CAREER PROFILE · Discover & Research

Materials Scientist

Design, test and improve the materials behind cleaner energy, electronics and resilient products.

01 · THE ROLE

What is this career?

Materials scientists connect chemistry, physics and engineering to understand why a material behaves as it does and how to make it perform better at scale.

02 · THE WORK

What people actually do

Plan experiments and choose characterisation methods
Interpret microscopy, thermal or mechanical data
Work with engineers to translate evidence into a manufacturable product

A typical project

Investigate why a battery coating degrades, compare candidate formulations and recommend a process change.

03 · THE TOOLKIT

Skills that matter

01Experimental design

02Materials characterisation

03Data interpretation

04Technical writing

05Cross-functional collaboration

04 · ROUTES IN

More than one pathway

Useful for research-intensive roles, but not universally required when a degree includes strong practical experience.

Applied route

01Relevant STEM degree

02Industrial placement

03Graduate materials role

Materials Scientist

Research route

01Relevant STEM degree

02Research project or master’s

03R&D scientist role

Materials Scientist

05 · BECOMING COMPETITIVE

Build evidence, not just interest.

Strong laboratory evidence and the ability to explain trade-offs make candidates more distinctive.

Materials science, chemistry, physics or engineering degree
Industrial placement or substantial laboratory project
Graduate materials, process or product-development role

EDITORIAL CONNECTIONS

Employers to explore

Starting points based on related technical work—not evidence of a current vacancy.

Johnson MattheyAdvanced Materials · Chemicals Saint-GobainAdvanced Materials · Chemicals Rolls-RoyceAerospace · Energy SABICChemicals · Advanced Materials

OPPORTUNITIES

Related opportunities on STEMTRACK

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Internship Deadline not stated

Climeworks

Intern in Sorbent Characterization (100%)

Six-month materials and chemistry internship characterising direct-air-capture sorbents and their long-term performance.

Zurich, SwitzerlandHybridMaster’s / PostgraduatePay — Paid · CHF 2,000/month during BSc & MSc; CHF 2,500/month after completion of MSc

ChemistryEngineeringMaterials Science

Verified opportunity

Review details

Graduate role Deadline not stated

Siemens Energy

Siemens Energy Graduate Program - Hot Gas Path Repair Engineer

Two-year graduate programme developing repair-engineering expertise for gas-turbine hot-gas-path components in Dammam.

Dammam, Saudi ArabiaWork format not statedMaster’s / Postgraduate · Graduate / Early CareerPay — Paid

EngineeringMaterials Science

Verified opportunity

Review details

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