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Date: 03/13/2025

Materials Scientists

Research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and synthetic or composite materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and glass. 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. Includes glass scientists, ceramic scientists, metallurgical scientists, and polymer scientists.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics.
    • 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.
    • Confer with customers to determine how to tailor materials to their needs.
    • Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.
    • Supervise and monitor production processes to ensure efficient use of equipment, timely changes to specifications, and project completion within time frame and budget.
    • Teach in colleges and universities.
    • 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.
    • Research methods of processing, forming, and firing materials to develop such products as ceramic dental fillings, unbreakable dinner plates, and telescope lenses.
    • 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.
    • Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
    • Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.
    • Test material samples for tolerance under tension, compression, and shear to determine the cause of metal failures.
    • Perform experiments and computer modeling to study the nature, structure, and physical and chemical properties of metals and their alloys, and their responses to applied forces.
    • Write research papers for publication in scientific journals.

    Skills

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    7
    Workplace Documents
    6
    Graphic Literacy
    6

    Abilities

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    Knowledge

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 94110/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 45.25/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 400
    • Yearly Projected Openings 30

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Innovation
    • Persistence
    • Achievement/Effort

    Tools

    • Abrasion testers
    • Accelerometers
    • Analytical balances
    • Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Blow torch
    • Calorimeters
    • Casting machines
    • Corrosion testers
    • Creep testers
    • Crucible furnaces
    • Crystal growing equipment
    • Desktop computers
    • Diffractometers
    • Electronic actuators
    • Extruders
    • Fatigue testers
    • Freeze dryers or lyopholizers
    • Frequency analyzers
    • Fume hoods or cupboards
    • Goggles
    • Grinders
    • Hardness testers
    • Horizontal turning center
    • Hydraulic press frames
    • Impact testers
    • Induction heaters
    • Inductively coupled plasma ICP spectrometers
    • Infrared spectrometers
    • Injection molding machines
    • Interferometers
    • Ion selective electrode ISE meters
    • Isolation glove boxes
    • Laboratory balances
    • Laboratory box furnaces
    • Laboratory crushers or pulverizers
    • Laboratory evaporators
    • Laboratory mills
    • Laboratory mixers
    • Light scattering equipment
    • Linear position sensors
    • Loadcells
    • Magnetometers
    • Manometers
    • Mass spectrometers
    • Metal markers or holders
    • Metallurgical microscopes
    • Microcontrollers
    • Milling machines
    • Notebook computers
    • Oscilloscopes
    • Particle size measuring apparatus
    • Personal computers
    • Photo attachments for microscopes
    • Polarizing microscopes
    • Porosimeters
    • Potentiometers
    • Power grinders
    • Power saws
    • Presses
    • Radiation detectors
    • Reflectometers
    • Rheometers
    • Roughness measuring instruments
    • Safety glasses
    • Sampling manifolds
    • Scanning electron microscopes
    • Scanning probe microscopes
    • Semiconductor process systems
    • Signal generators
    • Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters
    • Spectrometers
    • Spectrophotometers
    • Stereo or dissecting light microscopes
    • Surface tension measuring instruments
    • Surface testers
    • Swaging tools
    • Thermal differential analyzers
    • Thermo gravimetry analyzers
    • Thickness measuring devices
    • Transmission electron microscopes
    • Tube furnaces
    • Tumblers or polishers
    • Ultra pure water systems
    • Ultrasonic cleaning equipment
    • Ultrasonic examination equipment
    • Vacuum ovens
    • Viscosimeters
    • Volumeters
    • Wear testers
    • X ray diffraction equipment
    • X ray generators
    • X ray radiography examination equipment

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Development environment software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Object or component oriented development software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Web platform development software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

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