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What is a chemical laboratory scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a chemical laboratory scientist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $33.46 an hour? That's $69,602 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 5,700 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreChemical Laboratory ScientistUS Average
Salary
5.4

Avg. Salary $69,602

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.25%

Asian 19.49%

Black or African American 4.69%

Hispanic or Latino 7.98%

Unknown 4.11%

White 63.49%

Gender

female 44.74%

male 55.26%

Age - 40
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a chemical laboratory scientist

  1. Explore chemical laboratory scientist education requirements

    Most common chemical laboratory scientist degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.7 %

    Master's

    15.8 %

    Doctorate

    7.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific chemical laboratory scientist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Sample Preparation24.05%
    Gas Chromatography21.53%
    Extraction16.77%
    Absorption14.05%
    Chemical Analysis11.02%
  3. Complete relevant chemical laboratory scientist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chemical laboratory scientists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a chemical laboratory scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chemical laboratory scientist resumes.
  4. Research chemical laboratory scientist duties and responsibilities

    • Design and conduct experiments at a chemistry lab in order to monitor the continuous growing of a genetically modify bacterium.
    • Develop a binding experiment utilizing fluorescence polarization to screen discovery compounds for interaction with various RNA constructs.
  5. Prepare your chemical laboratory scientist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chemical laboratory scientist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a chemical laboratory scientist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable chemical laboratory scientist resume templates

    Build a professional chemical laboratory scientist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your chemical laboratory scientist resume.
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
    Chemical Laboratory Scientist Resume
  6. Apply for chemical laboratory scientist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a chemical laboratory scientist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first chemical laboratory scientist job

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Average chemical laboratory scientist salary

The average chemical laboratory scientist salary in the United States is $69,602 per year or $33 per hour. Chemical laboratory scientist salaries range between $44,000 and $108,000 per year.

Average chemical laboratory scientist salary
$69,602 Yearly
$33.46 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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