Career roadmap
How to become a Materials Scientist
Median annual wage for Materials Scientists (19-2032) — BLS OEWS, May 2023.
What you would actually do
The tasks that make up the work of a Materials Scientist, weighted by how central each one is to the job.
- Develop new or advanced products or production methods.
- Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- Conduct research to gain information about products or processes.
- Test quality of materials or finished products.
- Design research studies to obtain scientific information.
- Advise others on the development or use of new technologies.
- Monitor operational procedures in technical environments to ensure conformance to standards.
- Develop theories or models of physical phenomena.
The skills that actually carry the job
Scored on how much the work depends on each one — not a wishlist, a measurement.
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Science4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0/5
- Writing3.9/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Active Learning3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
Would this suit you?
Every occupation leans on a particular mix of interests. Here is the mix measured for a Materials Scientist — and our free 2-minute Career Match scores you on the same six.
- Investigative6.6/7
Investigating, diagnosing, reasoning through problems with evidence
- Realistic5.8/7
Hands-on, practical, working with tools, machines or the body
- Conventional4.2/7
Ordering, checking, following a precise procedure accurately
- Artistic2.2/7
Creating, expressing, working without a fixed procedure
- Enterprising1.9/7
Persuading, leading, selling, taking commercial risk
- Social1.4/7
Helping, teaching, caring for and working directly with people
Interest profiles from the O*NET 29.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0.
