Securing a chemistry internship overseas?

[ChemicalChaos]

Afternoon chaps and chapesses,

I'm looking to do a year in industry as part of my chemistry degree, and I fancy something more with an engineering bent than a pure research chemistry role. The field of oil-related jobs has always interested me, and the obvious course of action would be to apply to go on the rigs. However, I dont fancy the 6-week-on, 6-week-off work pattern and the very confined nature of living there.

I do quite fancy stretching further afield, and have been looking at places as far away as the Prudhoe Bay oil fields on the north coast of Alaska. However, whilst organising an internship at one of the many industrial chemistry labs around the Wirral would be simple enough, I dont really have much clue how one would go about organising something on the other side of the world!

Anyone got any hints, ideas and tips please?

thanks,

matt

[Vaud]

When are you looking at it for? Summer 2015+ I guess?

For offshore in any form, start by looking at the quals you need (some of these will cover on shore fields as well)
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=working+offshore+pisto...
I'm not an expert, but would imagine that in most companies you will mostly be an overhead and a risk (because of your quals and experience), which is not ideal offshore. There will be a cost in getting you safe to be offshore.

For more general overseas opportunities as an intern, outside of the EU you start needing visa and company sponsorship which becomes a whole world of pain for the hiring company.

Forgive the pun, but I think it is a bit of a pipe dream for a year in industry outside of the EU (and maybe Oz), unless you have very good connections.

However on a constructive note, try Johnson Matthey - they do a lot in rare metals and catalysis, small scale and for petrochemicals. Also BASF.

Also, your careers services (some depts have a dedicated person who provide this service) - will be able to advise which companies to target.

[ChemicalChaos]

Thanks Vaud. I might look at Aus in that case, and I will speak to the career dept.

As said, the offshore doesnt appeal to me so much, but the onshore oilfields do

[hidetheelephants]

Nobody does anything like 6 on 6 off offshore, the bears are mostly on 2 weeks rotation, although contractors write their own rules. If you want something interesting for a year out you need to be networking like crazy; does your department/faculty have any industry partners? That would be a good place to start. Unless they know you well it's unlikely you'll get anywhere asking for a year straight off, so you might be better angling for a summer job to begin with, then if you fit in well look to leverage that into a year out.

Find out if there are any companies who sponsor students in your subject; that displays a certain kind of enlightened recruitment policy and you might get a result from writing to/phoning them speculatively even though you aren't one of the lucky few who get sponsored.

[a311]

Fancy something in nuclear? If so drop me a PM. Would be UK based though.

[hidetheelephants]

Mmm, radiochemistry; that's not at all complicated.

[ChemicalChaos]

Thanks elephants, I need to find out exactly what the process is for applying through this particular university.

a311 said:

Fancy something in nuclear? If so drop me a PM. Would be UK based though.

YHM

[ChemicalChaos]

Hi a311, did you get my PM at all? Not had anything on either my PH email address or the one I put in the message to you

[a311]

ChemicalChaos said:

Hi a311, did you get my PM at all? Not had anything on either my PH email address or the one I put in the message to you

Dropped you a PM. Didn't see an email but that doesn't mean I didn't receive one...........