Chemist
Engineering
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
Picture the job
Where you'd usually workA laboratory
- Mostly indoors
- Rarely dealing with the public
- Regular working hours
- A noisy workplace
An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
3
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
Typical entry
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Matriculation
One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.
Asasi / Foundation
One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.
Programmes that lead here
Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.
Private institutions (MQA-accredited)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Physical Science)Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) · Doctoral Degree
- Bachelor of Environmental, Occupational Safety and Health (Honours)University College of MAIWP International (UCMI) · Bachelors Degree
- Certificate in Health SciencesSEGi College Kuala Lumpur · Certificate
- Doctor of Philosophy in Applied SciencesLincoln University College · Doctoral Degree
- Diploma in Cosmetic ScienceUCSI University · Diploma
- Bachelor in Formulation Science (Honours)UCSI University · Bachelors Degree
- Master of Science in Analytical and Pharmaceutical ChemistryIMU University · Masters Degree
- Doctor of PhilosophyMonash University Malaysia · Doctoral Degree
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
Quick answers
How do you become a Chemist in Malaysia?
Routes after SPM that lead here include Matriculation and Asasi / Foundation.
What should I study to become a Chemist?
Related fields of study: Science. SPM subjects that help most: Chemistry, English, Additional Mathematics and Mathematics.
How much does a Chemist earn in Malaysia?
We don't yet have a Malaysian source we can cite for Chemist pay, so we show no figure.
Biotechnology & STEM · Career guide
Chemist
Studies substances and chemical processes through analysis and experiments.
Work overview based on O*NET occupation sources; Malaysian study examples and context are linked below. Actual requirements depend on the programme and post.
What does the work involve?
- Analyse material composition and properties.
- Plan or conduct chemical experiments.
- Interpret findings and prepare analytical reports.
Work settings and skills
Research, testing or industrial laboratories, depending on the chemistry role.
- Science
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
Study areas and planning after SPM
Chemistry, industrial chemistry, analytical chemistry or a related field.
Planning example: SPM → science pre-university or a diploma meeting programme requirements → a relevant bachelor's → job applications or research training. Check each programme's special requirements and each vacancy.
UPM's Faculty of Science lists Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry and Materials Physics among its programmes.
These are study areas to explore, not verified admission rules for every programme. Check special requirements, recognition and curriculum directly with the institution.
Further study and professional checks
Choose further study according to the area you want to deepen and the post's requirements. Compare coursework and research modes and read the university's admission criteria.
Check the actual vacancy before treating a qualification as sufficient. Study or training does not guarantee admission or employment.
Sources and checked date
Checked: 2026-11-10
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Chemistry98%
Chemistry
- English Language80%
English
- Mathematics76%
Additional MathematicsMathematics
- Production and Processing69%
Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies
- Computers and Electronics68%
Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies
- Administration and Management68%
BusinessEconomics
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicA little
- Leading or coordinating othersHigh
- Handling conflict situationsRarely
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentOften
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points, not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023, already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.
TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List, evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.
Chemists · Shortage indicators met: INSUFFICIENT DATA
What beginner adverts asked for
We read 8 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.
5 of 8 were internships
Minimum CGPA asked
3.00 to 3.00
Stated in 2 adverts. Others did not state one.
Languages named
Bahasa Malaysia
An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Chemists
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org