How To Write a Chemistry Resume
To write an accomplishment-driven chemistry resume, you’ll need to highlight your most compelling scientific achievements. Emphasize the impact of your contributions and discoveries. Showcase your ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support drug development, create new formulas, and drive innovation. This guide will provide valuable tips and insights to help tell your story and accelerate your job search.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Write a brief summary of your chemistry qualifications
Grab the hiring manager’s attention with an engaging profile that encapsulates your most relevant qualifications. Include your job title, years of experience, and three to four specializations in your opening sentence that align with the job posting. Draw attention to your areas of expertise within the chemistry discipline. Feature a specific product, discovery, or achievement to demonstrate your value to prospective employers.
By defining your brand, draw attention to unique aspects of who you are as a scientist and leader. For example, if you were supporting drug discovery and development for a pharmaceutical company, you could emphasize your commitment to improving the quality of life and outcomes for patients.
Senior-Level Profile Example
A senior chemist with over 10 years of experience within the pharmaceutical industry, specializing in medicinal chemistry, new product development, drug discovery, and data visualization. A strong history of coordinating with diverse cross-functional teams and health care organizations to bring innovative products to market and improve the quality of life for patients.
Entry-Level Profile Example
A chemist with entry-level experience specializing in organic chemistry, research and development (R&D), laboratory operations, and qualitative analysis. Adept at performing experiments to develop new products in highly-controlled laboratory environments.
2. Showcase your chemistry experience
Your professional experience section is the foundation of your resume. To generate interviews, capture your strongest career achievements as a chemist. Integrating numbers and metrics into your resume can provide valuable insights and context for the hiring manager as they evaluate your professional experience. Although some achievements can be difficult to quantify in a chemist position, numbers can be a valuable tool to enhance the impact of your accomplishments when leveraged effectively. Below, we’ll review a bullet point from the mid-career resume example:
- Lead the characterization of polymer for ink formulations in a high-volume lab environment for the development of a new ink product line valued at $2 million and partner with manufacturing teams to improve production capacity by 15%
This bullet point is effective because it showcases the job seeker’s industry expertise in polymer formulations and uses numbers to establish a sense of scope for the hiring manager. By emphasizing the value of the product line and the results of their efforts to improve production capacity, the candidate positions themselves as a value creator for prospective employers.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Senior Chemist, Cadence Therapeutics Inc., New York, NY | May 2016 – present
- Oversee more than 15 large-scale drug discovery projects valued at up to $30 million and lead cross-functional teams of over 100 biologists, medicinal chemists, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), pharmaceutical scientists, and health care professionals to perform toxicology studies
- Design and synthesize molecules, and perform complex vivo and vitro studies to develop and validate new oncology and immunology products
- Manage laboratory operations to test and develop new pharmaceutical products using mass spectrometry, chromatography, and molecular modeling
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Chemistry Internship, Arkline Research Inc., Los Angeles, CA | May 2021 – present
- Coordinate with a team of chemists and materials scientists to perform silver sulfide nanoplatelet synthesis and support R&D activities for initial proof of concept
- Conduct chemical testing, analysis, and research using organic chemistry formulas, evaluate project requirements, and attend meetings to review research findings
- Support interdisciplinary teams in evaluating mass spectroscopy data, maintaining safe laboratory environments, and handling hazardous materials
3. Add chemistry education and certifications
Feature your education and certifications to show prospective employers you have training and credentials to succeed in the position. List the degree, university, and graduation date. At the entry level, consider including your GPA and academic awards. Consider pursuing additional certifications to emphasize your commitment to continuous learning. A Clinical Chemistry Certification is ideal if you’re pursuing jobs in the medicinal chemistry field, whereas a Certified Reliability Engineer demonstrates your ability to drive product safety.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Chemistry
- Boston University, Boston, MA | 2018
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Clinical Chemistry Certification, American Board of Certified Chemists, 2013
- Certified Reliability Engineer, ASQ, 2012
4. List key skills and proficiencies for chemistry
Incorporate appropriate key skills that align with the job description to differentiate yourself from the competition during your job search. Employers value candidates with skill sets that match the needs of their organization, and to secure interviews, optimize your document for applicant tracking system (ATS). Be sure to emphasize your scientific knowledge and leadership capabilities to demonstrate your versatility as a chemist. Below, you’ll find a list of keywords you may encounter while pursuing jobs in the chemistry field:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Analytical chemistry | Assay development |
| Biochemistry | Chromatography |
| Clinical chemistry | Cross-functional leadership |
| Data analysis | Drug discovery |
| Drug development | High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) |
| Laboratory operations | Medicinal chemistry |
| Molecular modeling | Microscopy |
| New product development | Organic chemistry |
| Pharmaceuticals | Polymer |
| Product development | Product validation |
| R&D | Sampling |
| Small particle dispersions | Synthetic chemistry |
| Toxicology | |
5. Feature your leadership capabilities
As a chemist, you’ll be interfacing with a variety of interdisciplinary teams to perform experiments and product development activities. Employers want to see tangible examples from your career that showcase your ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional groups. By highlighting your technical expertise and leadership capabilities, you’ll be branding yourself as a dynamic professional with the interpersonal skills and scientific knowledge to succeed in the position.
