What does a formulation chemist do?
A formulation chemist is responsible for generating new concepts for product development that adhere to quality standards and safety regulations. Formulation chemists identify product opportunities by analyzing the current industry trends, developing cost-reduction initiatives, and determining efficient formulations through in-depth research and laboratory experiments. They write formulation reports and product processing, collaborating with the marketing and sales team for brand promotion and awareness. A formulation chemist must have a critical understanding of scientific methods, including chemical mixing, to achieve desired outputs.
Formulation chemist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real formulation chemist resumes:
- Utilize Citrix LIMS to register, manage, enter and release sample results for supervisor review.
- Provide key data in GLP testing of in-house samples using GC, AA, and UV-Vis.
- Follow ASTM procedures and criteria for analyzing products.
- Create internal sensory training according to the ASTM method.
- Help to aid the plant in becoming compliant with EPA standards.
- Perform analysis of pharmaceutical drug products in compliance cGMP and GLP procedures.
- Prepare new raw material package including MSDS, CofA, specification, etc.
- Plan and execute manufacturing of pilot scale dentifrice formulation batches in a GMP environment.
- Participate in pilot lot preparation, data recording, bulk formulations, and GMP applications.
- Sample preparation and HPLC analysis to determine the sunscreen and preservative content in finish products.
- Assure ingredient lists of final products compliance with domestic and international cosmetics and OTC regulations.
- Develop and implement protocols for testing procedures as well as kept ISO documents up to date.
- Pass partially formulate samples to QC, and adjusting the product pool according to the sample data.
- Develop broad spectrum products with organic sunscreens, encapsulate sunscreens and inorganic particulates to meet the new FDA guidelines.
- Implementn all activities in compliance with GLP's and participate in clinical pathology data review, interpretation and reporting.
Formulation chemist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Formulation Chemists are proficient in Scale-Up, R, and Product Development. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Formulation Chemists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Scale-Up, 8%
Worked on formulation development and scale-up of manufacturing processes for current and future products.
- R, 7%
Used R, SSL, and SQL programming to identify and fix multiple processing and GUI problems with StarLIMS v9.
- Product Development, 6%
Performed and reported various laboratory tests to determine chemical and physical properties of material to support new product development efforts.
- Lab Notebook, 6%
Maintain current records of all formula development in lab notebook.
- Formulation Development, 5%
Write and maintain documentation to support process and formulation developments efforts.
- QC, 4%
Performed requisition purchases for all new materials and instrumentation, transferred finished coatings and methods to manufacturing facility and QC.
Common skills that a formulation chemist uses to do their job include "scale-up," "r," and "product development." You can find details on the most important formulation chemist responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a formulation chemist to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what formulation chemists do because "chemists and materials scientists need to evaluate the results of experiments to ensure accuracy in their research." Additionally, a formulation chemist resume shows how formulation chemists use analytical skills: "researched various techniques and analyzed options for scale-up to manufacturing environment. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform formulation chemist duties is communication skills. Formulation chemists responsibilities require that "chemists and materials scientists must be able to convey information clearly in reports and presentations for both technical and nontechnical audiences." Formulation chemists also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "lead technical support, coordinate relevant activities and projects updates/communication to cross functional teams and stakeholders. "
Math skills. formulation chemists are also known for math skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to formulation chemist responsibilities, because "chemists and materials scientists regularly use calculus, algebra, statistics, and other math for calculations." A formulation chemist resume example shows how math skills is used in the workplace: "devised hplc bulk purification & quantitative analysis of monoclonal antibody for targeted cancerpresenting antigens employed in clinical treatment. "
Organizational skills. A big part of what formulation chemists do relies on "organizational skills." You can see how essential it is to formulation chemist responsibilities because "chemists and materials scientists must document processes carefully when conducting experiments, tracking outcomes, and analyzing results." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical formulation chemist tasks: "well versed in implementing standard operating procedures, organizational policies, and analytical methodologies accurately and consistently. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a formulation chemist to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what formulation chemists relies on this skill, since "chemists’ and materials scientists’ work involves posing questions during research and finding answers through results." How this skill relates to formulation chemist duties can be seen in an example from a formulation chemist resume snippet: "investigated process scale-up for an antibiotic solution and quickly determined the cause of a previous persistent manufacturing problem. "
Time-management skills. Another skill commonly found on formulation chemist job descriptions is "time-management skills." It can come up quite often in formulation chemist duties, since "chemists and materials scientists usually need to meet deadlines and must be able to prioritize tasks while maintaining quality." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day formulation chemist responsibilities: "research and development performed method development on hplc/ms including ms optimization, column and retention time selection, and extraction techniques. "
The three companies that hire the most formulation chemists are:
- Kelly Services5 formulation chemists jobs
- AgroFresh2 formulation chemists jobs
- Amyris2 formulation chemists jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable formulation chemist resume templates
Build a professional formulation chemist resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your formulation chemist resume.
Compare different formulation chemists
Formulation chemist vs. Assistant research scientist
An Assistant Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between formulation chemists and assistant research scientist. For instance, formulation chemist responsibilities require skills such as "scale-up," "product development," "lab notebook," and "formulation development." Whereas a assistant research scientist is skilled in "research projects," "data collection," "cell culture," and "chemistry." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Assistant research scientists really shine in the education industry with an average salary of $71,080. Comparatively, formulation chemists tend to make the most money in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $73,549.On average, assistant research scientists reach similar levels of education than formulation chemists. Assistant research scientists are 2.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 12.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Formulation chemist vs. Postdoctoral scholar
A Postdoctoral Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis. They also coordinate with the whole team for efficient research methods, ensuring adherence to budget limitations and required timetables. A Postdoctoral Scholar must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to document reports and discuss results with the research team.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, formulation chemist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "scale-up," "product development," "lab notebook," and "formulation development." Meanwhile, a postdoctoral scholar has duties that require skills in areas such as "chemistry," "python," "patients," and "nih." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Postdoctoral scholars may earn a lower salary than formulation chemists, but postdoctoral scholars earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $72,557. On the other hand, formulation chemists receive higher pay in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $73,549.postdoctoral scholars earn higher levels of education than formulation chemists in general. They're 7.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 12.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for formulation chemists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Betsy Smith
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College
Formulation chemist vs. Quality control coordinator
A quality control coordinator is in charge of organizing and overseeing an organization's quality control procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They coordinate teams and activities, delegate tasks, conduct audits, set goals, establish guidelines, gather and analyze client feedback, and develop strategies to optimize operations. They must also conduct inspections to ensure the facility's compliance with state laws and standards. Furthermore, a quality control coordinator must monitor the progress of all operations, resolving issues promptly and efficiently while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from formulation chemist resumes include skills like "scale-up," "product development," "lab notebook," and "formulation development," whereas a quality control coordinator is more likely to list skills in "patients," "data entry," "quality standards," and "laboratory equipment. "
Quality control coordinators make a very good living in the pharmaceutical industry with an average annual salary of $69,043. On the other hand, formulation chemists are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $73,549.quality control coordinators typically earn similar educational levels compared to formulation chemists. Specifically, they're 4.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Formulation chemist vs. Chemical technician
A chemical technician is responsible for supporting chemists and laboratory technicians in performing laboratory investigations and examining chemical components and structures. Chemical technicians ensure the stability of laboratory tools and equipment, performing proper sterilization and segregation of disposable materials, and maintaining the adequacy of inventory. They also record the research progress, including scientific methods, and write observation reports for reference. A chemical technician manages the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility to avoid potential hazards and complications during chemical operations.
Types of formulation chemist
Updated January 8, 2025
