Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 83,600 people employed as chemists in the United States. The median annual salary is $79,430. Entry level employees earn approximately $48,100 per year and senior employees earn approximately $134,780 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
• Conduct quality control tests.
• Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
• Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
• Direct, coordinate, or advise personnel in test procedures for analyzing components or physical properties of materials.
• Purchase laboratory supplies, such as chemicals, when supplies are low or near their expiration date.
• Study effects of various methods of processing, preserving, or packaging on composition or properties of foods.
• Prepare test solutions, compounds, or reagents for laboratory personnel to conduct tests.
• Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
• Evaluate laboratory safety procedures to ensure compliance with standards or to make improvements as needed.
• Compile and analyze test information to determine process or equipment operating efficiency or to diagnose malfunctions.
• Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
• Confer with scientists or engineers to conduct analyses of research projects, interpret test results, or develop nonstandard tests.

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