Formulation Chemist Jobs
Formulation Chemist jobs are open from entry-level to principal across pharmaceuticals, personal care, food and beverage, and specialty chemicals, with specializations in emulsions, solid dosage forms, and polymer chemistry. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Senior Energetics Formulation Chemist / Engineer
Location: Smithtown, NY (On-site)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior Energetics Formulation Chemist / Engineer to lead the development, characterization, testing, and manufacturing transition of energetic materials for aerospace and defense applications, including solid rocket motors and warhead systems.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in energetic materials, solid propellant technology, warhead-related systems, aerospace propulsion, and manufacturing processes. This individual will support technical development, production readiness, testing methodologies, process improvement, and cross-functional engineering initiatives.
Candidates with experience in defense, missile systems, warhead programs, solid rocket motors, or military propulsion applications are strongly encouraged to apply.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead technical development and evaluation of energetic materials for aerospace and defense applications.
- Support solid rocket motor propulsion and warhead-related engineering programs.
- Conduct material characterization, performance evaluation, and technical testing.
- Analyze test results, investigate technical anomalies, and support continuous improvement.
- Support the transition of laboratory-developed materials and processes into reliable manufacturing operations.
- Evaluate manufacturing equipment, production processes, facility requirements, and operational readiness.
- Establish manufacturing documentation, quality standards, process controls, and technical specifications.
- Collaborate with propulsion, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, testing, and program management teams.
- Support technical reviews, qualification activities, production readiness, and configuration-controlled documentation.
- Ensure compliance with applicable explosives safety, environmental, operational, and regulatory requirements.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering and manufacturing personnel.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline. Master's or Ph.D. preferred.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in energetic materials, solid rocket propulsion, defense systems, or related aerospace applications.
- 10+ years of relevant experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with solid rocket motor propellant systems, energetic materials, or warhead-related defense programs.
- Background in aerospace propulsion, missile systems, defense manufacturing, or military energetic-material applications.
- Experience supporting technical testing, material characterization, performance evaluation, and manufacturing readiness.
- Familiarity with energetic-material safety requirements, quality systems, and regulated manufacturing environments.
- Ability to lead technical projects and collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting warhead programs, missile systems, or defense-related energetic-material projects.
- Experience with solid rocket motor development and propulsion systems.
- Background in energetic-material laboratories, pilot manufacturing, or production facilities.
- Experience with static-fire testing, qualification programs, and failure investigations.
- Knowledge of material properties, aging assessment, and performance characterization.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, military, or advanced manufacturing environments.
- Experience supporting production scale-up and manufacturing process development.
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- 401(k) / Retirement Plan
- Life Insurance
- Paid Time Off
- Vacation, Sick Leave, and Paid Holidays
- Family Leave
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
- Wellness Resources
Additional Information
This is an on-site position requiring extended travel to multiple company locations, including Long Island, Texas, and Indiana.
Candidates with hands-on experience in energetic materials, solid rocket propulsion, warhead-related programs, missile systems, and defense manufacturing are encouraged to apply.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
Work Location: In person
Senior Energetics Formulation Chemist / Engineer
Location: Smithtown, NY (On-site)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior Energetics Formulation Chemist / Engineer to lead the development, characterization, testing, and manufacturing transition of energetic materials for aerospace and defense applications, including solid rocket motors and warhead systems.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in energetic materials, solid propellant technology, warhead-related systems, aerospace propulsion, and manufacturing processes. This individual will support technical development, production readiness, testing methodologies, process improvement, and cross-functional engineering initiatives.
Candidates with experience in defense, missile systems, warhead programs, solid rocket motors, or military propulsion applications are strongly encouraged to apply.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead technical development and evaluation of energetic materials for aerospace and defense applications.
- Support solid rocket motor propulsion and warhead-related engineering programs.
- Conduct material characterization, performance evaluation, and technical testing.
- Analyze test results, investigate technical anomalies, and support continuous improvement.
- Support the transition of laboratory-developed materials and processes into reliable manufacturing operations.
- Evaluate manufacturing equipment, production processes, facility requirements, and operational readiness.
- Establish manufacturing documentation, quality standards, process controls, and technical specifications.
- Collaborate with propulsion, mechanical, manufacturing, quality, testing, and program management teams.
- Support technical reviews, qualification activities, production readiness, and configuration-controlled documentation.
- Ensure compliance with applicable explosives safety, environmental, operational, and regulatory requirements.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering and manufacturing personnel.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline. Master's or Ph.D. preferred.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in energetic materials, solid rocket propulsion, defense systems, or related aerospace applications.
- 10+ years of relevant experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with solid rocket motor propellant systems, energetic materials, or warhead-related defense programs.
- Background in aerospace propulsion, missile systems, defense manufacturing, or military energetic-material applications.
- Experience supporting technical testing, material characterization, performance evaluation, and manufacturing readiness.
- Familiarity with energetic-material safety requirements, quality systems, and regulated manufacturing environments.
- Ability to lead technical projects and collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting warhead programs, missile systems, or defense-related energetic-material projects.
- Experience with solid rocket motor development and propulsion systems.
- Background in energetic-material laboratories, pilot manufacturing, or production facilities.
- Experience with static-fire testing, qualification programs, and failure investigations.
- Knowledge of material properties, aging assessment, and performance characterization.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, military, or advanced manufacturing environments.
- Experience supporting production scale-up and manufacturing process development.
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- 401(k) / Retirement Plan
- Life Insurance
- Paid Time Off
- Vacation, Sick Leave, and Paid Holidays
- Family Leave
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
- Wellness Resources
Additional Information
This is an on-site position requiring extended travel to multiple company locations, including Long Island, Texas, and Indiana.
Candidates with hands-on experience in energetic materials, solid rocket propulsion, warhead-related programs, missile systems, and defense manufacturing are encouraged to apply.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
Work Location: In person
Formulation Chemist Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Formulation Chemist JobsFormulation Chemist Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in formulation chemist jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related field
- Hands-on experience developing and optimizing formulations in a GMP or regulated environment
- Proficiency with analytical instruments such as HPLC, rheometers, and particle size analyzers
- Knowledge of ICH stability guidelines and experience authoring or reviewing stability protocols
- Familiarity with excipient selection, compatibility testing, and scale-up processes
- Experience writing technical reports, batch records, and standard operating procedures
Tips for Your Formulation Chemist Job Search
Tailor your resume to formulation types
Hiring managers scan for the specific formulation platforms you've worked with, whether that's creams and lotions, oral solids, or industrial coatings. List each by name rather than grouping them under a generic chemistry umbrella.
Show stability study ownership on paper
Many candidates list formulation experience but omit stability protocol design. If you've authored ICH-compliant stability studies or interpreted out-of-trend results, call that out explicitly. It signals readiness for senior-level accountability.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists formulation chemist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by regulatory context
A pharma formulation chemist role under FDA cGMP requirements demands a different background than a cosmetics role under ISO 22716. Filter your search by industry and read the regulatory language in each posting before applying.
Prepare a bench-ready technical narrative
Interviewers for formulation roles routinely ask you to walk through a failed batch or an excipient incompatibility you resolved. Rehearse two or three specific examples with the problem, your experiment design, and the outcome.
Negotiate around lab access and equipment
Salary isn't the only lever in an offer. Ask about the analytical instrumentation available, whether you'd have independent bench time, and how formulation projects are scoped. These details affect your ability to do the work you're hired to do.
Formulation Chemist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most formulation chemists?
The most active employers for formulation chemists right now are McKenna Labs, Revlon Corporate, and Adama, and the most openings are in California, New Jersey, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially strong in pharmaceutical and personal care manufacturing.
How many formulation chemist jobs are remote?
About 25% of formulation chemist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of bench work in this field. The roles most likely to offer remote flexibility are regulatory affairs, technical writing, and formulation documentation positions rather than active development or manufacturing roles.
How do you become a formulation chemist?
Start with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or pharmaceutical sciences, as most entry-level roles require that foundation. Build lab skills through internships, co-ops, or academic research focused on physical chemistry or materials. From there, early-career positions in quality control or analytical chemistry can bridge you into a formulation development role, where you develop expertise in a specific platform such as topicals, oral solids, or coatings.
Can you get a formulation chemist job with little or no experience?
Yes, entry-level formulation chemist roles exist, and employers filling them focus on your lab technique, your coursework in physical chemistry or pharmaceutics, and any hands-on project work you can describe concretely. Internships in personal care, food science, or pharma manufacturing are especially useful. Highlighting experience with stability testing, emulsion preparation, or any scale-up work, even from a university lab, distinguishes you from candidates with only classroom knowledge.
What does the formulation chemist interview process look like?
Most employers run two to three rounds. The first is typically a phone or video screen with a recruiter focused on your background and availability. The second involves a technical interview with the hiring manager or a senior chemist, where you're expected to discuss specific formulation challenges you've solved, your familiarity with analytical tools, and your understanding of stability testing. Some companies add a third round with a lab tour or a bench exercise to assess practical technique before extending an offer.
Where can I find and apply to formulation chemist jobs?
You can find and apply to formulation chemist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your formulation platform, industry, and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
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Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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