Chemist CV Example & Template
A complete two-page CV for an analytical chemist working across pharmaceutical QC and method development, followed by what a lab manager checks first when shortlisting. Copy the structure, swap in your own instruments and numbers, and name every technique and standard exactly as the job advert names it.
Last reviewed September 2026
Example Chemist CV
Priya Nair MRSC
Analytical Chemist — Method Development and Validation
Manchester, UK
Profile
Analytical chemist with six years in pharmaceutical QC and R&D, working across HPLC, GC-MS, NMR and ICP-MS. I develop and validate methods to ICH Q2 standards, close out-of-specification investigations within target, and keep documentation audit-ready in a GLP/GMP environment. Comfortable moving between LIMS-based routine testing and bench-scale method development.
Experience
Analytical Chemist
Mar 2022 – Present
Larkspur Pharmaceuticals · Manchester
- Validated nine HPLC and GC-MS methods to ICH Q2 standards, supporting three regulatory submissions to the MHRA within eighteen months.
- Investigated 14 out-of-specification results using root-cause analysis, closing each within the 10-day deviation target and preventing one batch rejection worth over £40,000.
- Migrated method records from paper logbooks to the site LIMS, cutting method retrieval time for the QC team from half a day to under ten minutes.
- Co-authored two peer-reviewed papers on impurity profiling in generic APIs, and turned the method into the site's standard validation protocol.
- Trained four graduate chemists on GLP documentation and COSHH risk assessments, keeping audit non-conformances at zero across two inspections.
Research Chemist
Sep 2018 – Feb 2022
Elderfield Analytical Services · Leeds
- Developed an ICP-MS method for trace heavy-metal analysis in excipients, cutting sample turnaround from five days to two.
- Ran FTIR and NMR characterisation on 200+ raw material batches a year, flagging three non-conforming supplier lots before they reached production.
- Maintained the laboratory's electronic lab notebook for a team of eight, improving data traceability ahead of a successful ISO 17025 surveillance audit.
- Supported a scale-up from bench to pilot plant, adjusting a synthesis route that cut solvent use by 25% per batch.
Education
MChem Chemistry (First Class Honours)
2014 – 2018
University of Manchester
Final-year project: developing an HPLC method to separate closely related impurities in a model API.
Skills
HPLC and UPLC · GC-MS · NMR spectroscopy · FTIR · ICP-MS · Method development and validation (ICH Q2) · GLP and GMP compliance · ELN and LIMS systems · COSHH risk assessment · Out-of-specification investigations · Technical report writing · Statistical trending (Minitab)
Professional membership
- Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), 2020
- Working towards Chartered Chemist (CChem)
Publications
- Co-author of two peer-reviewed papers on impurity profiling in generic APIs, 2023 and 2024
Why this Chemist CV works: what shortlisters check first
The instruments and standards named exactly
Write HPLC, GC-MS, NMR, FTIR or ICP-MS the way the advert writes them, and name the standard you validated against, such as ICH Q2. 'Laboratory analysis' or 'various analytical techniques' tells a hiring manager nothing and gets filtered out by keyword-scanning application systems before a person reads it.
Evidence you can defend a method under audit
GLP and GMP are not the same thing, and a lab manager wants to know which regime you worked in. Show that you can run an out-of-specification investigation to a deviation deadline, keep a method file audit-ready, and hand over a clean paper trail when an inspector or client auditor asks for one.
Registration and chartership status
MRSC membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry and progress towards Chartered Chemist (CChem) signal a career track a senior lab wants to invest in. State the year you joined and whether you are actively working towards chartership, even if you are not there yet.
Numbers a QC or R&D lab already tracks
Batches tested, methods validated, turnaround time, deviations closed within target, cost of a prevented rejection. You do not need new statistics; your lab's own tracker or deviation log already has these figures, so pull them out rather than writing 'high attention to detail'.
