Chemists are patient, logical, and analytical. You’re curious about how the world works and love to tinker with something until you get it just right. You pay meticulous attention to detail and have a passion for the molecular.
Sound like you?
If you’re recruiting in this industry, you’ve probably gone through several years of schooling or working in labs. Chemistry is a highly specialized and ever-evolving field, and demand is never scarce for chemists.
That’s not to say you can phone it in on your application. Competition can be fierce in the science world, and recruiters are looking for those who are not only book-smart, but who have the practical ability to apply their knowledge to a variety of disciplines. Whether that’s biochemistry, neurochemistry, or forensic chemistry, there’s no shortage of jobs for those with a background in this unique science.
Landing a chemistry job shouldn’t be nerve-wracking and confusing -- we’re here to demystify and destress the chemistry job hunting process. We’ve researched what works in 2023, and below we’ve compiled three chemistry resumes that you can use to stand out from the crowd.
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A chemistry lab assistant is someone who supports a senior-level scientist in running and monitoring experiments in a laboratory. They may work at a university, private company, or public company. Chemistry lab assistants conduct and oversee experiments that relate to chemical interactions, such as food grade testing. As a chemistry lab assistant, you will monitor safety standards within the lab, conduct research, record findings, and more.
To become a chemistry lab assistant, you will need a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Many master’s programs in chemistry and related fields might require lab assistant experience as a part of the educational program. You will need knowledge of lab safety, such as an OSHA certificate and/or a CCT (certified chemical technician) credential. Hiring managers will look for someone with scientific research experience. They will also look for someone with great attention to detail and developed organizational abilities.
It’s extremely important that a prospective chemistry lab assistant has a profound understanding of how to safely execute experiments in a lab setting. Therefore, you should highlight any certifications and experiences you have with following safety procedures.
Chemistry lab assistants must understand the scientific method and proper methodologies of research. It’s important to highlight any knowledge and experience you have researching, collecting data, writing reports and performing analysis on your resume.
A chemistry lab assistant is usually the next level up from a chemistry research student assistant. You will likely support more complex chemical procedures, while also performing administrative and clerical duties like cleaning and sterilizing equipment. When crafting your chemistry lab assistant resume, keep this in mind as you choose what kind of examples to include in your professional experience section. Emphasize your numerical achievements and relevant skills in the field.
Chemists use a diverse array of equipment and software. Some employers may have specific requirements that they utilize to conduct experiments or model outcomes. To demonstrate to recruiters that you are serious about the job you’re applying to, it’s important to carefully read through the job description and ensure that you tailor your skills accordingly. For example, if a lab emphasizes their use of quantitative analysis techniques, include details of what sort of techniques you have experience in.
A chemistry lab technician is someone who is responsible for carrying out tests as prescribed by the lead scientist. Typically, chemistry lab technicians are responsible for performing important tests such as ink testing. A chemical lab technician will be tasked with carrying out such procedures in a measured and highly effective way, ensuring an accurate test result each time.
To become a chemistry technician will need to have an educational background in chemistry, with a minimum of an associate's degree. Previous experience in chemical testing, procedures, and research will be valuable for landing this role. Hiring managers may look for someone who has held previous roles such as a blood bank technician, phlebotomist, or lab technician. All in all, ideal candidates for this role will be well-versed in chemical testing procedures with a keen eye for detail.
Many labs will expect chemical lab technicians to efficiently carry out as many tests per day as possible. This requires superb organizational skills and multi-tasking skills. Highlighting times where you have effectively managed a large workload can help you land this role.
After you’ve worked for a few years in a chemistry lab assistant role, you may be ready to apply to the next position up -- a chemistry lab technician. You’ve demonstrated your ability and skills in lab environments, and can take on more demanding responsibilities, like carrying out routine tests and procedures. As you’ll be taking on more authority and duties, it’s key to highlight your leadership skills on your resume and show your career path.
As you brainstorm examples and skills to add to your professional experience section, make a point of stressing your ability to manage others. That may include training younger research chemistry student assistants, or working smoothly with lab assistants to implement new systems or testing procedures. Great leadership is as crucial in chemistry as it is in other industries, and recruiters want to know that they can rely on you to supervise others effectively.
Chemists are uniquely dedicated to their craft -- it takes many years of hard work and commitment to perfect the skills needed to become a professional chemist. No amount of schooling or knowledge of scientific theory can replace hours in the laboratory. That’s why it’s key to leverage your years of lab experience and detail your career path through the years. Point out where you took on duties outside of your job scope, or got promoted ahead of schedule.
