Kelly Scientific is actively recruiting for an entry Lab Chemist for a contract to hire opportunity in East Chicago, IN to work with an international leader in waste reclamation and recycling solutions supporting various markets including industrial, manufacturing, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, oil & gas and more.
**Pay rate: $18.02/hr.**
**Pay rate: $18.52/hr. for 3rd shift**
**ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**
+ Entry level wet chemistry laboratory duties including pH, moisture, oxidation, titration
+ Daily processing of samples to include fuel compatibility, bomb calorimetry, GC analysis, metals analysis
+ Daily equipment calibration
+ Calorimeter, pH meter, GC-MS, GC-FID
+ Additional laboratory support in the areas of standards preparation, record keeping and other general laboratory duties
**QUALIFICATIONS**
+ Must be willing to work in an industrial setting with limited outside exposure and be willing to handle hazardous and non-hazardous wastes with appropriate PPE
+ Minimum of high school diploma with strong scientific background
+ College courses or degree preferred in a science related field Strong candidates will possess a great work ethic with the ability to work alone as well as in a group
**REASONS TO JOIN**
+ Competitive pay and benefits
+ Student loan repayment assistance
+ Generous vacation and sick plans
+ Medical (including telehealth), dental and vision
+ 401k Retirement
+ Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
+ Health savings accounts (HSA)
+ Agency paid, basic life and AD&D insurance
+ Supplemental, voluntary life insurance & AD&D
+ Agency paid, short- & long-term disability
+ Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
+ Career ladders, professional development, and promotion opportunities
+ Leadership opportunities
+ Great work environment and culture
Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against any applicant for employment based on race, age, religion, sex, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
\#TJP2022_SPEC
**You should know:** Your safety matters! Vaccination against COVID-19 may be a requirement for this job in compliance with current client and governmental policies. A Kelly recruiter will confirm and share more details with you during the interview process.
**Why Kelly** ** ** **Science & Clinical?**
Kelly Science & Clinical is your connection to premier scientific and clinical companies looking to hire industry experts just like you. Our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world's most critical challenges. Every day, we match science professionals with dream jobs that fit their skills, interests, and career goals-it's the way we think job searching should be. Nearly 100 percent of our science recruiters have a professional background and education in science, so we know a thing or two about the science market and how to get your expertise noticed.
**About Kelly** ** **
At Kelly, we're always thinking about what's next and advising job seekers on new ways of working to reach their full potential. In fact, we're a leading advocate for temporary/nontraditional workstyles, because we believe they allow flexibility and tremendous growth opportunities that enable a better way to work and live (plus, did we mention we provide a ton of benefits ?). Connecting great people with great companies is what we do best, and our employment opportunities span a wide variety of workstyles, skill levels, and industries around the world.
Kelly Services is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We welcome, value, and embrace diversity at all levels and are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds, communities, perspectives, and abilities. At Kelly, we believe that the more inclusive we are, the better services we can provide. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to Kelly's Human Resource Knowledge Center.
Kelly complies with the requirements of California's state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment.
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How to hire a chemist/laboratory technician
Chemist/laboratory technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring chemist/laboratory technicians in the United States:
- HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
- It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
- It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
- The median cost to hire a chemist/laboratory technician is $1,633.
- Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per chemist/laboratory technician on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
- There are currently 134,992 chemist/laboratory technicians in the US and 47,259 job openings.
- Scarborough, ME, has the highest demand for chemist/laboratory technicians, with 4 job openings.
- Houston, TX has the highest concentration of chemist/laboratory technicians.
How to hire a chemist/laboratory technician, step by step
To hire a chemist/laboratory technician, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a chemist/laboratory technician:
Here's a step-by-step chemist/laboratory 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 chemist/laboratory technician job description
- Step 5: Post your job
- Step 6: Interview candidates
- Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chemist/laboratory technician
- Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
What does a chemist/laboratory technician do?
Laboratory technicians are specialists whose work involves complex procedures or performance of most advanced diagnostic tests in scientific or medical laboratories. Their responsibilities include overseeing and assisting scientific investigations and experiments as well as designing, establishing, and handling controlled trials and experiments. Also, they record and assess data, demonstrate procedures, provide technical support, direct staff, and present outcomes to senior staff. Additionally, they stay current with relevant scientific and technical progress and carry out risk assessments.
Post a chemist/laboratory technician job for free, promote it for a fee
Identify your hiring needs
Before you start hiring a chemist/laboratory technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.