Publications and patents only where they support the job
A paper or patent is a strong signal for an R&D or method-development post, less so for a routine QC role. Include the one or two that show relevant technical depth, and skip a long list that reads like an academic CV if the role is production-focused.
Key skills recruiters look for
How to write each section of a Chemist CV
Profile
Three or four sentences: your specialism (analytical, synthetic, formulation), the instruments and standards you work to, and one outcome. State GLP or GMP experience explicitly if the advert asks for it.
Experience
Lead each bullet with the technique or method and end with the result: a validated method, a closed deviation, a shortened turnaround, a cost avoided. Keep routine sample-prep duties out unless this is your first lab role.
Education
Give your degree classification and, if it is directly relevant, your final-year or dissertation project topic in one line. A PhD title matters for R&D posts; for a QC role, the classification and institution are usually enough.
Skills
Group by instrument (HPLC, GC-MS, NMR, ICP-MS), by compliance (GLP, GMP, COSHH), and by systems (ELN, LIMS). Match the exact wording the advert uses for each technique.
Professional membership and publications
List RSC membership and chartership status with the year. Add publications or patents only when they demonstrate a technique or result the job actually needs, not as a general show of academic output.
More example bullet points
Strong Chemist CVs lead with measurable impact. Here are examples of the kind of bullets that make recruiters stop scrolling:
Developed novel synthesis route for API intermediate reducing step count from 8 to 5, cutting manufacturing cost by 30% per kg
Validated 12 analytical methods to ICH Q2 standards, enabling regulatory submission for 3 new pharmaceutical products
Led laboratory safety audit programme achieving zero RIDDOR incidents over 36 months across 4 research groups
Relevant certifications
Common Chemist CV mistakes
- Writing 'laboratory analytical skills' instead of naming HPLC, GC-MS, NMR or the instrument the job actually uses.
- Leaving out whether validation work was done to a named standard such as ICH Q2.
- Not stating whether the role was GLP or GMP regulated, when the advert asks for one specifically.
- Burying RSC membership or chartership progress at the very bottom of page two.
- Listing every publication and patent from a PhD on a CV for a routine production QC role.
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How to tailor your Chemist CV for each application
Every Chemist job posting is different. The skills they prioritize, the seniority they expect, the setting — all of it shapes what your CV should emphasize. A CV that gets an interview at one employer can miss at another, even for the same job title.
The fastest way to tailor your CV is to paste the job description into NextCV. The AI reads the posting, maps it to your experience, and rewrites your bullets to match what the employer is scanning for. 1 free preview, no signup required — you only pay when you want a clean PDF download. Sign up free for 3 more.
Chemist CV FAQ
Do you need a degree to be a chemist in the UK?
Most chemist posts ask for at least a BSc in chemistry or a closely related science; research and method-development roles often ask for an MChem or PhD. Lab technician and lab assistant roles typically accept a lower entry qualification with relevant experience, so check the person specification's essential criteria before you apply.
How long should a chemist CV be?
Two pages is standard for UK industry roles in QC, R&D and manufacturing. Academic and postdoctoral chemistry CVs are usually longer, since they list publications, conference presentations and grant history in full.
What is the difference between GLP and GMP, and should I mention both?
Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) governs non-clinical safety testing, while Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) governs the production and QC of medicines. State whichever you actually worked under; naming the wrong one on a CV for a GMP-regulated employer reads as a mismatch straight away.
Should I list my publications on a CV or only on an academic CV?
Include one or two publications or patents if they are directly relevant to the role's techniques, particularly for R&D and method-development posts. For routine industry QC roles, a short 'Publications' line is enough; save a full list for an academic CV or a separate publications page.
What is the difference between a chemist CV and a lab technician CV?
A chemist CV usually leads with method development, validation and a degree in chemistry, while a lab technician CV leads with routine testing, sample throughput and equipment maintenance under someone else's methods. If you are applying across both, tailor the profile and lead bullet to match which one the advert is asking for.