Materials Scientists
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Research focuses on how metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics are structured and how they behave, with the goal of strengthening them, combining them, or giving them new properties. Samples are tested for strength, ductility, magnetic and electrical behavior, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold; tension, compression, and shear tests help explain metal failures. Laboratory experiments check whether a process can produce materials with special characteristics, and reports or technical manuals go to other scientists, sponsors, or customers. Production processes may be supervised so specifications stay current. A good match for people who like comparing how materials perform under stress, planning experiments, and documenting results for scientists and customers.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$117'790
Median Wage Market Position
$117'790
What you might do
- Study the structure and properties of materials
- Check metals for strength, heat, and corrosion
- Create or strengthen materials for new uses
- Plan experiments to confirm production methods
- Advise which materials hold up in harsh settings
- Prepare reports, proposals, and technical manuals
Skills that matter
- Testing metals for strength, heat, and corrosion
- Lab experiments that confirm new material processes
- Finding why samples fail under tension or shear
- Technical reports for scientists and sponsors
- Matching materials to demanding environments
- Overseeing production so specs and budgets hold
AI & the future of this role
Modeling and literature synthesis may increasingly handle screening of candidate materials and property predictions. Lab experimentation, materials characterization, and judgment about real-world performance under messy conditions still tend to anchor the work.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details