The CIC Toronto Local Section proudly hosted its Annual Chemical Career Fair at the MaRS Discovery District on Thursday, November 20th. The event welcomed 160 attendees and featured 9 companies, all aligned with this year’s Made-in-Canada theme, celebrating homegrown innovation and scientific leadership. Co-organized by Arshiyah Rashid and Rachel Shum, alongside the CIC Toronto team, the fair brought together students, early-career researchers, and industry professionals for a day dedicated to career exploration and community building.
Representatives from 9 organizations, including Gilead, Eurofins CDMO Alphora, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Ontario Centre of Innovation, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, Syngenta, Mitacs, Intrepid Labs, and CIC National, shared insights into current recruitment needs, emerging opportunities, and the rapidly evolving landscape of chemical innovation in Canada. Attendees learned about career paths across clean technology, materials science, manufacturing, R&D services, intellectual property, and commercialization.
The program offered employer spotlights, professional development workshops, and complimentary professional headshots. Sessions supported career development in the chemical sciences, and introduced participants to pathways in innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization.
The day concluded with a small group networking mixer, giving company representatives and attendees the chance to reconnect in an informal setting. Many organizations highlighted the value of meeting strong candidates and deepening connections within the chemical community.
Volunteer Team (Left to Right): Andrea Johnson, Theo Ramilo, Pauline Ma, Jennifer Huynh, Sofia Michailovich, Samantha McWhirter, Rachel Shum, Emily Steele, Susannah Tran. Not pictured: Arshiyah Rashid, Logan Zettle, Shakiba Ghaffari.
We extend our sincere appreciation to all exhibitors, sponsors, and volunteers whose support made the event possible. The CIC Toronto Local Section looks forward to welcoming everyone back to the next Career Fair as we continue to strengthen Canada’s dynamic chemical sector.
A special thank-you to our generous sponsors: Gold sponsors Eurofins CDMO Alphora and Gilead, and Silver sponsor LGC-Toronto Research Chemicals.
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsor
Meet the Organizers
Arshiyah Rashid is CIC Toronto’s Co-Chair. She is currently an Account Representative at Veolia Water Tech where she aims to help promote ecological transformation. When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with friends and exploring the Alberta mountain range!
Rachel Shum is CIC Toronto’s Industrial Liaison and a former Chair of CIC Kingston. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. When she’s not doing chemistry, Rachel can be found hiking trails and enjoying the great outdoors.