Determine employee vs contractor statusIs the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?A chemist/laboratory technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, chemist/laboratory 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.
Here's a comparison of chemist/laboratory technician salaries for various roles:
Type of Chemist/Laboratory Technician Description Hourly rate Chemist/Laboratory Technician Chemical technicians use special instruments and techniques to help chemists and chemical engineers research, develop, produce, and test chemical products and processes. $17-33 Microbiologist Microbiologists are responsible for studying the microscopic organisms causing infections and environmental damage, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Their work focuses on the identification and growth of these microbes to better understand their characteristics that may help in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious and bacterial diseases... Show more $18-36 Quality Control As the name entails, the job of a quality control inspector is to inspect, maintain, and improve the quality and standard of products. They are responsible for ensuring the company's reputation is not damaged due to defective products or inferior manufacturing processes... Show more $11-21 Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:- Lab Equipment
- R
- OSHA
- Analytical Methods
- ISO
- Technical Support
- Wet Chemistry
- HPLC
- Hazardous Waste
- PH Meter
- Test Methods
- GMP
- GC
- Ms
Responsibilities:- Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
- Conduct GC PID/FID analysis, interpret results and process report by LIMS.
- Ensure compliance by following GMP and pertinent FDA requirements for food grade products.
- Point person for FDA audits.
- Record data daily using 3sigma SQC methodology into LIMS.
- Develop and implement new LIMS system for use by the entire plant.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in your chemist/laboratory technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A chemist/laboratory technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.
For example, the average salary for a chemist/laboratory technician in Tennessee may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level chemist/laboratory technician usually earns less than a senior-level chemist/laboratory technician. Additionally, a chemist/laboratory technician with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.
Average chemist/laboratory technician salary
$51,400yearly
$24.71 hourly rateEntry-level chemist/laboratory technician salary$37,000 yearly salaryUpdated December 29, 2025Average chemist/laboratory technician salary by state
Rank State Avg. salary Hourly rate 1 Maryland $77,517 $37 2 Kentucky $66,635 $32 3 Delaware $64,370 $31 4 Texas $63,565 $31 5 Arkansas $61,588 $30 6 Connecticut $61,255 $29 7 Massachusetts $55,582 $27 8 North Carolina $51,269 $25 9 California $50,871 $24 10 Ohio $50,363 $24 11 Illinois $49,540 $24 12 South Carolina $48,952 $24 13 Wisconsin $46,056 $22 14 Utah $45,978 $22 15 Florida $42,282 $20 16 Oklahoma $40,851 $20 Average chemist/laboratory technician salary by company
Rank Company Average salary Hourly rate Job openings 1 Sun Chemical $79,603 $38.27 2 Momentive $71,978 $34.60 4 3 Covance $55,937 $26.89 4 Monster Products $55,408 $26.64 1 5 Schlumberger $52,652 $25.31 6 EFI Global $51,097 $24.57 7 Thatcher $49,224 $23.67 2 8 Goodwin Recruiting $49,123 $23.62 9 Deibel Laboratories $48,842 $23.48 20 10 TRADEBE TRANSPORTATION $48,618 $23.37 11 PacBio $48,379 $23.26 12 Randstad North America, Inc. $48,287 $23.21 3 13 Eurofins $47,861 $23.01 112 14 Ingevity $44,233 $21.27 1 15 Kelly Services $43,230 $20.78 65 16 Murray State University $43,165 $20.75 17 Aerotek $41,249 $19.83 11 18 Peterson Companies $40,884 $19.66 19 Allied Universal $40,805 $19.62 Writing a chemist/laboratory technician job description
A good chemist/laboratory 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 chemist/laboratory technician job description:
Chemist/laboratory technician job description example
Post your job
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right chemist/laboratory 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 chemist/laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and recruit chemist/laboratory technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
During your first interview to recruit chemist/laboratory 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.
Send a job offer and onboard your new chemist/laboratory technician
Once you've found the chemist/laboratory technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.
You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.
After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new chemist/laboratory technician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.
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.)
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How much does it cost to hire a chemist/laboratory technician?
Before you start to hire chemist/laboratory technicians, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire chemist/laboratory technicians pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.
You can expect to pay around $51,400 per year for a chemist/laboratory technician, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for chemist/laboratory technicians in the US typically range between $17 and $33 an hour.
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Updated December 29, 2025