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Chemical laboratory technician skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Rainer Glaser,
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical chemical laboratory technician skills. We ranked the top skills for chemical laboratory technicians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.7% of chemical laboratory technician resumes contained lab equipment as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a chemical laboratory technician needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 chemical laboratory technician skills for your resume and career

1. Lab Equipment

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use lab equipment:
  • Experienced with ordering various chemicals, lab equipment and maintaining inventory.
  • Calibrate and perform preventative maintenance on lab equipment.

2. Routine Maintenance

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use routine maintenance:
  • Performed routine maintenance functions as was required on chemical related equipment and systems.
  • Performed routine maintenance on some laboratory equipment to ensure proper calibration.

3. Chemical Analysis

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use chemical analysis:
  • Performed chemical analysis and reported entry to ensure composition of finished potassium products.
  • Provided daily chemical analysis for plating lines and Waste Treatment Facility.

4. Analytical Methods

An analytical method is a method used to determine the chemical or physical property of a substance. It is a procedure to determine the relationship between different variables. This method can be conducted by combining scientific methods with any kind of formal process to solve a problem or prove a fact.

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use analytical methods:
  • Utilized analytical methods to attain proper specifications maintained by the company's exact standards.
  • Used analytical methods for meeting specs: FTIR; HPLC; GC; PH-meter; K.F.

5. Chemical Processes

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use chemical processes:
  • Operated chemical plant machinery and participated in evolving chemical processes.
  • Analyzed compounds produced through complex chemical processes.

6. Chromatography

Chromatography uses a strip of filter paper to separate the various components of a mixture. The filter paper is introduced to a solvent, which then encourages the separation of each mixture. Because different components of the mixture travel at different speeds once introduced to the solvent, a clear separation of components is visible on the filter paper.

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use chromatography:
  • Gas Chromatography method development, instrumentation trouble shooting and maintenance, application support, investigation into production issues.
  • Conducted rigorous quality control analyses using gas chromatography to verify product purity.

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7. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use r:
  • Collaborate with other departments to coordinate lab's optimum support of R and D and Production operations.
  • Operated 2L reactor and helped with new catalyst creation in the R and D lab.

8. QC

Quality control is a set of instructions or procedures to ensure a manufactured product or a service is up to the highest quality standards. This set of quality control criteria are either defined by the clients or the company itself.

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use qc:
  • Performed required testing for batch product evaluation based on established specifications, and communicate with QC manager.
  • Provided consultations in daily operations to QC chemists in manufacturing facilities.

9. PH Meter

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use ph meter:
  • Performed GC, melting point analyses, pH meter tests, and acid-base titration.
  • Calibrated daily and weekly FTIR, UV-vis and pH meter laboratory instrumentation.

10. Titration

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use titration:
  • Utilized laboratory analysis computer program to document titration data results.
  • Utilized instrumental and titration analysis on various chemical baths.

11. Lab Procedures

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use lab procedures:
  • Trained members of the admin team on lab procedures.
  • Interpreted data and provided recommendations that would improve and evaluate current lab procedures and implementing innovative designs in future testing analysis.

12. Test Results

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use test results:
  • Obtained consistent, accurate laboratory test results that determined approval or denial of entrance and raw materials on stock.
  • Compare and interpret test results to produce comprehensive technical test reports, many of which support claims substantiation.

13. Math

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use math:
  • Performed math and chemical calculations required for processing.
  • Tutored students taking any university math courses.

14. PPE

Personal protective equipment is an item of protective clothing such as goggles, helmets, or other garments meant to protect the body from injury.

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use ppe:
  • Practiced safe laboratory procedures prescribed by employer including proper PPE, safe chemical handling, attended safety meetings and training.
  • Received training: PPE, Chemical safety and Hazardous Waste, etc.

15. ICP

Here's how chemical laboratory technicians use icp:
  • Performed metals screening utilizing the ICP and AA.
  • Metal analysis through ICP OES testing.
top-skills

What skills help Chemical Laboratory Technicians find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on chemical laboratory technician resumes?

Dr. Rainer GlaserDr. Rainer Glaser LinkedIn profile

Professor and Chair, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Chemistry competence is key, of course. As a close second, chemists need to demonstrate effective team player competence. Communication skills are essential, in conversation and in writing. Effective collaboration requires highly developed skills to work with team members, peers, and leadership.

What soft skills should all chemical laboratory technicians possess?

Shelley Minteer Ph.D.

Dale and Susan Poulter Endowed Chair in Biological Chemistry, Associate Chair of Chemistry, University of Utah

The most important soft skills are communication and people management skills. It is critical to be strong in both oral and written communication.

What hard/technical skills are most important for chemical laboratory technicians?

Kyle Kemats Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Ohio University Southern

As I mentioned in question 1, training/experience on various instruments is the most important for industry/research jobs. For teaching positions, experience with different pedagogical/education techniques will be helpful for a potential candidate.

What chemical laboratory technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Biological Sciences (Emeritus) & Teaching & Learning Consultant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The answers here depend on why the gap year is needed. If the need is to have an income, this would need to be balanced against other desirable needs and wishes.
- Thinking about a whole gap year, the student should make a long-term commitment to skills improvement and fill in gaps in a resume or job application.
-If the new graduate can afford it, spend some time traveling, to be exposed to different cultures and languages. If the student lives in an area with a growing LatinX population, learning some Spanish would be useful.
-If it looks like the gap year will not include activities related to the job they hope to get at the end of the year, then take at least one STEM course in their area of interest so as not to lose their edge. This could be an online course (for example, a MOOC). Do it for credit if necessary, to prove (to themselves and others) that they still love and want to succeed in science.

What type of skills will young chemical laboratory technicians need?

Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D.Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Chemistry and Chair, High Point University

Students always need foundational technical skills. In addition to skills specific to chemistry and biochemistry, strong communication and interpersonal skills such as writing, speaking, and collaboration are vital, as are quantitative reasoning skills such as data analytics, statistical analysis, and programming.

What technical skills for a chemical laboratory technician stand out to employers?

Dr. Matthieu Rouffet Ph.D.Dr. Matthieu Rouffet Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Chemistry, Chair, Point Loma Nazarene University

Our PLNU graduates have a lot of hands-on experience (most courses have a lab component, and many of our students do summer research with a faculty member for two summers allowing them to spend over 800 hours in a lab), so employers regularly comment on the fact that they are ready to go from day one.

List of chemical laboratory technician skills to add to your resume

Chemical laboratory technician skills

The most important skills for a chemical laboratory technician resume and required skills for a chemical laboratory technician to have include:

  • Lab Equipment
  • Routine Maintenance
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Analytical Methods
  • Chemical Processes
  • Chromatography
  • R
  • QC
  • PH Meter
  • Titration
  • Lab Procedures
  • Test Results
  • Math
  • PPE
  • ICP
  • ISO
  • GC
  • Lims
  • FDA
  • Wet Chemistry
  • SPC
  • FTIR
  • Chemical Solutions
  • Test Equipment
  • Test Data
  • Product Quality
  • Gas Chromatography
  • ASTM
  • HPLC
  • UV/Vis
  • IR
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Technical Reports
  • Quantitative Analyses
  • Viscometers
  • Lab Notebook
  • Absorption
  • Water Samples
  • Lab Instruments
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Equipment Calibration
  • Sample Preparation
  • GMP
  • Sample Analysis
  • LC
  • Experimental Results
  • Chemical Inventory

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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