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Wood Scientist
You should enjoy working with wood and timber products and have an aptitude for technical subjects, Mathematics and Physical Science as well as being able to get along with people and solve technical problems.
A wood scientist studies the physical, chemical and biological properties of wood in order to form the basis for further study in the technology of processing this raw material into various products such as pulp, paper, building and construction timber and composite products such as chipboard and fibre board and laminated beams.
Wood is a renewable but expensive commodity and as a wood scientist, you would be concerned with utilising every scrap of this raw material. Chipboard was first thought of when people noticed piles of sawdust going to waste at sawmills. With the advent of modern wood adhesives, a way was found to make use of this waste.
Paper is a vital necessity without which the modern world might come to a grinding halt. Through the application of your knowledge and training, product and process knowledge, you would provide the skills needed to manage the conversion processes effectively.
You could also use practise your occupation in various fields of the industry like primary processing (timber treating) plywood manufacture, fibre and particle board manufacture and saw-milling), secondary processing (furniture, joinery, building and timber construction) and other (research, marketing, labour and training.
The activities in which you would be involved include:
- The obtaining of raw materials - principally timber.
- The preparation, storage and control of raw materials.
- The effective, cost-effective conversion of raw materials into saleable products.
- Transport within and outside the processing plants.
- The efficient storage and control of finished products.
- The marketing of diverse products.
- Management of staff, costs, product quality and safety.
- Equipment and plant maintenance.
- In-service training.
- In-company industrial and scientific research.
Useful Information
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Career Snapshot Wood Scientist |
In Demand
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Qualification Required |
Work Outdoors |
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Maths Required |
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Science Required |
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This is a general guide - it is important to check admission requirements with the various training institutions first because entry requirements may vary.
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