A chemistry research student performs self-directed experimentation under the management of a lead scientist or researcher. They may help the lead scientists prove a hypothesis and carry out tests for them. In some cases, they may work to prove their own hypothesis with the guidance of a senior. In a university setting, they may also help teach undergraduate students in chemistry courses.
To become a chemistry research student, you will need a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. This role is a popular one for those pursuing a higher education degree in chemistry. Candidates for this role are expected to display academic excellence in their undergraduate careers. They must also have a deep understanding and experience in conducting effective research and experiments.
Certifications such as the CCT (certified chemical technician), ASCP (specialist in chemistry) or OSHA, can show hiring managers you have the foundational laboratory knowledge needed to be a successful chemistry research student.
When applying to be a chemistry research student assistant, emphasize your past research experience and chemistry skills in your resume. Chemistry is a specific and precise discipline, and your resume should reflect these qualities. Aim to choose instances that detail your expertise in hands-on lab procedures or with relevant software, as opposed to simply listing out the responsibilities you were assigned. Use strong action verbs and be deliberate with what you include.
As mentioned above, chemistry is a precise discipline -- you’re often working in the lab with dangerous chemicals or complex equipment. That means that the employers reading your resume -- labs, government agencies, or academic institutions -- are looking for evidence of your experience and skills in those areas. Do your research to find what types of software the job posting notes, whether that’s MATLAB, Solidworks, or ANSYS. Emphasize the hard skills you’ve learned through your past experience with powerful action verbs, and highlight your achievements with quantifiable metrics.
This resume makes great use of a concise, information-packed elevator pitch that is well-written and to the point. Chemistry recruiting managers often don’t have time to carefully read through every detail of your resume, so a resume summary is a great way for them to get a high-level overview of your work history. When brainstorming what to put in your chemistry resume elevator pitch, include your personal strengths as a chemist, or even the types of people you’ve learned to work with (i.e., biostatisticians, pathologists, professors).
We spoke with hiring managers at top chemical companies like DuPont, BASF, and Dow Chemical to gather their best advice for creating a strong chemistry resume. Based on their insights and our analysis of successful resumes in this field, we've compiled a list of key tips to help your resume stand out and land you an interview.
Hiring managers want to see that you have hands-on experience with common lab techniques and equipment. Be specific about the skills you've used in your work or academic experience.
Avoid being too general or vague about your skills:
A resume summary for a chemistry role is optional, but it can be a great way to provide additional context about your experience and skills that may not be immediately apparent from the rest of your resume. This is especially useful if you are a career changer or have a lot of experience to summarize. However, you should never use an objective statement, as it is outdated and does not provide value to the hiring manager.
When writing your summary, avoid repeating information that is already included in other sections of your resume. Instead, focus on highlighting your most relevant qualifications and experiences that make you a strong fit for the specific chemistry role you are applying for. Keep it concise and limit it to a maximum of one paragraph.
Your work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you highlight your professional achievements and show employers how you can contribute to their organization. In this section, we'll break down the key steps to crafting a compelling work experience section that will catch the attention of hiring managers in the chemistry field.
The education section of your chemistry resume is important to show hiring managers that you have the necessary knowledge and training for the role. It's also a great place to highlight any specialized coursework or certifications that make you stand out from other candidates.
In this section, we'll break down the key steps to writing an effective education section on your chemistry resume.
Chemists are inquisitive, analytical, and scientifically inclined. You can work well with others to solve complicated problems and can patiently chip away at intricate, seemingly impenetrable enigmas. At the same time, you are great at communicating with others and keeping close inventory of all the equipment and processes you are working with.
It’s important to not only have these skills, but also be able to communicate them in your application. As you write your chemistry resume, make sure to use powerful action verbs such as “researched” and “proposed” to emphasize your analytical skills.
Try your best not to use generic verbs. Instead, use strong action verbs that create an image in the reader’s mind of a confident, well-organized chemist.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
When choosing what to include in your chemistry resume, follow these tips to ensure that you’re picking the best skills you can to help your application stand out.
After finding the chemistry roles that you want to apply to, carefully read the job description from front to end. Required skills and experience with certain types of equipment vary widely, depending on if you’re applying to a lab, government agency, or academic institution. Take time to research the employer and figure out what techniques they are known for using so you have a better idea of what skills to include.
For example, if a job posting requires knowledge of certain analytical techniques such as Mass spectrometry or HPLC Chromatography, make sure you list that in your skills section. Better yet, you can further expand on instances you’ve applied this knowledge within experiments in your professional experience section.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Chemistry job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
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