Field chemist vs research chemist

The differences between field chemists and research chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a research chemist has an average salary of $75,843, which is higher than the $66,162 average annual salary of a field chemist.

The top three skills for a field chemist include CDL, non-hazardous waste and customer sites. The most important skills for a research chemist are laboratory equipment, method development, and R.

Field chemist vs research chemist overview

	Field Chemist	Research Chemist
Yearly salary	$66,162	$75,843
Hourly rate	$31.81	$36.46
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	51,922	53,769
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 82%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a field chemist do?

Field chemists are scientists responsible for researching reactions that occur between different substances and creating procedures for safe handling of those substances by individuals, businesses, or factories. They are involved in gathering research data, implementing regulatory standards for hazardous substances, and assisting with the clean-up process for incidents such as spills. The data gathered is used to help develop new products for use in hazardous waste management, medicine, manufacturing, and other industries.

What does a research chemist do?

A research chemist specializes in conducting studies and experiments to develop new products. Their duties primarily focus on conducting research and assessments, gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing ideas, conducting tests to study chemical reactions, maintaining records of all procedures, and utilizing previous studies. Their research findings can be used to create new medicines, enhance existing products, and lead to innovations. When it comes to employment, a research chemist may work for pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories, government agencies, and learning institutions.

Field chemist vs research chemist salary

Field chemists and research chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Field Chemist	Research Chemist
Average salary	$66,162	$75,843
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $101,000	Between $53,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	-	McLean, VA
Highest paying state	-	Virginia
Best paying company	-	BP America Inc
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between field chemist and research chemist education

There are a few differences between a field chemist and a research chemist in terms of educational background:

	Field Chemist	Research Chemist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 82%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Chemistry	Chemistry
Most common college	University of California, Berkeley	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Field chemist vs research chemist demographics

Here are the differences between field chemists' and research chemists' demographics:

	Field Chemist	Research Chemist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4%	Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.1% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 22.2% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between field chemist and research chemist duties and responsibilities

Field chemist example responsibilities.

Manage and audit projects to ensure compliance of state, federal and OSHA regulations.
Manage projects involving the development of GC/MS methods, particle collection systems, and Raman spectral database creation.
Achieve and maintain ISO 9001-2000 certification by creating and implementing policies and serving as management representative.
Utilize analytic testing on new compounds using the following techniques: GC-MS, HPLC and ICP.
Test products for QC using standard procedures.
Analyze air samples by HPLC following EPA methods.

Research chemist example responsibilities.

Manage the CDS and LIMS systems for the institute.
Manage and record experimental data with lab management software (LIMS).
Manage projects involving the development of GC/MS methods, particle collection systems, and Raman spectral database creation.
Characterize the particles using SEM, DSC, IR, and UV-Vis.
Identify sample structure using microscopy, crystallography, NMR, UV/VIS, GC and AAS.
Develop GC & FTIR instrumental methods of analysis to support quality of incoming raw materials to ensure quality of finish products.

Field chemist vs research chemist skills

Common field chemist skills

CDL, 39%
Non-Hazardous Waste, 7%
Customer Sites, 7%
Household Hazardous Waste, 6%
OSHA, 5%
Laboratory Equipment, 5%

Common research chemist skills

Laboratory Equipment, 10%
Method Development, 10%
R, 9%
HPLC, 5%
Analytical Chemistry, 5%
Polymer, 5%

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Field Chemist vs Research Chemist

Updated January 8, 2025

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