT methods to forecast product properties and verify them experimentally;
- design and production of a complex synthesis based on the evaluation of economic, social and environmental sustainability, safety, “greenness”, reliability;
- identification and evaluation of the best analytical technique according to the product and process chosen and optimise their application;
- broad, solid competencies in instrumental analytical chemistry;
- knowledge of regulations on the safety and hazardousness of chemical compounds;
- knowledge of processes in the main environmental compartments;
- ability to work in an international context with people from different cultural backgrounds.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
To undertake the Chemist profession, graduates must pass the state exam and register with the professional association.
- Universities, research institutes;
- Public control bodies and agencies (e.g.: Regional Agencies for Prevention and the Environment, the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the National Body for Alternative Energies, the Higher Health Institute, Civil Defence department, Scientific police, etc.);
- Industrial and applied research centres;
- Companies working in the following sectors with strong scientific and technological innovation: basic and fine industrial chemistry; plastics and materials industries; cosmetic, detergent, food and textiles industries; the pharmaceutical industry; industrial activities focusing on the development of new energy resources or new products with low environmental impact;
- Healthcare boards and hospitals for the validation and performance of chemical and clinical analyses
Continuing to study
It gives access to third cycle studies (Dottorato di ricerca/Scuole di specializzazione) and master courses of second degree.