How To Become A Research Chemist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a research chemist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Betsy Smith

Research chemists are scientists who specialize in the study of chemical compounds, formulations, and processes. Your study is usually found useful in the formulation of drugs, cosmetics, beverages, food, and even electrical goods. Your job revolves around gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing new concepts, conducting tests and experiments, recording results, and enhancing existing products.

Further responsibilities include managing the CDS and LIMS systems for the institute, recording experimental data using LIMS, and performing extractions and analysis on raw materials or drug products. You must also be able to conduct stability studies and demonstrate your knowledge of relevant government regulations, including GLP and GMP requirements.

The average research chemist earns $69,468 yearly, which is at the rate of $33.4 an hour. You would commonly find employment in manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and government companies. The minimum educational requirement for this role is a bachelor's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field. Your resume must include top skills like the use of analytical methods, knowledge, and proficiency in the use of laboratory equipment.

What general advice would you give to a research chemist?

Dr. Betsy Smith

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.

ScoreResearch ChemistUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $75,843

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.25%

Asian 22.21%

Black or African American 7.44%

Hispanic or Latino 9.20%

Unknown 4.53%

White 56.38%

Gender

female 31.48%

male 68.52%

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

Key steps to become a research chemist

Explore research chemist education requirements

Most common research chemist degrees

Bachelor's

71.1 %

Master's

14.8 %

Doctorate

10.7 %

Start to develop specific research chemist skills

Skills	Percentages
Laboratory Equipment	9.92%
Method Development	9.67%
R	9.37%
HPLC	5.47%
Analytical Chemistry	5.14%

Complete relevant research chemist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New research 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 research chemist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real research chemist resumes.

Research research chemist duties and 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.

Prepare your research chemist resume

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

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