How To Pick the Best Chemistry Resume Template
Selecting the right template can be challenging for many job seekers. With such diverse options available, finding a format that encapsulates your personal brand is often difficult. Always prioritize structure, organization, and readability over visual appeal when in doubt. Hiring managers are interested in your qualifications and experience, so avoid flashy colors and graphics that may distract them from your content. Use a single-column, top-down format that allows you to control the flow of information and create a smooth reading experience.
Chemistry Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Aliya Romanov
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Boston, MA 12345
Profile
A Chemist with five years of experience, specializing in product development, synthetic chemistry, research and development (R&D), and project management. A proven track record of leading high-impact matrixed teams to create new chemical formulations for new products.
Professional Experience
Chemist, Sonoma Ink Corp., Boston, MA
May 2018 – Present
- Lead the characterization of polymer for ink formulations in a high-volume lab environment for the development of a new ink product line valued at $2M and partner with manufacturing teams to improve production capacity by 15%
- Manage a team of 15 chemists, technicians, and engineers, coordinate projects from initial conception to commercialization, and provide ongoing coaching and mentorship
- Create presentations on research data and attend meetings with project teams and stakeholders to review project milestones, roadblocks, and research findings
Chemist, New England Cosmetics Inc., Boston, MA
May 2016 – May 2018
- Supported R&D activities for the development of skincare, sun protection, and hair care product lines, evaluated materials to ensure optimal formulations, and identified opportunities to refine existing product formulas
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams throughout the product development lifecycle, including interfacing with manufacturers to scale production capabilities
Education
Master of Science (M.S.) Chemistry
Boston University, Boston, MA May 2016 – May 2018
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Chemistry
Boston University, Boston, MA September 2012 – May 2016
Key Skills
- Organic Chemistry
- Product Development
- Laboratory Operations
- Research and Development (R&D)
- Project Management
Certifications
- Specialist in Chemistry (ASCP), 2018
- Certified Chemical Engineer (CCE), 2016
Frequently Asked Questions: Chemistry Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for chemistry resumes?-
It’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs during the resume-building process. Often there are a limited number of verbs to accurately convey your achievements, especially as a scientist. That being said, action verbs can infuse a dynamic and engaging element to your writing when used effectively. We’ve compiled a list of verbs to craft your professional experience section:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Built |
| Collaborated | Coordinated |
| Conducted | Constructed |
| Designed | Determined |
| Developed | Diagnosed |
| Enhanced | Evaluated |
| Examined | Identified |
| Implemented | Improved |
| Led | Managed |
| Oversaw | Performed |
| Planned | Provided |
| Resolved | Supported |
| Tested | |
How do you align your resume with a chemistry job description?-
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for chemists and materials scientists was $79,760 in 2023. This field is expected to experience a 6% increase in growth over the next decade with over 8,200 new jobs each year. Although opportunities within this industry are readily available, you’ll still need to align your resume with the job description to differentiate yourself from the competition.
As you analyze the job posting, look for specific chemistry terminology, laboratory techniques, and keywords that match your experience and integrate these terms into your resume. For example, if you were involved in discovering and developing new pharmaceutical products, you may want to emphasize your knowledge of toxicology, quality control, HPLC, and regulatory compliance. By tailoring your resume to the job description, you’ll maximize your odds of landing the interview.
What is the best chemistry resume format?-
Reverse chronological is the ideal format for most chemistry resumes. This approach ensures that your most recent and relevant experience is featured towards the top of your document. Avoid functional resumes, even at the entry level, as most recruiters consider skill-based formats outdated. Instead, you can reorder your sections to prioritize your skills and academic projects while still providing detailed bullet points for your experience.
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