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What is a process development chemist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted expert
Dan Little Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a process development chemist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $36.19 an hour? That's $75,273 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 5,700 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a process development chemist?

Dan Little Ph.D.Dan Little Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Ohio Dominican University

Due to the pandemic, it will likely be more complicated than usual to find a job right away in the current economic situation. Companies are probably weighing the pros and cons of remaining open at all right now, so the prospect of filling vacant positions is secondary. But don't panic! Keep in touch with as many contacts as possible. Personal connections can be the best path to unexpected career opportunities.
ScoreProcess Development ChemistUS Average
Salary
5.9

Avg. Salary $75,273

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.25%

Asian 18.21%

Black or African American 7.84%

Hispanic or Latino 9.38%

Unknown 4.59%

White 59.74%

Gender

female 17.61%

male 82.39%

Age - 40
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 - 40
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Process development chemist career paths

Key steps to become a process development chemist

  1. Explore process development chemist education requirements

    Most common process development chemist degrees

    Bachelor's

    75.0 %

    Master's

    17.2 %

    Doctorate

    5.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific process development chemist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    R14.40%
    HPLC8.54%
    Analytical Techniques8.03%
    Process Support6.93%
    GMP6.02%
  3. Complete relevant process development chemist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New process development chemists 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 process development chemist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real process development chemist resumes.
  4. Research process development chemist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage synthesis and production of specialty chemicals for carpet and textile industry.
    • Perform lab audits to make sure lab are in compliance with FDA regulations.
    • Train plant operators to run the new circuit in accordance to company's GMP.
    • Gain working experience with FDA, EPA, and government safety regulations and requirements.
  5. Get process development chemist experience

  6. Prepare your process development chemist resume

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

    Choose from 10+ customizable process development chemist resume templates

    Build a professional process development chemist 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 process development chemist resume.
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
    Process Development Chemist Resume
  7. Apply for process development chemist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a process development chemist 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 process development chemist job

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Average process development chemist salary

The average process development chemist salary in the United States is $75,273 per year or $36 per hour. Process development chemist salaries range between $54,000 and $104,000 per year.

Average process development chemist salary
$75,273 Yearly
$36.19 hourly

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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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