Process chemist vs research chemist

The differences between process chemists and research chemists 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 $75,843 average annual salary of a research chemist.

The top three skills for a process chemist include lab equipment, HPLC and R. The most important skills for a research chemist are laboratory equipment, method development, and R.

Process chemist vs research chemist overview

	Process Chemist	Research Chemist
Yearly salary	$81,542	$75,843
Hourly rate	$39.20	$36.46
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	29,813	53,769
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	42	42
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 research chemist do?

A research chemist specializes in conducting studies and experiments to develop new products. Their duties primarily focus on conducting research and assessments, gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing ideas, conducting tests to study chemical reactions, maintaining records of all procedures, and utilizing previous studies. Their research findings can be used to create new medicines, enhance existing products, and lead to innovations. When it comes to employment, a research chemist may work for pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories, government agencies, and learning institutions.

Process chemist vs research chemist salary

Process chemists and research chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Process Chemist	Research Chemist
Average salary	$81,542	$75,843
Salary range	Between $54,000 And $121,000	Between $53,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	Wilmington, DE	McLean, VA
Highest paying state	Delaware	Virginia
Best paying company	Bio-Rad Laboratories	BP America Inc
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Energy

Differences between process chemist and research chemist education

There are a few differences between a process chemist and a research chemist in terms of educational background:

	Process Chemist	Research Chemist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Chemistry	Chemistry
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Process chemist vs research chemist demographics

Here are the differences between process chemists' and research chemists' demographics:

	Process Chemist	Research Chemist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7%	Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5%
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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 22.2% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between process chemist and research chemist 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.

Research chemist example responsibilities.

Manage the CDS and LIMS systems for the institute.
Manage and record experimental data with lab management software (LIMS).
Manage projects involving the development of GC/MS methods, particle collection systems, and Raman spectral database creation.
Characterize the particles using SEM, DSC, IR, and UV-Vis.
Identify sample structure using microscopy, crystallography, NMR, UV/VIS, GC and AAS.
Develop GC & FTIR instrumental methods of analysis to support quality of incoming raw materials to ensure quality of finish products.

Process chemist vs research chemist skills

Common process chemist skills

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

Common research chemist skills

Laboratory Equipment, 10%
Method Development, 10%
R, 9%
HPLC, 5%
Analytical Chemistry, 5%
Polymer, 5%

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Process Chemist
Process Chemist vs Research Chemist

Updated January 8, 2025

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