How to hire a chemical technician

How to hire a chemical technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step chemical technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a chemical technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chemical technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a chemical technician do?

Post a chemical technician job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the chemical technician you need to hire. Certain chemical technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A chemical technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, chemical technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of chemical technicians.

   Type of Chemical Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Chemical Technician	Chemical technicians use special instruments and techniques to help chemists and chemical engineers research, develop, produce, and test chemical products and processes.	$14-27
   Laboratory Analyst	A Laboratory Analyst helps conduct experiments, run laboratory tests, and analyze results. They compile and record data for the documentation needed for testing and report preparation.	$14-29
   Research And Development Chemist	A research and development chemist primarily works at laboratories to conduct extensive tests and experiments aiming to develop new products and technologies. Although the extent of their duties may vary, it typically revolves around conducting research and studies, observing chemical reactions, maintaining records and databases, collaborating with fellow experts, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing components or mixtures... Show more	$25-54

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • Safety Procedures
   • Hazardous Materials
   • OSHA
   • Math
   • Troubleshoot
   • R
   • Chemical Inventory
   • Analytical Equipment
   • ISO
   • Hazardous Waste
   • QC
   • Wet Chemistry
   • Product Quality

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage daily production schedule, monitor machine operation, addressed any etching machinery problems.
   • Used the FTIR to determine the consistency of the BPA.
   • Sample preparation for ICP, ICPMS, FLAA, and IC.
   • Metal analysis through ICP OES testing.
   • Perform GC/MS analyses using sw846, EPA and CLP methodologies.
   • Maintain, organize, and update MSDS database for entire company.

   More chemical technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your chemical technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A chemical technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, chemical technicians' average salary in utah is 49% less than in maryland.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chemical technicians earn 48% less than senior-level chemical technicians.
   • Certifications. A chemical technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a chemical technician's salary.

   Average chemical technician salary

   $42,584yearly

   $20.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chemical technician salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average chemical technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$63,074	$30
   2	Delaware	$52,707	$25
   3	Rhode Island	$51,840	$25
   4	Virginia	$45,589	$22
   5	New Jersey	$45,336	$22
   6	Pennsylvania	$45,303	$22
   7	Nevada	$45,236	$22
   8	Minnesota	$45,225	$22
   9	Ohio	$44,856	$22
   10	Illinois	$43,436	$21
   11	Texas	$43,188	$21
   12	Colorado	$42,112	$20
   13	California	$41,524	$20
   14	Arizona	$40,908	$20
   15	Indiana	$40,151	$19
   16	Washington	$39,880	$19
   17	South Carolina	$39,461	$19
   18	Louisiana	$39,261	$19
   19	Iowa	$39,125	$19
   20	Mississippi	$38,893	$19

   Average chemical technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Calpine	$92,674	$44.55	2
   2	Skyworks Solutions	$55,313	$26.59
   3	General Electric	$53,411	$25.68	3
   4	Avery Dennison	$52,137	$25.07	1
   5	Analog Devices	$49,783	$23.93	1
   6	Adea Solutions	$49,134	$23.62
   7	Clean Harbors	$47,090	$22.64	135
   8	Baker Hughes	$46,811	$22.51	10
   9	NRG Energy	$46,745	$22.47	2
   10	Medical University of South Carolina	$45,510	$21.88	6
   11	Goodwin Recruiting	$44,646	$21.46
   12	Kforce	$44,430	$21.36	2
   13	Broadcom	$44,037	$21.17	1
   14	Crane Co.	$42,138	$20.26	2
   15	Lewis Energy Group	$42,097	$20.24	1
   16	Cenergy International Services	$42,049	$20.22
   17	Schaeffler	$41,830	$20.11
   18	Carestream	$41,688	$20.04
   19	Ball	$41,543	$19.97	4
   20	NOV	$41,221	$19.82	4

4. Writing a chemical technician job description

   A good chemical technician job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a chemical technician job description:

   Chemical technician job description example

   Job DescriptionHave your work impact major green energy solutions with a well-funded cleantech startup.
   
   With $70MM venture capital committed to their vision and the backing of Bill Gates, this cleantech company is focused on heat & hydrogen. Their first solution decarbonizes gas use by converting customer's gas to clean hydrogen onsite without CO2 emissions. The second solution provides efficiency by transforming heat to power, saving money, and reducing carbon footprint, and providing resiliency in blackouts.
   
   Both are critical to meeting net zero climate goals. This well-funded green energy startup is now searching for a Chemical Engineering Technician who will be responsible for the hands-on operation and maintenance of chemical reaction processes.
   3 Awesome reasons to work here: Top Funding from prominent investors and partners Help develop clean, renewable fuel technologies Top benefits and options as we move to commercialization
   What you will be doing:
   
   Your focus will be on assembling, testing, optimizing, and validating prototypes, fabrication, and commissioning chemical processes. You will work with a team of mechanical engineers, chemical engineers, materials scientists, electrical engineers, fabricators, and technicians.
   
   Essential Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities: Experience with commissioning of lab scale chemical reactor processes. Expertise with fittings, swagelok, NPT, VCR, regulators, relief/check valves, back pressure valves, and special gas handling equipment. Experience with selection and ordering of parts. Demonstrated experience taking ownership of the laboratory process under investigation with particular emphasis on safety. Experience with gas phase systems, gas analyzers, GC analysis, and data recovery and storage. Hands-on assembly and troubleshooting experience with lab equipment (MFCs, power supplies, multimeter, fume hoods, chillers etc.), high temperature furnaces, and burners. Experience with basic prototyping and fabrication skills such as welding, soldering, assembly, etc. Experience with laboratory automation with LabView, Raspberry Pi/Arduino, Python, or similar. Familiarity with supporting chemical and mechanical engineers. Impeccable organization, prioritization, time-management, & planning skills and adherence to safety protocols. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a flexible work schedule under guidance from Chemical/Mechanical engineers.
   What you need for this Position:
   
   A.A. or B.S. in Chemical, Mechanical, or other closely related Engineering, or Science discipline; and 5+ years of experience in R&D environment or commensurate training/experience.
   
   Physical Requirements: Must be able to remain or work in a stationary/standing position 50% of the time. Frequently moves equipment weighing up to 50 pounds across the facility for various need.
   What's in it for you:
   
   This sustainable cleantech power company has enormous potential for learning, impact, and growth in a small and collaborative team setting. They value the unique ability to move fast to outpace larger companies and achieve what they cannot.
   
   Interviews are being scheduled now. So, if you are a Chemical Technician excited to make an impact, please apply today.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right chemical technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your chemical technician job on Zippia to find and recruit chemical technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit chemical technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new chemical technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the chemical technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new chemical technician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a chemical technician?