Process chemist vs quality control assistant

The differences between process chemists and quality control assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a process chemist has an average salary of $81,542, which is higher than the $37,836 average annual salary of a quality control assistant.

The top three skills for a process chemist include lab equipment, HPLC and R. The most important skills for a quality control assistant are product quality, quality checks, and lab equipment.

Process chemist vs quality control assistant overview

	Process Chemist	Quality Control Assistant
Yearly salary	$81,542	$37,836
Hourly rate	$39.20	$18.19
Growth rate	6%	3%
Number of jobs	29,813	81,401
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	42	38
Years of experience	-	-

What does a process chemist do?

Process chemists are lab professionals who perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of chemicals in laboratories for quality control or to develop new products. These chemists are required to develop synthetic plans and run experiments to test their suitability for large-scale use. They must use different analytical methods and modeling software to monitor the reaction processes of chemicals as well as determine how changes in the process affect the final product. Process chemists must also be familiar with regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

What does a quality control assistant do?

Quality assurance technicians work as testers, samplers, and inspectors of quality control in the organizations. They are equipped with skills in visual inspection, written and verbal communication, and active listening. In carrying out their jobs, they are expected to work well and be detail-oriented. Working as a quality assurance technician involves problem-solving, decision making, and creative thinking. They see to it that products and services meet the quality standards for the entire organization.

Process chemist vs quality control assistant salary

Process chemists and quality control assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Process Chemist	Quality Control Assistant
Average salary	$81,542	$37,836
Salary range	Between $54,000 And $121,000	Between $26,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Wilmington, DE	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Delaware	Washington
Best paying company	Bio-Rad Laboratories	Sun Chemical
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Construction

Differences between process chemist and quality control assistant education

There are a few differences between a process chemist and a quality control assistant in terms of educational background:

	Process Chemist	Quality Control Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Chemistry	Business
Most common college	University of Southern California	Stanford University

Process chemist vs quality control assistant demographics

Here are the differences between process chemists' and quality control assistants' demographics:

	Process Chemist	Quality Control Assistant
Average age	42	38
Gender ratio	Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7%	Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 20.5% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	5%	8%

Differences between process chemist and quality control assistant duties and responsibilities

Process chemist example 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.

Quality control assistant example responsibilities.

Develop procedures for testing equipment for safety and compliance to achieve FDA regulations for safety and manufacturing.
Help ensure compliance with GMP policies, HACCP, QMS, and good housekeeping throughout the plant.
Make sure co-worker follow safety rules and regulation and wearing PPE.
Create weekly PowerPoint data sheets for coaching staff to aid when writing prospective student athletes.
Work in aseptic gowning for ISO 5-8 and provide qualifications for personnel in aseptic gowning techniques.
Perform inspections of raw materials, supervise assembly of product, and inspect final product in an ISO certify sheltered workshop.

Process chemist vs quality control assistant skills

Common process chemist skills

Lab Equipment, 7%
HPLC, 6%
R, 5%
GMP, 5%
NMR, 4%
Sigma, 4%

Common quality control assistant skills

Product Quality, 13%
Quality Checks, 11%
Lab Equipment, 10%
Safety Standards, 9%
Data Entry, 9%
GMP, 6%

Process Chemist vs. similar jobs

Process Chemist related careers

Process Chemist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Process Chemist
Process Chemist vs Quality Control Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs