What You'll Do

  • Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics.
  • Confer with customers to determine how to tailor materials to their needs.
  • Conduct research on the structures and properties of materials, such as metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics, to obtain information that could be used to develop new products or enhance existing ones.
  • Devise testing methods to evaluate the effects of various conditions on particular materials.
  • Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications.
  • Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
  • Test individual parts and products to ensure that manufacturer and governmental quality and safety standards are met.
  • Visit suppliers of materials or users of products to gather specific information.
  • Research methods of processing, forming, and firing materials to develop such products as ceramic dental fillings, unbreakable dinner plates, and telescope lenses.
  • Test material samples for tolerance under tension, compression, and shear to determine the cause of metal failures.

Essential Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0/5
Active Listening 4.0/5
Science 4.0/5
Critical Thinking 4.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 4.0/5
Writing 3.88/5
Speaking 3.75/5
Active Learning 3.75/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.62/5
Mathematics 3.5/5
Monitoring 3.12/5
Persuasion 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Intellectual Curiosity, Attention to Detail, Innovation, Dependability, Achievement Orientation

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Written Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Written Expression 4.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 4.0/5
Deductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Information Ordering 3.88/5

Technologies & Tools

Accelrys Materials Studio Advanced Chemistry Development Analytical Laboratory ANSYS LS-DYNA ANSYS Multiphysics Bruker AXS EVA Bruker AXS LEPTOS Bruker AXS TOPAS Chempute Software HSC Chemistry CrystalMaker Dassault Systemes Abaqus Email software GAMESS-US General Structural Analysis System GSAS Hypertext markup language HTML IBM SPSS Statistics International Centre for Diffraction Data ICDD DDView Maplesoft Maple Materials Data Incorporated Jade Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Intellectual Curiosity (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.78/5)
  • Innovation (High importance: 4.65/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.46/5)
  • Achievement Orientation (High importance: 4.43/5)

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How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Applications Scientist Material Science Engineer Materials Research Engineer Materials Scientist Metal Alloy Scientist Metallurgical Engineer Metallurgist Micro Electrical/Mechanical Systems Device Scientist (MEMS Device Scientist) Plastics Scientist Polymer Materials Consultant Polymer Specialist R and D Scientist (Research and Development Scientist) Research Development Specialist Research Scientist Scientist

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.