How to hire a process chemist

How to hire a process chemist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step process chemist hiring guide:

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

What does a process chemist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The process chemist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 process chemist 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 process chemist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of process chemists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Process Chemist	Description	Hourly rate
   Process Chemist	Chemists and materials scientists study substances at the atomic and molecular levels and the ways in which the substances interact with one another. They use their knowledge to develop new and improved products and to test the quality of manufactured goods.	$25-58
   Quality Control	As the name entails, the job of a quality control inspector is to inspect, maintain, and improve the quality and standard of products. They are responsible for ensuring the company's reputation is not damaged due to defective products or inferior manufacturing processes... Show more	$11-21
   Quality Control Analyst	Quality assurance representatives are professionals who are responsible for ensuring the quality of units produced or manufactured is following the standards set by the industry. These representatives supervise the entire production process to identify erroneous methods or tools being used by workers and observing produced for visible defects... Show more	$19-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • HPLC
   • R
   • GMP
   • NMR
   • Sigma
   • Chemical Processes
   • QC
   • Pilot Plant
   • Analytical Methods
   • Product Quality
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • ISO
   • GC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage synthesis and production of specialty chemicals for carpet and textile industry.
   • Support new, modify and existing chemical processes by developing and validating HPLC and GC methods with a rapid turnaround time.
   • Analyze unknown materials with FTIR, Raman, and SEM-EDS.
   • Display improving working knowledge of business processes as they relate to GMP manufacturing.
   • Create titration solution and other solutions such as stock solutions used in analysis.
   • Show a desire to learn about and understand advance chemistry principles underlying project assignments.

   More process chemist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the process chemist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A process chemist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a process chemist in North Dakota may be lower than in Delaware, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level process chemist. Additionally, a process chemist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average process chemist salary

   $81,542yearly

   $39.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level process chemist salary

   $54,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average process chemist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Delaware	$108,064	$52
   2	Washington	$97,134	$47
   3	Tennessee	$93,945	$45
   4	New York	$89,967	$43
   5	Virginia	$87,428	$42
   6	Missouri	$84,936	$41
   7	Ohio	$80,513	$39
   8	New Mexico	$79,846	$38
   9	California	$79,544	$38
   10	Indiana	$78,888	$38
   11	Texas	$75,808	$36
   12	Alabama	$71,482	$34
   13	Oregon	$70,629	$34
   14	Louisiana	$68,893	$33
   15	Arizona	$68,290	$33
   16	Illinois	$68,277	$33
   17	Florida	$59,751	$29

   Average process chemist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bio-Rad Laboratories	$112,698	$54.18	1
   2	Entegris	$112,528	$54.10	9
   3	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$105,357	$50.65
   4	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$102,957	$49.50	3
   5	The Wonderful Company	$102,872	$49.46	1
   6	Celanese	$102,629	$49.34	3
   7	Eastman	$101,943	$49.01	4
   8	Evonik	$101,206	$48.66	6
   9	DuPont	$98,232	$47.23	24
   10	TPC Group	$95,901	$46.11	1
   11	Corteva	$93,728	$45.06	7
   12	SABIC Innovative Plastics	$93,234	$44.82
   13	Sensient Technologies	$88,462	$42.53
   14	Cambrex	$87,411	$42.02	5
   15	Aerojet Rocketdyne	$82,738	$39.78
   16	BioLife Solutions	$81,488	$39.18	6
   17	Sherwin-Williams	$81,259	$39.07	8
   18	Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.	$80,615	$38.76	7
   19	Ascend Performance Materials Holdings Inc	$79,948	$38.44	2
   20	Kodak	$78,168	$37.58	2

4. Writing a process chemist job description

   A process chemist 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a process chemist job description:

   Process chemist job description example

   Quidel's mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. We are a leading manufacturer of point of care diagnostic solutions. Quidel's comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19.
   
   We are excited to announce that Quidel Corporation is now becoming QuidelOrtho! This transaction will bring together two world-class teams and complementary product portfolios to serve patients around the world. During this transition period, we encourage you to continue visiting our career site and also check out more career opportunities at Careers at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics | Ortho Clinical Diagnostics jobs Join our journey as we become one global diagnostics leader!
   
   The Process Group Chemist, in accordance with forecasted requirements, participates in the manufacture of products within QSR and ISO regulations. This position reviews and reconciles documents and work orders, supports assigned projects with minimal supervision, participates in product transfers, leads or supports departmental troubleshooting and process improvement teams, and displays an improving working knowledge of business processes as they relate to manufacturing.
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Manufactures (i.e. Formulates bulks, and Quality Controls) products (i.e. Lateral flow devices, controls/calibrators and microtiter systems) while adhering to regulatory requirements and business polices /procedures and schedules Provides training to chemistry staff on Manufacturing Instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Displays leadership by assessing issues affecting departmental performance, Quality standards, and product quality then communicates to management and initiates appropriate corrective action Supports departmental troubleshooting, cross-functional projects and process improvement teams Reviews completed Device History Records and performs financial reviews of work orders. Initiates appropriate corrective action through Engineering Change Orders (ECO) Maintains daily adherence to Production goals relating to MUV/LUV, labor utilization, work order closure, and schedule adherence Works with the planners and develops weekly schedule
   
   EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:B.S./B.A. Life/Applied Sciences or equivalent experience Preferred minimum of 3-4 years of related work experience in a GMP environment
   
   KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:Basic algebraic, statistical and mathematical skills General computer knowledge and experience with EXCEL or equivalent programs Proficient in data analysis, data summary, and presentation Good organizational skills Laboratory skills, such as protein purification, antibody conjugation, solution preparation ELISA experience, assay development skills, etc.Good verbal and written communication skills Good interpersonal skills Knowledge of QSR's and ISO 9001Knowledge of experimental design Basic Chemistry or Biochemistry
   
   Before you apply, please make sure you share Quidel' s values. We pride ourselves on keeping these values in mind every day as we execute on goals and plan for the future. We are seeking employees who share the same mindset and commitment to be customer driven, focused on execution, and new product oriented. We succeed by being determined, optimistic team players.
   Quidel is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans). We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find process chemists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with process chemist 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 process chemist

   Once you've selected the best process chemist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new process chemist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 process chemist?