How to hire a compounder

How to hire a compounder, step by step

Here's a step-by-step compounder hiring guide:

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

What does a compounder do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the compounder you need to hire. Certain compounder 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a compounder to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a compounder that fits the bill.

   This list presents compounder salaries for various positions.

   Type of Compounder	Description	Hourly rate
   Compounder		$13-25
   Packaging Technician	A packaging technician is responsible for planning the packaging design of various products, creating attractive outputs by utilizing software tools and applications, and ensuring that the deliverables adhere to the product's features. Packaging technicians generate new designs according to market trends and public demands... Show more	$13-21
   Quality Assurance Supervisor	A quality assurance supervisor oversees and leads the quality control operations within a manufacturing plant or similar establishment. They are primarily responsible for crafting and implementing policies that prioritize the efficiency of products or services, supervising and evaluating the performances of the workforce, and setting standards and procedures that align not just with the goals of the company, but the national and international level of production standards... Show more	$22-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Math
   • Basic Math
   • GMP
   • Mixers
   • Safety Procedures
   • Batch Sheets
   • FDA
   • OSHA
   • QC
   • Pallets
   • Quality Standards
   • Production Schedules
   • ISO
   • Cleanliness

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain water systems for the EPA.
   • Follow OSHA and company policies regarding hazardous materials.
   • Work with ISO certify companies.
   • Operate HAAS CNC mill and turning center.
   • Used colloid mills and homogenizers in that process.
   • Follow EPA standards on hazardous and non-hazardous waste management.

   More compounder duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your compounder job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A compounder can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, compounders' average salary in arkansas is 44% less than in wyoming.
   • Seniority. Entry-level compounders 47% less than senior-level compounders.
   • Certifications. A compounder with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a compounder's salary.

   Average compounder salary

   $38,955yearly

   $18.73 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level compounder salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average compounder salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$47,778	$23
   2	New York	$44,101	$21
   3	Illinois	$43,584	$21
   4	Minnesota	$43,006	$21
   5	Michigan	$42,596	$20
   6	Wisconsin	$42,579	$20
   7	Pennsylvania	$42,008	$20
   8	Indiana	$41,888	$20
   9	Ohio	$41,515	$20
   10	South Carolina	$41,352	$20
   11	California	$41,094	$20
   12	Colorado	$39,485	$19
   13	Texas	$37,230	$18
   14	Missouri	$36,157	$17
   15	Virginia	$35,747	$17
   16	Georgia	$32,889	$16
   17	Florida	$31,507	$15

   Average compounder salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Reckitt Benckiser	$56,575	$27.20
   2	Shiseido	$48,285	$23.21
   3	Fresenius Kabi	$46,362	$22.29	1
   4	Avery Dennison	$45,872	$22.05
   5	Ventura Foods	$45,637	$21.94
   6	Blistex	$43,934	$21.12
   7	PPG	$43,156	$20.75
   8	Revlon	$42,880	$20.62
   9	Golden State Foods	$42,754	$20.55
   10	Bausch + Lomb	$42,588	$20.48
   11	Apex International Mfg	$41,156	$19.79	2
   12	International Paper	$40,808	$19.62
   13	Henkel	$40,595	$19.52
   14	CyberCoders	$40,477	$19.46
   15	Kleen Test Products	$39,973	$19.22
   16	Pharmavite	$39,786	$19.13	1
   17	Silgan Holdings	$39,471	$18.98
   18	Silgan Containers	$39,468	$18.98
   19	Sysco	$39,271	$18.88
   20	Mane USA Inc.	$39,208	$18.85

4. Writing a compounder job description

   A compounder job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a compounder job description:

   Compounder job description example

   Experience: 1- 2 years of production/manufacturing experience.

   Skills:

   • Excellent numerical skills.

   • Ability to read and interpret instructions.

   • Knowledge of weights and measures and the ability to compare them.

   • Knowledge of finished blends and raw blends preferred.

   • Some mechanical experience preferred.

   • Ability to lift 50 lbs. and roll a 300 lb. drum.

   • Superior communication skills (verbal and written).

   • Team Player.

   • Detail Oriented and ability to multi-task.

   At Allen Flavors, Inc. we create an environment in which employees are valued, motivated and encourage to reach their full potential. We offer competitive pay, career growth opportunities, and outstanding benefit programs:

   • Vacation/Sick/Personal Paid Time Off

   • Holiday Per Yearly Schedule (11 to 12 days off depending on the length of annual AFI Holiday Break)

   • 401(k) with Company Match

   • Low-Cost Medical, Dental & Rx & Vision Coverage

   • Life Insurance

   • And Many More Employee-Friendly Programs

   Are you someone who wants to grow and work with a great group of dynamic individuals? Who wants a new challenge and bring a contribution to a company? Come and grow with us! Where everybody will know your name. Interested candidates should forward their resumes for consideration.

   Allen Flavors, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), employer

   Company DescriptionAllen Flavors Inc. is a privately owned, dynamic, innovative leader in the food and beverage industry offering an array of specialized services well beyond that of a typical flavor house. Working with middle market, entrepreneurial and select multinational food and beverage brands, we consistently provide our customers a library of high-performance, great-tasting traditional flavors, including the industry’s broadest and most rapidly-growing collection of certified organic flavors, along with world-class expertise in the development of customized ingredient kits.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right compounder for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with compounders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit compounders who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with compounder candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 compounder

   Once you have selected a candidate for the compounder 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.

   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 compounder. 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.

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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a compounder?