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What is a chemistry laboratory technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Betsy Smith,
Dr. Matthieu Rouffet Ph.D.

If you are an amateur scientist with high expectations and a desire to excel, being a Chemistry Laboratory Technician may be your thing. Now, if you want to be a new Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad), better think about another professional career.

The Chemistry Laboratory Technician uses special equipment and techniques to assist chemical engineers or chemical graduates in their researches. To fulfill these tasks, the Chemistry Laboratory Technician must know the usual processes and materials within a laboratory and follow orders with absolute precision. Although some consider it secondary, this role is of vital importance for any company with an investigation department.

Some colleges offer Chemistry Laboratory Technicians training courses, which last between 18 months and two years. However, some companies hire young high school graduates and offer them basic training to get started on the job and learn along the way.

Depending on the level of studies, a Chemistry Laboratory Technician can earn between $32,000 and $47,000 a year. It should be noted that the job possibilities are vast for these technicians.

What general advice would you give to a chemistry laboratory technician?

Dr. Betsy SmithDr. Betsy Smith LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.
ScoreChemistry Laboratory TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $40,072

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.9

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 9.19%

Black or African American 6.98%

Hispanic or Latino 16.28%

Unknown 4.26%

White 62.88%

Gender

female 52.27%

male 47.73%

Age - 44
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 - 44
Stress level
6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Chemistry laboratory technician career paths

Key steps to become a chemistry laboratory technician

  1. Explore chemistry laboratory technician education requirements

    Most common chemistry laboratory technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    74.1 %

    Associate

    14.5 %

    Master's

    5.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific chemistry laboratory technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Lab Equipment11.71%
    Test Results6.74%
    Laboratory Tests4.75%
    Chemistry Laboratory4.30%
    Safety Procedures3.89%
  3. Complete relevant chemistry laboratory technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chemistry laboratory technicians 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 chemistry laboratory technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chemistry laboratory technician resumes.
  4. Research chemistry laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

    • Participate in audits by FDA and ISO.
    • Assist in preparing and storing laboratory experiments.-Guide students through laboratory procedure.-collect student data for HPLC, GC/MS, and NMR samples.
    • Skil in characterization of compounds using 1HNMR , 13CNMR, IR, GC, UV-Vis spec.
    • Train mill trainees on ISO procedures.
  5. Prepare your chemistry laboratory technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chemistry laboratory technician 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 chemistry laboratory technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable chemistry laboratory technician resume templates

    Build a professional chemistry laboratory technician 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 chemistry laboratory technician resume.
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
    Chemistry Laboratory Technician Resume
  6. Apply for chemistry laboratory technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a chemistry laboratory technician 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 chemistry laboratory technician job

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Average chemistry laboratory technician salary

The average chemistry laboratory technician salary in the United States is $40,072 per year or $19 per hour. Chemistry laboratory technician salaries range between $32,000 and $49,000 per year.

Average chemistry laboratory technician salary
$40,072 Yearly
$19.27 hourly

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Chemistry laboratory technician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

verification of scale and water bath . take samples . analyse

Cons

nothing really..


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Skill level required does not equate with salary offered - should be paid more.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Cons

I do not have a bachelor in chemistry but i do have a associate's in biology from the university of belize.


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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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