What does a research and development chemist do?

A research and development chemist primarily works at laboratories to conduct extensive tests and experiments aiming to develop new products and technologies. Although the extent of their duties may vary, it typically revolves around conducting research and studies, observing chemical reactions, maintaining records and databases, collaborating with fellow experts, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing components or mixtures. They can find employment in different areas, such as manufacturing companies, private laboratories, government agencies, and even education.
Research and development chemist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real research and development chemist resumes:
- Plan, manage, and maintain laboratory's SPC and TQM programs.
- Utilize Citrix LIMS to register, manage, enter and release sample results for supervisor review.
- Lead technology evaluation, scale-up & commercialization (milling, extraction, distillation, clarification, ultra-filtration & concentration).
- Perform formulation development of generic solid dosage narcotic pharmaceuticals from initial research and development through scale-up to manufacturing and FDA submission.
- Analyze process panels using XRF, GD-OES, and SEM.
- Establish and implement numerous OSHA and EPA regulatory programs.
- Develop GC-MS method for the analysis of organic tin compounds.
- Review GC/MS and LC/MS data from a lab analysis program.
- Identify and quantify unknown product impurities using LC/MS and GC/MS.
- Review validation protocols to ensure that procedures follow ICH and GMP guidelines.
- Perform method transfer for raw materials on method obtain from suppliers or USP.
- Research and development of polymer dispersion formulations for use in UV curable ink systems
- Participate in the production of the intermediates used in the GMP production of a potential anti-HIV candidate.
- Research and develop products by testing and analyzing finish goods in accordance to ASTM and ISO methodologies.
- Attend train the trainer courses and play a key role in preparation and completion of ISO 9002 certification.
Research and development chemist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Research And Development Chemists are proficient in R, Product Development, and Laboratory Equipment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Research And Development Chemists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- R, 18%
Participate in the preparation of deviation reports as necessary for submission to R &D Management.
- Product Development, 9%
Created novel instrumentation to simulate gas phase mercury capture performance, build fundamental understanding of mercury capture and guide product development.
- Laboratory Equipment, 8%
Maintain and calibrate laboratory equipment/instrumentation.
- Analytical Methods, 4%
Perform competitive analysis and evaluation of products and materials using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic (FT-IR) and other analytical methods.
- HPLC, 4%
Performed Method Development and Method Validation on generic pharmaceutical products by HPLC and GC analysis.
- Synthesis, 4%
Prepared and presented synthesis and applications presentations for technical visits to customers as well as corporate university program.
"r," "product development," and "laboratory equipment" are among the most common skills that research and development chemists use at work. You can find even more research and development chemist responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a research and development chemist to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "chemists and materials scientists need to evaluate the results of experiments to ensure accuracy in their research." Additionally, a research and development chemist resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "assisted in data verification and organization for fda submission, 'quality overall summary reports. '"
Interpersonal skills. Another essential skill to perform research and development chemist duties is interpersonal skills. Research and development chemists responsibilities require that "chemists and materials scientists typically work on teams and need to be cooperative." Research and development chemists also use interpersonal skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "demonstrated interpersonal skills by working with medicinal chemists to solve chemistry problems inherent in scale-up of organic reactions. "
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of research and development chemists is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday research and development chemist duties, as "chemists and materials scientists regularly use calculus, algebra, statistics, and other math for calculations." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "wet chemistry performed iso certified acid digestion and titration techniques for quantitative analysis of a variety metal species. "
Organizational skills. research and development chemist responsibilities often require "organizational skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "chemists and materials scientists must document processes carefully when conducting experiments, tracking outcomes, and analyzing results." This resume example shows what research and development chemists do with organizational skills on a typical day: "prioritized chemistry research and gave scientific advice in order to improve organizational efficiency. "
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for research and development chemist responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of research and development chemists all the time, as "chemists’ and materials scientists’ work involves posing questions during research and finding answers through results." An excerpt from a real research and development chemist resume shows how this skill is central to what a research and development chemist does: "point person for fda 510k medical device filing for the ultra2 with resolution software and ultra2 with genesys software. "
