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Science and Research | Manufacturing Chemist

Manufacturing Chemist

What Does a Professional in this Career Do?

A Manufacturing Chemist studies chemical processes used in manufacturing and products created through chemical processes. Conducts research to help improve products and develop cost effective production processes. Tests products used in manufacturing for quality and environmental standards.

Job Outlook

There were 9 Manufacturing Chemist job postings in North Carolina in the past year and 396 in the United States.

In combination with other careers in the Chemist industry, which includes the Manufacturing Chemist career, the following graph shows the number of people employed for each year since 2015:

Salary

Many new Manufacturing Chemist jobs have salaries estimated to be in the following ranges, based on the requirements and responsibilities listed in job postings from the past year.

National

The average estimated salary in the United States for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $78,846.

State

The average estimated salary in North Carolina for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $78,846.

Percentiles represent the percentage that is lower than the value. For example, 25% of estimated salaries for Manufacturing Chemist postings in the United States in the past year were lower than $63,104.

Education and Experience

Posted Manufacturing Chemist jobs typically require the following level of education. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list education requirements.

Education LevelPercentage
Associate's Degree9.85%
Bachelor's Degree69.19%
Master's Degree27.27%
Doctoral Degree19.19%
Other10.35%

Posted Manufacturing Chemist jobs typically require the following number of years of experience. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.

Years of ExperiencePercentage
0 to 2 years36.99%
3 to 5 years42.68%
6 to 8 years12.2%
9+ years8.13%

Skills

Below are listings of the most common general and specialized skills Manufacturing Chemist positions expect applicants to have as well as the most common skills that distinguish individuals from their peers. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is also listed.

Baseline Skills

A skill that is required across a broad range of occupations, including this one.

  • Communication (34.6%)
  • Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) (22.98%)
  • Detail Oriented (22.98%)
  • Quality Control (22.22%)
  • Management (20.2%)
  • Problem Solving (19.7%)
  • Operations (18.94%)
  • Leadership (18.43%)
  • Research (16.92%)
  • Planning (14.9%)

Defining Skills

A core skill for this occupation, it occurs frequently in job postings.

  • Chemical Engineering (25.27%)
  • Manufacturing Processes (24.2%)
  • Biochemistry (23.14%)
  • Good Manufacturing Practices (39.36%)
  • Chemistry (82.98%)

Necessary Skills

A skill that is requested frequently in this occupation but isn’t specific to it.

  • Analytical Testing (8.24%)
  • Microbiology (7.45%)
  • New Product Development (10.9%)
  • Biopharmaceuticals (6.12%)
  • Process Improvement (14.36%)
  • Regulatory Affairs (15.16%)
  • Drug Development (6.12%)
  • Analytical Techniques (10.64%)
  • Change Control (11.7%)
  • Project Management (14.63%)
  • Quality Management (2.93%)
  • Pharmaceuticals (28.19%)
  • Laboratory Experience (11.97%)
  • Medical Devices (2.93%)
  • Laboratory Equipment (8.51%)
  • Environment Health And Safety (6.12%)
  • Product Lifecycle Management (3.72%)
  • Life Sciences (6.12%)
  • Production Equipment (6.65%)
  • Data Analysis (4.52%)
  • Chemical Reactions (5.59%)
  • Quality Management Systems (6.38%)
  • Standard Operating Procedure (13.3%)
  • Biology (16.22%)
  • High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (17.02%)
  • Analytical Chemistry (11.17%)
  • Radiation Protection (3.72%)
  • Scale (Map) (8.24%)
  • Process Development (5.85%)
  • Marketing (3.72%)
  • Organic Chemistry (10.11%)
  • Chemical Process (4.79%)
  • Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) (6.38%)
  • Production Process (3.72%)
  • Corrective And Preventive Action (CAPA) (5.59%)
  • Scientific Instruments (1.6%)

Salary Boosting Skills

A professional who wishes to excel in this career path may consider developing the following highly valued skills. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is listed.

  • Biochemistry (40.09%)
  • Good Manufacturing Practices (68.2%)
  • Chemical Engineering (43.78%)

Alternative Job Titles

Sometimes employers post jobs with Manufacturing Chemist skills but a different job title. Some common alternative job titles include:

  • Chemist
  • Manufacturing Scientist
  • CMC Regulatory Affairs Manager
  • CMC Project Manager
  • Regulatory Affairs Scientist
  • Production Chemist
  • Process Chemist
  • Analytics Intern
  • Laboratory Technician

Similar Occupations

If you are interested in exploring occupations with similar skills, you may want to research the following job titles. Note that we only list occupations that have at least one corresponding NC State Online and Distance Education program.

Common Employers

Here are the employers that have posted the most Manufacturing Chemist jobs in the past year along with how many they have posted.

United States

  • Pfizer (26)
  • Actalent (16)
  • Sterling Pharma Solutions (15)
  • Cardinal Health (13)
  • Inventprise (12)
  • Merck (10)
  • Elanco (10)
  • AbbVie (8)
  • Organon (7)
  • Elite Protek (6)

North Carolina

  • Actalent (2)
  • Pfizer (1)
  • GPAC (1)
  • AbbVie (1)
  • Merck (1)
  • Baebies (1)
  • Ethos International Ltd (1)

NC State Programs Relevant to this Career

If you are interested in preparing for a career in this field, the following NC State Online and Distance Education programs offer a great place to start!