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What is a formulation scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Dr. Betsy Smith

Formulation scientists are responsible for conducting comprehensive testing and creating formulas for chemical products. They are most commonly found in the pharmaceutical industry, where they produce life-saving drugs. As a formulation scientist, your work will include planning and conducting experiments to develop prototype goods. You may also create experimental projects, work plans, and schedules to achieve goals. It will also be your duty to recognize complex issues and provide effective solutions by developing or modifying research methodologies.

To produce safe and reliable formulations, formulation scientists must have a strong understanding of chemistry. In fact, aspiring formulation scientists must have at least a master's degree in chemistry to be accepted in most laboratories. They must also have prior experience working in a laboratory as a research assistant or a related post. In the United States, formulation chemists earn an average of $86,745 a year, or $42 per hour.

What general advice would you give to a Formulation Scientist?

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.
ScoreFormulation ScientistUS Average
Salary
7.0

Avg. Salary $90,067

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.3

Growth Rate 17%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 32.87%

Black or African American 6.12%

Hispanic or Latino 9.29%

Unknown 4.03%

White 47.54%

Gender

female 38.38%

male 61.62%

Age - 39
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 - 39
Stress Level
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.8

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Formulation Scientist career paths

Key steps to become a formulation scientist

  1. Explore formulation scientist education requirements

    Most common formulation scientist degrees

    Bachelor's

    61.7 %

    Master's

    23.5 %

    Doctorate

    11.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific formulation scientist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Dosage Forms11.44%
    Scale-Up8.18%
    GMP6.40%
    QC4.59%
    Drug Products4.24%
  3. Complete relevant formulation scientist training and internships

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

    • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
    • Gather experience on the FDA, ICH, cGMP guidelines.
    • Detail orientate techniques in compliance with FDA regulations with GLP guelines.
    • Develop nasal formulations and prepare several batches under GLP and cGMP for preclinical and clinical studies.
  5. Prepare your formulation scientist resume

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

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Formulation Scientist Resume templates

    Build a professional Formulation Scientist 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 Formulation Scientist resume.
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  6. Apply for formulation scientist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a formulation scientist 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 Formulation Scientist Job

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Average formulation scientist salary

The average Formulation Scientist salary in the United States is $90,067 per year or $43 per hour. Formulation scientist salaries range between $63,000 and $126,000 per year.

Average Formulation Scientist Salary
$90,067 Yearly
$43.30 hourly

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Formulation Scientist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2023
Pros

Experience different scientific fields- get away from the bench


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Ingenuity and the fast paced environment while critical thinking to solve the problems.


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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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