What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Chemists in the U.S. earn more than $91,240 a year — the middle 80% land between $58,460 and $160,830. About 82,770 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Chemists”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$91,240typical pay / year
82,770people in this work
$160,830+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing3
Analyze chemical substances
+Analyze the unknown soil extract by preparing calibrated reagent blanks, run the prescribed titrations and…
Analyze chemical substances
+Analyze the unknown soil extract by preparing calibrated reagent blanks, run the prescribed titrations and spectrophotometric assays, calculate concentrations against standards, and flag any anomalies for repeat testing under safety protocols.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Conduct quality control tests.
+Run the routine quality control panel on the incoming fertilizer batch: prepare triplicate samples, perform…
Conduct quality control tests.
+Run the routine quality control panel on the incoming fertilizer batch: prepare triplicate samples, perform pH, conductivity and nutrient assays, compare results to acceptance criteria, document deviations, and hold the lot if out of spec.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Develop new products and compounds
+Develop and bench-test three prototype pesticide formulations by translating target efficacy into ingredient…
Develop new products and compounds
+Develop and bench-test three prototype pesticide formulations by translating target efficacy into ingredient ratios, prepare small-scale samples under fume hood, run stability and activity screens, and log procedures and results for scale-up.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Move1
Oversee laboratory technicians
+Assign daily workloads, check each technician’s sample prep and instrument calibrations, review their QC logs…
Oversee laboratory technicians
+Assign daily workloads, check each technician’s sample prep and instrument calibrations, review their QC logs for deviations, reassign resources to backlog samples, and sign off on completed run sheets before close of shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Conduct research and experiments
+Plan and run a three-week series of greenhouse and bench experiments to test the new soil amendment, record…
Conduct research and experiments
+Plan and run a three-week series of greenhouse and bench experiments to test the new soil amendment, record stepwise procedures and raw measurements, and flag any safety or contamination incidents for the PI by next Tuesday morning.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions
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Prepare and mix compounds in labs
+Prepare and mix the 10-L batches of the foliar compound today using the weighed reagent list, follow the lab…
Prepare and mix compounds in labs
+Prepare and mix the 10-L batches of the foliar compound today using the weighed reagent list, follow the lab SOP for dilution and PPE, label each batch with concentration and expiry, and submit a bench-side QA checklist before refrigeration.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Use computational modeling and simulation tools
+Run the crop nutrient uptake model on the current parameter set, compare simulated concentrations against…
Use computational modeling and simulation tools
+Run the crop nutrient uptake model on the current parameter set, compare simulated concentrations against last month’s greenhouse data, document parameter changes and uncertainty ranges, and save the outputs and plots for the modeling report due Friday.
The tools that do the workOracle JavaMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Identify substances for safety and pollution control
+Analyze the runoff and soil samples for nitrates, phosphates and heavy metals, identify compounds exceeding…
Identify substances for safety and pollution control
+Analyze the runoff and soil samples for nitrates, phosphates and heavy metals, identify compounds exceeding regulatory thresholds, write a short remediation recommendation for the farm manager, and file the chain-of-custody and lab certificate of analysis.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions
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Test and analyze evidence in forensic cases
+Perform the toxicology and residue analyses on the seized pesticide samples, record instrument runs and…
Test and analyze evidence in forensic cases
+Perform the toxicology and residue analyses on the seized pesticide samples, record instrument runs and calibration details, interpret results against case limits, prepare a concise forensic report for the district attorney, and secure the evidence log.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards
+Update the safety and regulatory compliance file for the pesticide formulation lab, cross-check MSDS and last…
Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards
+Update the safety and regulatory compliance file for the pesticide formulation lab, cross-check MSDS and last three audit findings, flag unresolved issues, and produce a signed checklist for the safety officer by Friday noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Study the composition of matter and its properties
+Run the elemental and compound composition study for the new soil amendment batch, consolidate instrument…
Study the composition of matter and its properties
+Run the elemental and compound composition study for the new soil amendment batch, consolidate instrument readouts into a single methods report, interpret unexpected peaks, and draft recommendations for the research director by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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Describe properties in terms of quantities
+Quantify the active ingredient and impurity levels in sample set A12, calculate concentrations with…
Describe properties in terms of quantities
+Quantify the active ingredient and impurity levels in sample set A12, calculate concentrations with uncertainty, prepare a results table with units and limits, and send the verified table to quality control today.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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Create new artificial substances and useful processes
+Design and document three candidate synthesis routes for a biodegradable herbicide, include reaction steps,…
Create new artificial substances and useful processes
+Design and document three candidate synthesis routes for a biodegradable herbicide, include reaction steps, yields, hazards and required controls, and submit the lab-ready protocol to R&D by next Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft VisioWikipedia
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Specialize in subdisciplines of chemistry
+Map the lab's expertise into analytical, synthetic and environmental chemistry streams, list current…
Specialize in subdisciplines of chemistry
+Map the lab's expertise into analytical, synthetic and environmental chemistry streams, list current personnel and instrumentation gaps, and propose hiring or equipment purchases for the head of department by the end of month.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointWikipedia
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Apply knowledge to develop new materials and processes
+Turn the successful pilot reaction into a scalable process sheet: record reagent grades, stepwise SOP,…
Apply knowledge to develop new materials and processes
+Turn the successful pilot reaction into a scalable process sheet: record reagent grades, stepwise SOP, control points, expected yields and waste handling, then hand the process sheet to production engineering for scale-up review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia
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Translate the research results into industrial production processes
+Convert the lab research results into stepwise industrial production procedures, specifying raw material…
Translate the research results into industrial production processes
+Convert the lab research results into stepwise industrial production procedures, specifying raw material grades, mixing order and temperatures, scalable batch sizes, quality checkpoints, and hazard controls so plant engineers can run a pilot batch next month.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Test the environmental impact of the manufactured products
+Design and run the environmental impact test plan for the manufactured product, detailing sampling locations…
Test the environmental impact of the manufactured products
+Design and run the environmental impact test plan for the manufactured product, detailing sampling locations and frequencies, analytical methods, acceptance thresholds, chain-of-custody, and a two-week timeline so regulatory can file the report.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Translate formulae into processes
+Translate the chemical formulae into actionable process sheets that list reagent proportions per tonne,…
Translate formulae into processes
+Translate the chemical formulae into actionable process sheets that list reagent proportions per tonne, reaction conditions, equipment type, expected yields, and troubleshooting notes so the scale-up team can produce a consistent 1,000 kg run.
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Apply safety procedures in laboratory
+Create a laboratory safety procedure package for this chemistry, including PPE required, step-by-step…
Apply safety procedures in laboratory
+Create a laboratory safety procedure package for this chemistry, including PPE required, step-by-step handling and emergency steps, waste segregation and disposal instructions, and an audit checklist to be implemented on Monday morning.
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Says who?
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The logs, files & records this job keeps
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Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses