What is a chemical specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Detailed alert, control, and evacuation procedures must be established in order to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters. Emergency response experts, such as the Chemical Specialist, devise emergency preparations and procedures for all kinds of crises, including flooding, fires, storms, biological warfare, or enemy attacks. Chemical specialists are mainly responsible for performing, managing, or supervising the use of radioactive, biological, and chemical detection and decontamination devices.

Chemical specialists' daily responsibility includes assisting the establishment and application of defense measures and providing training advice and supervision regarding the proper use and maintenance procedures for chemical equipment and chemical operations. They are in charge of operating and performing operator maintenance on smoke generating equipment and decontamination equipment. They also assist in preparing and maintaining disaster operations plans.

Employment training for chemical specialists consists of practical training, where you'll master basic soldiering skills and intensive individual training. According to the U.S. Army, chemical specialists can also be a member of Special Forces or Army Ranger teams. New hires learn which equipment defends against such elements, how detection materials operate, and what to do in the event of a toxic, biological, radiological or nuclear threat. Over the process of preparation, military members also receive the Hazardous Substance Credential.

ScoreChemical SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $53,796

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.1

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.49%

Asian 4.03%

Black or African American 9.63%

Hispanic or Latino 11.92%

Unknown 4.99%

White 67.94%

Gender

female 28.53%

male 71.47%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.6

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.1

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

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Chemical Specialist career paths

Key steps to become a chemical specialist

  1. Explore chemical specialist education requirements

    Most common chemical specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    41.3 %

    Associate

    23.2 %

    High School Diploma

    22.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific chemical specialist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Maintenance Procedures15.39%
    Safety Procedures13.82%
    Hazardous Materials12.46%
    Response Operations9.98%
    Decontamination Equipment7.50%
  3. Complete relevant chemical specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chemical specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a chemical specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chemical specialist resumes.
  4. Research chemical specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Lead smoke generating squads, supervise reconnaissance and decontamination operation, and serve as company NBC NCO.
    • Fix issues that develop between TEDAC and DOD labs.
    • Coordinate QC programs (in-house, external customers).
    • Verify patient information and prepare patients for MRI exams.
  5. Prepare your chemical specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chemical specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a chemical specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Chemical Specialist Resume templates

    Build a professional Chemical Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Chemical Specialist resume.
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    Chemical Specialist Resume
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    Chemical Specialist Resume
    Chemical Specialist Resume
    Chemical Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for chemical specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a chemical specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Chemical Specialist Job

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Average chemical specialist salary

The average Chemical Specialist salary in the United States is $53,796 per year or $26 per hour. Chemical specialist salaries range between $26,000 and $107,000 per year.

Average Chemical Specialist Salary
$53,796 Yearly
$25.86 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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