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Formulation chemist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted experts
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.,
Dunwei Wang Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical formulation chemist skills. We ranked the top skills for formulation chemists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.0% of formulation chemist resumes contained scale-up as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a formulation chemist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 formulation chemist skills for your resume and career

1. Scale-Up

Scale-Up refers to the act of making a product or model larger. Because all dimensions of the product must be increased, the scale of the model or rendering is increased as well. It may also refer to the act of increasing attention or force behind a certain idea or action, such as a scaled-up attempt to combat murder hornet infestations.

Here's how formulation chemists use scale-up:
  • Worked on formulation development and scale-up of manufacturing processes for current and future products.
  • Performed process scale-up and process validation, including technology transfer to commercial production.

2. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how formulation chemists use r:
  • Used R, SSL, and SQL programming to identify and fix multiple processing and GUI problems with StarLIMS v9.
  • Guide & support Energy Services R, D&E to meet and prioritize business goals.

3. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how formulation chemists use product development:
  • Performed and reported various laboratory tests to determine chemical and physical properties of material to support new product development efforts.
  • Coordinated all phases of product development, including formulation, raw material qualification, and documentation.

4. Lab Notebook

Here's how formulation chemists use lab notebook:
  • Maintain current records of all formula development in lab notebook.
  • Develop and maintain a detailed and organized lab notebook.

5. Formulation Development

Formulation Development of a product requires knowledge of patentability, lifecycle, and stability of the product, which leads to its ultimate success. In the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, formulation development is an important skill to possess as it is an integral part of pharmaceutical product development. For example, in large pharmaceutical companies, formulation chemists are hired to deal with the physical drugs' characterization, conduct long-term drug stability, develop prototypes for testing, and more. All of these complicated tasks require you to have extensive knowledge in the formulation development of medical products.

Here's how formulation chemists use formulation development:
  • Write and maintain documentation to support process and formulation developments efforts.
  • Prepared and analyzed samples for formulation development.

6. QC

Quality control is a set of instructions or procedures to ensure a manufactured product or a service is up to the highest quality standards. This set of quality control criteria are either defined by the clients or the company itself.

Here's how formulation chemists use qc:
  • Performed requisition purchases for all new materials and instrumentation, transferred finished coatings and methods to manufacturing facility and QC.
  • Pass partially formulated samples to QC, and adjusting the product pool according to the sample data.

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7. GMP

GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice. It is a system that ensures that all products like food, beverages, and medicinal drugs that are produced comply with the quality standards. It helps in minimizing the risks and hazards that cannot be eliminated after the testing of final products.

Here's how formulation chemists use gmp:
  • Participated in pilot lot preparation, data recording, bulk formulations, and GMP applications.
  • Assist with scale- up from development to large production with good GMP practices.

8. Analytical Methods

An analytical method is a method used to determine the chemical or physical property of a substance. It is a procedure to determine the relationship between different variables. This method can be conducted by combining scientific methods with any kind of formal process to solve a problem or prove a fact.

Here's how formulation chemists use analytical methods:
  • Developed analytical methods for small molecule antibiotic solutions and conducted long range stability studies.
  • Developed and improved formulas, processes, and analytical methods supporting paint coating products.

9. FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the production and sale of food, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, and other consumer goods, as well as veterinary medicine. The FDA is now in charge of overseeing the manufacture of products like vaccines, allergy treatments, and beauty products.

Here's how formulation chemists use fda:
  • Performed studies to evaluate the increase rate of chemical and physical degradation of bulk drug products in compliance with FDA regulations.
  • Developed broad spectrum products with organic sunscreens, encapsulated sunscreens and inorganic particulates to meet the new FDA guidelines.

10. Stability Studies

Here's how formulation chemists use stability studies:
  • Conducted stability studies to monitor aging and temperature effects on the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of formulations.
  • Perform routine stability studies for laboratory and manufacturing products.

11. Test Methods

Test methods are the steps in which thorough testing is conducted in a laboratory setting.

Here's how formulation chemists use test methods:
  • Designed custom run-off mitigation test methods and designed/developed formulations with reduced run-off and efficacy equivalent to standard formulations.
  • Developed standard operating procedures, test methods and wrote four patent applications.

12. Data Analysis

Here's how formulation chemists use data analysis:
  • Designed and validated excel workbooks containing chemical equations and statistical methodology used for formulating, product monitoring, and data analysis.
  • Carried out numerical data analysis throughout chemical analysis by performing mathematical calculations such as determining concentrations and statistical information.