Time-management skills. While "time-management skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to research and development chemist responsibilities. Much of what a research and development chemist does relies on this skill, seeing as "chemists and materials scientists usually need to meet deadlines and must be able to prioritize tasks while maintaining quality." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of research and development chemists: "key contributions: led a team in completing a small product kit for fda submission; released on time. "
The three companies that hire the most research and development chemists are:
Choose from 10+ customizable research and development chemist resume templates
Build a professional research and development chemist resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your research and development chemist resume.Compare different research and development chemists
Research and development chemist vs. Postdoctoral scholar
A Postdoctoral Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis. They also coordinate with the whole team for efficient research methods, ensuring adherence to budget limitations and required timetables. A Postdoctoral Scholar must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to document reports and discuss results with the research team.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between research and development chemists and postdoctoral scholar. For instance, research and development chemist responsibilities require skills such as "product development," "laboratory equipment," "analytical methods," and "d chemist." Whereas a postdoctoral scholar is skilled in "chemistry," "python," "patients," and "nih." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Postdoctoral scholars really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $72,557. Comparatively, research and development chemists tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $82,941.On average, postdoctoral scholars reach higher levels of education than research and development chemists. Postdoctoral scholars are 5.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 20.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Research and development chemist vs. Quality control associate
In a manufacturing setting, a quality control associate is in charge of conducting various tests to ensure that the products meet the company's standard criteria. Their responsibilities revolve around inspecting the workforce and workload involved in the production process, identifying errors or inconsistencies, recommending solutions and alterations, and maintaining records and documentation. Furthermore, as a quality control associate, it is essential to coordinate with department staff and produce progress reports, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, research and development chemist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "product development," "synthesis," "d chemist," and "technical support." Meanwhile, a quality control associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "qc," "qc testing," "environmental monitoring," and "data entry." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, quality control associates earn a lower salary than research and development chemists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, quality control associates earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $54,631. Whereas research and development chemists have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $82,941.In general, quality control associates achieve lower levels of education than research and development chemists. They're 7.8% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 20.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for research and development chemists in the next 3-5 years?
Research and development chemist vs. Chemical technician
A chemical technician is responsible for supporting chemists and laboratory technicians in performing laboratory investigations and examining chemical components and structures. Chemical technicians ensure the stability of laboratory tools and equipment, performing proper sterilization and segregation of disposable materials, and maintaining the adequacy of inventory. They also record the research progress, including scientific methods, and write observation reports for reference. A chemical technician manages the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility to avoid potential hazards and complications during chemical operations.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, research and development chemists are more likely to have skills like "product development," "laboratory equipment," "analytical methods," and "synthesis." But a chemical technician is more likely to have skills like "lab equipment," "safety procedures," "hazardous materials," and "osha."
Chemical technicians make a very good living in the pharmaceutical industry with an average annual salary of $66,439. On the other hand, research and development chemists are paid the highest salary in the health care industry, with average annual pay of $82,941.chemical technicians typically earn lower educational levels compared to research and development chemists. Specifically, they're 12.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Research and development chemist vs. 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. This can be done by detecting and resolving the problem early on, and returning the product for repair. A quality control inspector should also notify the supervisors immediately when issues arise and coordinate with them to address the problem.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between research and development chemists and quality controls, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a research and development chemist might have more use for skills like "product development," "analytical methods," "synthesis," and "d chemist." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of quality controls require skills like "quality checks," "safety standards," "quality standards," and "quality issues. "
In general, quality controls earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $36,096. The highest-paying industry for a research and development chemist is the health care industry.In general, quality controls hold lower degree levels compared to research and development chemists. Quality controls are 9.7% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 3.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of research and development chemist
Updated January 8, 2025











