Chemical technicians monitor and adjust processing equipment at manufacturing facilities.
Chemical technicians use laboratory instruments and techniques to help scientists analyze the properties of materials.
Duties
Chemical technicians typically do the following:
Monitor chemical processes and test product quality to make sure that they meet standards and specifications
Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment
Maintain production equipment and troubleshoot problems
Prepare chemical solutions
Conduct, compile, and interpret results of chemical and physical experiments, tests, and analyses for a variety of purposes, including research and development
Prepare and present reports, graphs, and charts that summarize their results
Technicians who work in laboratories may help conduct experiments that contribute to research and development. For example, some chemical technicians help chemists and other scientists develop new medicines.
Other chemical technicians work in manufacturing, where they may assist in monitoring quality, maintaining equipment, and improving production processes.
Typically, chemists or chemical engineers direct chemical technicians’ work and evaluate their results. Most technicians work on teams, but they also may be required to work independently on projects. Experienced technicians may serve as mentors to technicians who are new to a lab or to a specific area of research.
Chemical technicians typically work in laboratories or in industrial facilities.
Chemical technicians held about 60,400 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of chemical technicians were as follows:
Testing laboratories
16%
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing
10
Wholesale trade
4
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private
3
Chemical technicians often work in laboratories or in manufacturing facilities. Chemical manufacturing plants make a variety of products, such as fertilizers, medicines, and soaps.
Injuries and Illnesses
Chemical technicians may be exposed to health or safety hazards when handling certain chemicals and manufacturing equipment, but there is little risk if proper procedures are followed.
Work Schedules
Most technicians work full time. Occasionally, they may have to work additional hours to meet project deadlines or troubleshoot problems with manufacturing processes. Some work irregular schedules to monitor laboratory experiments or manufacturing operations.
Laboratory experience provides students with hands-on experience in using various instruments and techniques properly.
To enter the occupation, chemical technicians typically need an associate’s degree or 2 years of postsecondary education. Some positions require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree; others require a high school diploma. Most chemical technicians receive on-the-job training.
Education
Chemical technicians typically need an associate's degree or 2 years of postsecondary education in applied science or chemical technology. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor's degree in those or related fields, such as biology or physical science. Other employers may consider candidates who have a high school diploma.
Technical and community college programs in applied sciences or chemical technology typically include courses in math, physics, and biology in addition to chemistry. Coursework in statistics and computer science is also useful for learning data analysis and modeling.
Courses that include a laboratory component provide students with hands-on practice in conducting experiments and proper use of instruments and techniques. Participating in internships and cooperative-education programs while attending school helps students gain experience.
Important Qualities
Analytical skills. Chemical technicians must be methodical in conducting scientific experiments and interpreting data.
Communication skills. Chemical technicians must explain their work to scientists and engineers or to workers who may not have a technical background. They often write reports to summarize their results.
Detail oriented. Chemical technicians need to set up, operate, and maintain precision laboratory equipment and instruments. They also must keep meticulous records of their experiments, observations, and results.
Interpersonal skills. Chemical technicians must work well as part of a team that often includes scientists, engineers, and other technicians.
Training
Chemical technicians typically receive on-the-job training from experienced technicians, who explain proper methods and procedures for conducting experiments and operating equipment. The length of training varies with the new employee’s level of experience and education and by industry.
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
The median annual wage for chemical technicians was $48,990 in May 2021.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,980, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80,570.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for chemical technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private
$49,050
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing
48,670
Wholesale trade
47,860
Testing laboratories
39,410
Most technicians work full time. Occasionally, they may have to work additional hours to meet project deadlines or troubleshoot problems with manufacturing processes. Some work irregular schedules to monitor laboratory experiments or manufacturing operations.
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Employment of chemical technicians is projected to grow 4 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 7,800 openings for chemical technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Chemical technicians will continue to be in demand to test new materials and products developed by chemists and chemical engineers. They also will be needed to monitor the quality of chemical products and processes. In addition, increased demand for these technicians is expected due to greater interest in environmental issues such as pollution control, clean energy, and sustainability.
Employment projections data for chemical technicians, 2021-31
Occupational Title
SOC Code
Employment, 2021
Projected Employment, 2031
Change, 2021-31
Employment by Industry
Percent
Numeric
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program