Formulation Chemistry

If you like to solve complex puzzles, and regularly find creative solutions to unusual challenges, this may be the career for you.

Typical Job Functions

Formulation chemistry is the branch of manufacturing that deals with substances that don’t react with each other, but contribute to the final product in some way. For example, an aspirin tablet contains aspirin, colorants, flavors, binders, etc. These don’t react with each other, but all play a role in the final product.

Formulation is as much an art as a science, and it takes a long time to master. Scientists in this field find it fascinating to look for just the right combination of ingredients, while balancing product quality, stability, cost, and many other factors. 

Typical job duties of a formulation chemist include:

• Designing and conducting studies
• Developing prototypes for use by focus groups or in clinical trials
• Helping to manage clinical trials, pilot studies, and panel tests
• Analyzing study results and writing reports for corporate records and/or regulatory bodies
• Assisting with scale-up from development to production quantities

Patience is a key attribute of a formulation chemist, as it can take years to achieve the right combination of ingredients for a particular application…and it may turn out to be impossible. But the reward of seeing a product you helped develop on store shelves provides a significant source of satisfaction.

Career Paths

Most opportunities for formulation chemists are with large manufacturing companies in a variety of industries. The number of positions in any given industry is small, and the competition is fierce. Most people specialize in a particular class of compounds or industry; moving between them is exceptionally rare.

Formulation chemists are needed in the generic pharmaceutical industry. Other areas of application include:

• Pesticides and insecticides
• Paints and coatings
• Foods
• Adhesives
• Cosmetics and fragrances
• Household products

Formulation science is a hands-on career. Most people start out working at the bench, and remain close to it throughout their career. Advancement comes in the form of larger and more complex projects, more responsibility, and eventually training new formulation scientists.

Getting Started

A bachelor's or master’s degree is acceptable for getting started in this field. The majority of training is obtained on-the-job by learning from a senior formulation chemist.