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Aerospace & Defense
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
Materials Scientists
Materials scientists study metals, polymers, ceramics, and other substances to figure out how to make them stronger, lighter, safer, or cheaper to produce. The work stands out because it blends lab testing, computer modeling, and customer requirements, so the best solution is not always the most elegant one in the lab. A big part of the job is balancing new performance gains against cost, manufacturability, and how a material behaves in the real world.
Also known as Materials ScientistMaterials Research ScientistR&D Materials ScientistSenior Materials ScientistMaterials Science Researcher
Median Salary
$104,160
Mean $111,410
U.S. Workforce
~8K
0.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+4.9%
8.7K to 9.1K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Materials Scientists sits in the Science category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~8K workers, with a median annual pay of $104,160 and roughly 0.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 8.7 K in 2024 to 9.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemistry, physics, or engineering, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Materials Laboratory Technician and can progress toward Principal Materials Scientist / R&D Lead. High-value skills usually include Materials Science & Applied Chemistry, Materials Characterization & Testing, and Laboratory Experiment Design, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Run lab tests on metals, plastics, ceramics, and alloys to see how they hold up under heat, pressure, stress, or corrosion.
- Use computer models and experimental data to predict how a material will behave before it is built into a product.
- Work with customers and product teams to choose or customize materials that match a specific need, such as durability, weight, or temperature resistance.
- Design new test procedures to compare material options and check whether a process is worth scaling up.
Keep exploring: more Science careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Run lab tests on metals, plastics, ceramics, and alloys to see how they hold up under heat, pressure, stress, or corrosion.
02 Use computer models and experimental data to predict how a material will behave before it is built into a product.
03 Work with customers and product teams to choose or customize materials that match a specific need, such as durability, weight, or temperature resistance.
04 Design new test procedures to compare material options and check whether a process is worth scaling up.
05 Review results, write reports, and explain findings in plain language so engineers, managers, or clients can use them.
06 Recommend materials for real products and environments, such as aircraft parts, electronics, medical devices, or industrial equipment.
Industries That Hire
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Semiconductors & Electronics
Intel, Texas Instruments, TSMC
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Batteries & Electric Vehicles
Tesla, Panasonic Energy, LG Energy Solution
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Chemicals & Advanced Materials
Dow, DuPont, 3M
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Medical Devices
Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is solid for a science role, with a mean salary of $111,410 and a median of $104,160.
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The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree, and the role does not require prior work experience or on-the-job training.
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The work is varied: one week may be hands-on lab testing, the next may be computer modeling or product troubleshooting.
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Demand is steady rather than flashy, with 0.6 thousand annual openings and projected growth of 4.9% through 2034.
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You can work on tangible products that people actually use, from aircraft parts and batteries to medical devices and coatings.
Challenges
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Growth is modest at 4.9%, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
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The occupation is small, with only 8,330 jobs, so openings can be limited and competition can be tight.
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Advancement into higher-paying research leadership often favors people with master's or doctoral degrees, even though the entry requirement is only a bachelor's degree.
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A lot of the work depends on physical labs, specialized equipment, and test schedules, which makes fully remote work uncommon.
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Good materials are not always practical to manufacture at scale, so a project can stall when cost, supply, or production limits get in the way.
Career Progression
Materials Laboratory Technician
0-2 years
$50K-$69K
Supports testing, sample prep, and data logging while learning how different materials respond to real conditions.
Materials Scientist
2-5 years
$75K-$110K
Designs experiments, interprets results, and helps choose or improve materials for specific products and uses.
Senior Materials Scientist THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$115K-$145K
Handles harder development problems, leads test plans, and mentors junior scientists or technicians.
Principal Materials Scientist / R&D Lead
10+ years
$150K-$190K
Sets research direction, reviews risk before scale-up, and makes final calls on material performance and feasibility.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemistry, physics, or engineering
The most common entry point, held by 61.9% of workers in this role.
Master's degree
A smaller route, held by 9.52% of workers, often used to deepen lab, testing, or modeling expertise.
Doctoral degree
A research-heavy route, held by 14.29% of workers, especially for advanced R&D and leadership in specialized labs.
Post-baccalaureate certificate or targeted lab certification
An alternative path for workers who already have a science or engineering degree and want focused training in materials testing or characterization.
Key Skills
Technical
Materials Science & Applied Chemistry 80%
Materials Characterization & Testing 79%
Laboratory Experiment Design 78%
COMSOL Multiphysics, ANSYS & MATLAB Modeling 77%
SEM, XRD & DSC Instrumentation 76%
Metallurgy, Polymers & Ceramics 75%
Minitab, JMP & Excel Statistics 74%
Failure Analysis & Materials Selection 73%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningComplex Problem SolvingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionWritingSpeaking Job Outlook and Trends
+4.9%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 8.7K to 9.1 K over the next decade, representing 4.9% growth. Around 0.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.