13. Lab Equipment

Here's how formulation chemists use lab equipment:
  • Maintained lab equipment (balances, laminar flow hoods, etc.)
  • Maintained lab equipment Provided assistance with Analytical Development

14. DSC

DSC - Differential Scanning Calorimetry is a thermo-analytical technique used to measure how much energy a sample absorbs or releases while heating or cooling. Thus, DSC measures the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a sample as a function of temperature or time.

Here's how formulation chemists use dsc:
  • Analyze drug formulations using HPLC, UV-Vis Spec., pH meter, Osmometer and DSC.
  • Perform DSC purity analysis for standard certifications.

15. Technical Support

Technical support or tech support are the services provided by any hardware or software company to users. They help in solving the technical difficulties the customers face with their products or services. Moreover, the tech support employees maintain, manage, and repair the IT faults. They are also responsible for resolving the network problems, installing and configuring hardware and software.

Here's how formulation chemists use technical support:
  • Served as Laboratory Six Sigma Representative and provided technical support for sales representatives.
  • Provided Technical support to manufacturing unit and to address customer concerns.
top-skills

What skills help Formulation Chemists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on formulation chemist resumes?

Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Chair, Associate Professor, Methodist University

Skills that make recent chemistry graduates stand out are research experience, internships, part-time work in labs, and hands-on familiarity with certain types of preparation, techniques, and analysis equipment. Most jobs in the field of chemistry are for analysts, so the ability to understand and perform certain methods and analyze/interpret data is a valuable skill.

What soft skills should all formulation chemists possess?

Dunwei Wang Ph.D.

Margaret A & Thomas A Vanderslice Chair in Chemistry, Professor of Chemistry, Chairperson of Chemistry Department, Boston College

Problem-solving skills. When presented with a problem, knowing where to go to find information to solve it.

What hard/technical skills are most important for formulation chemists?

Dunwei Wang Ph.D.

Margaret A & Thomas A Vanderslice Chair in Chemistry, Professor of Chemistry, Chairperson of Chemistry Department, Boston College

Chemistry is a diverse field. As a foundational discipline, it enables several sub-fields and supports emerging new fields. As one example, our graduates become experts in medical research, health care, and scientists and engineers in many other fields. Depending on the different career goals, what is important can be drastically different. Generally speaking, doing bench work (either in the lab or on a computer) should be a good skill to have at graduation.

What formulation chemist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Peter RosadoPeter Rosado LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor of Chemistry, Georgia College and State University

I tell students to call their "gap" year more of a "Developmental" year. If a graduate desires to have such a year, they should focus on their whole goal, which means developing their professionalism and having other experiences. For example, travel to another country, learn a new language, intern at a company outside of the U.S., get involved further in the field of study. What stands out in candidates is how they made use of their time, skills that they acquired, and how they could weave them into the position they are applying for. That the candidate has had experiences outside of their comfort zone tells me as an employer that they are flexible and can adapt to new and unpredictable situations.

What type of skills will young formulation chemists need?

Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D.Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Chemistry and Chair, High Point University

Students always need foundational technical skills. In addition to skills specific to chemistry and biochemistry, strong communication and interpersonal skills such as writing, speaking, and collaboration are vital, as are quantitative reasoning skills such as data analytics, statistical analysis, and programming.

List of formulation chemist skills to add to your resume

Formulation chemist skills

The most important skills for a formulation chemist resume and required skills for a formulation chemist to have include:

  • Scale-Up
  • R
  • Product Development
  • Lab Notebook
  • Formulation Development
  • QC
  • GMP
  • Analytical Methods
  • FDA
  • Stability Studies
  • Test Methods
  • Data Analysis
  • Lab Equipment
  • DSC
  • Technical Support
  • UV
  • ISO
  • Technical Reports
  • HPLC
  • Skin Care
  • Laboratory Practices
  • Field Testing
  • GLP
  • ASTM
  • PH Meter
  • EPA
  • Product Quality
  • Method Development
  • FTIR
  • Product Performance
  • Pilot Plant
  • GC
  • Hair Care
  • Creative Solutions
  • Product Specifications
  • Product Stability
  • Development Projects
  • Wet Chemistry
  • Titration
  • Dosage Forms
  • DOE
  • Competitive Products
  • Immunoassay
  • NMR
  • Microbiology
  • Physical Properties

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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