How to hire a senior chemist

How to hire a senior chemist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior chemist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior chemist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior chemist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior chemist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior chemist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior chemist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior chemist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior chemists.

   Type of Senior Chemist	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Chemist	Chemists and materials scientists study substances at the atomic and molecular levels and the ways in which the substances interact with one another. They use their knowledge to develop new and improved products and to test the quality of manufactured goods.	$32-59
   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... Show more	$19-37
   Quality Control Coordinator	A quality control coordinator is in charge of organizing and overseeing an organization's quality control procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They coordinate teams and activities, delegate tasks, conduct audits, set goals, establish guidelines, gather and analyze client feedback, and develop strategies to optimize operations... Show more	$11-49

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Method Development
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • HPLC
   • Analytical Methods
   • R
   • GMP
   • Product Development
   • GC
   • Ms
   • Test Methods
   • Data Analysis
   • FDA
   • Chromatography
   • Analytical Procedures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage an analytical laboratory, which include SEM-EDS, GC-MS, GPC, FT-IR, ICP-MS, TGA and DSC equipment.
   • Conduct GC-MS, TGA, and FTIR, UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis of extractables and elemental impurities.
   • Develop Simethicone assay method by FT-IR in liquid dosage.
   • Used EPA methods for actinide, technetium, strontium, and tritium determination.
   • Prepare submission documentation, including CMC sections, for IDE and PMA submissions.
   • Supervise mobile lab team of analysts at various EPA super fund site locations for PCB and halo-hydrocarbons analysis testing.

   More senior chemist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior chemist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior chemist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior chemists' average salary in south dakota is 46% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior chemists 46% less than senior-level senior chemists.
   • Certifications. A senior chemist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior chemist's salary.

   Average senior chemist salary

   $91,008yearly

   $43.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior chemist salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average senior chemist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$107,863	$52
   2	Delaware	$107,229	$52
   3	Massachusetts	$102,354	$49
   4	Texas	$100,513	$48
   5	Rhode Island	$99,714	$48
   6	Maryland	$97,484	$47
   7	Georgia	$97,065	$47
   8	Minnesota	$93,766	$45
   9	New Jersey	$93,301	$45
   10	Connecticut	$88,812	$43
   11	Michigan	$87,886	$42
   12	Colorado	$85,317	$41
   13	Oregon	$84,095	$40
   14	New York	$83,641	$40
   15	Indiana	$83,536	$40
   16	Ohio	$78,389	$38
   17	Wisconsin	$76,863	$37
   18	North Carolina	$75,367	$36
   19	Pennsylvania	$75,147	$36
   20	Florida	$63,524	$31

   Average senior chemist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$131,560	$63.25
   2	Airbnb	$126,081	$60.62
   3	Macy's	$109,059	$52.43
   4	Entegris	$109,058	$52.43	4
   5	Mattel	$107,547	$51.71
   6	Arkema	$106,388	$51.15	1
   7	Bio-Rad Laboratories	$106,314	$51.11	1
   8	Exxon Mobil	$106,218	$51.07	7
   9	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$105,355	$50.65	27
   10	Applied Materials	$104,428	$50.21	4
   11	AT&T	$104,147	$50.07
   12	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$103,399	$49.71	12
   13	Dionex Corporation	$103,059	$49.55
   14	Amazon	$102,849	$49.45	220
   15	Albemarle	$102,613	$49.33
   16	Eastman	$102,610	$49.33	4
   17	Reata Pharmaceuticals	$102,059	$49.07
   18	Nalco Holding Company	$100,802	$48.46
   19	DuPont	$100,800	$48.46	2
   20	AnaSpec	$100,797	$48.46

4. Writing a senior chemist job description

   A senior chemist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a senior chemist job description:

   Senior chemist job description example

   Avery Dennison is looking for an analytical chemist with significant experience in polymer materials characterization and structure elucidation using a combination of analytical techniques primarily focussed on chromatography and mass spectroscopy. The position will be with the Global Materials Science and Characterization (MSC) Group, which primarily supports R&D activities at Avery Dennison's Mentor, OH location. Chartered to support and resolve technical problems ranging from long term projects to urgent manufacturing and quality issues stemming from locations across Avery Dennison's global operations. Astute problem solving by expertly “hyphenating” sound separation science principles to spectroscopic structure elucidation along with pertinent data analytics (e.g. Chemometrics) are the most desirable traits we are seeking.
   RESPONSIBILITIES:
   
   Conduct analyses using Chromatography (GC-FID, GC-MS, HPLC, SEC/GPC, MALS/DV, LC-MS) to solve challenging problems in the fields of chemistry, material science, and engineering that are important to Avery Dennison.
   
   The main focus will be to characterize and elucidate polymer and small molecule structure within a highly multi-disciplinary approach to problem solving. Aid in the development of structure-property relationships with state-of-the-art approaches to polymer structure delineation.
   
   Apply skills and knowledge in the field of Chromatography to develop and implement test methods for problem solving and new product development projects. Seek to develop a good understanding of AD's processes and its impact on material behavior.
   
   Develop and validate test methods for both routine and non-routine analysis, help identify trends and solve problems at the elemental level using sound fundamentals and creativity. Distill findings to actionable intelligence that are easily understood particularly in posing problems adeptly, developing hypotheses and validating them including coordination of multi-analytical tool problem solving using other MSC subject matter experts in diverse areas.
   
   Interpret data including using statistical and chemometric approaches as applicable, develop SOPs, write technical reports, and communicate analytical results with MSC and divisional scientists in a high-quality, professional, and timely manner. Participate in the Community of Practice to share knowledge and raise capability across the organization.
   
   Adeptly troubleshoot & maintain and administer existing instruments. Seek out and evaluate new characterization tools and techniques to support new product development and problem-solving needs. Assist group leadership in identifying capability needs for AD's WW analytical groups.
   
   Direct and mentor junior staff in daily tasks to meet project needs, efficiently prioritize and deploy self and other resources.
   
   Inventory and order materials to maintain lab supplies in conjunction with other lab staff.
   
   Provide and maintain a safe work environment by participating in safety programs, committees, or teams and by conducting laboratory and pilot plant safety audits.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior chemists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior chemist job on Zippia to find and recruit senior chemist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior chemist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior chemist

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior chemist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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