articles

This Company Makes Everything From Nalgene Bottles To Human Trafficking Identification Kits—And They’re Hiring

Let’s start with a thought experiment.

I’m going to name three things, and you have to tell me if they share anything in common.

  1. Making milk safe for babies.
  2. Discovering the geographic origin of the coffee bean.
  3. Fighting terrorism with forensics.

Any ideas?

In case you’re stumped, we’ll help you out: They all use technology developed at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Now, at first glance you might think working for a biotech product development company isn’t necessarily exciting. You might doubt whether researching and developing scientific equipment is riveting.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

All across Thermo Fisher, scientists and businesspeople alike work on projects that truly mean the difference between life and death—oftentimes for the most vulnerable people in the world.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THERMO FISHER AND APPLY FOR OPEN ROLES

Forensics As The Secret Sauce

How is it that one company actually contributes to so many different causes? The answer lies in one of Thermo Fisher’s specialties: forensic technology.

Thermo Fisher creates all sorts of chemical, DNA, and materials identification technology. These and other products make the company an essential part of what drives forward innovation across a range of specialties and industries.

This comprises most anything you can think of. Perhaps the best question to ask is, what field doesn’t rely on scientific progress to advance?

Take Erica Hirsch. She works as a Senior Business Segment Director at Thermo Fisher’s Silicon Valley office. Hirsch manages a handheld drug verification device that helps people in Africa detect and stop the flow of counterfeit malaria drugs.

Another Thermo Fisher employee playing an important role is Niusheng. He develops applications for the mass spectrometer. That’s a device that has a broad range of uses, including the detection of deadly chemicals. Thanks to Niusheng’s work, one Thermo Fisher client is able to test 750,000 tons of infant formula each year for potentially harmful chemicals. And that’s just one of the ways his work has a direct impact on people’s lives around the world.

From Science Labs To Hiking Bags

However, most people’s experience with Thermo Fisher—hopefully—involves the world’s most famous piece of lab equipment: the Nalgene bottle.

Born from their Nalgene line of lab equipment and built from high quality and non-contaminating plastics, the signature water bottle still bears the graduated measurements of its ancestors.

It’s no accident, though, that Thermo Fisher’s cylinders and beakers became the eco-nerd’s (then the world’s) first choice for a reusable water bottle. Lab equipment has to be built tough to withstand pressure, falls, and high temperatures—all without leaking any nasty chemicals into the container. These qualities also make for the perfect water bottle, especially if you’re looking to take it on a hike.

So, the Nalgene lab line became the Nalgene water bottle line. And now you have your go-to water bottle.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THERMO FISHER AND APPLY FOR OPEN ROLES

Stopping Ebola At The Source

Their technology can do more than just support labs and solve crimes. Their advanced DNA technologies are used in stopping some of the world’s most dangerous diseases, like Ebola.

Teaming up with Thomas Jefferson University, the Institute Pasteur, and the Organization of International Visitors of the USA (OIV-USA), Thermo Fisher responded swiftly to the Ebola epidemic that originated in West Africa in 2014.

Using Thermo Fisher DNA technology, researchers were able to help doctors test patients in the Ivory Coast (where the epidemic broke out). That enabled them to more effectively isolate cases, pinpoint local outbreaks, and prevent a continent-wide crisis.

With so much on the line, it’s nice to know Thermo Fisher also has the highest R&D budget in the industry. Devoting so much money and talent toward the future, Thermo Fisher is constantly developing new and better products that quite literally save the world. It also means that they’ve got room for anyone else looking to throw intelligence and effort at the world’s most challenging problems.

Interested in working at a company that’s solving the world’s biggest problems? Thermo Fisher is hiring on WayUp, so check out their open positions and apply now!

Liam Berry

Liam is the Branded Content Editor at WayUp. He helps students and recent grads connect with top employers through storytelling.

Share
Published by
Liam Berry

Recent Posts

How WayUp’s Virtual Info Sessions Help Employers Meet Top Candidates in 2026

Early-career hiring at scale is harder than it looks. You post a role, get buried…

3 days ago

What Do People Use Instead of LinkedIn? 7 Alternatives for Job Seekers in 2026

LinkedIn is everywhere. Your professors tell you to use it. Recruiters tell you to optimize…

3 days ago

Phone Interview Tips in 2026: How to Nail the First Screen and Move Forward

A phone screen is short (usually 20 to 30 minutes) but it carries real weight.…

3 days ago

How to Ask for a Raise in Your First Job: A 2026 Guide for Recent Grads

You landed the job. You showed up, learned fast, and proved yourself. Now you want…

3 days ago

What Is an Internship? Everything You Need to Know in 2026

You've probably heard the word a hundred times. Professors bring it up. Your parents ask…

1 week ago

Hiring Near Me Part-Time in 2026: How to Find Local Jobs That Fit Your Schedule

Part-time job searching sounds simple until you're actually doing it. You type "hiring near me…

1 week ago