What does a scientist do?
Scientists are, by definition, individuals who study and gain expertise in one of the natural sciences: biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and earth sciences. Each of these five main natural sciences has its own subdivisions, and the scope of work will vary for each subdivision.
As a scientist, you will study and research a topic within one of these fields, often in great detail. Research scientists are essentially experts in specific topics within their fields.
However, even though there are many different types of scientists, the responsibilities of all research scientists are very similar.
Most scientists will need to propose their own research and gain funding for it from relevant organisations. As a scientist, you will therefore need to write up research proposals and funding applications.
Once you start your research, you may conduct it in a lab, out in the field, or in a specialised facility, depending on the research topic. When you obtain results, you will then need to analyse them and present them to other scientists, as well as write up research papers to publish in journals or books.
Being a scientist can be a very gratifying job, as you will often help in the development of new products. For instance, you might develop new tests as a biomedical scientist, advance technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) or work with machine learning as a computer scientist, or produce new medical guidelines as a clinical scientist.
You will also support scientists and workers in other disciplines. For example, as a data scientist you will analyse large sets of data to produce insights into datasets that may then be used in further scientific research.
How to become a scientist
Becoming a scientist requires a lot of studying and researching. You will need to complete an undergraduate degree in the field you would like to work in. For example, if you would like to become a forensic scientist you should study forensic science or a related subject such as criminology.
To obtain an undergraduate degree in a specific science, you will often need to have A levels or equivalent in particular subjects. For example, if you want to apply for a degree in biology, you will need A level biology.
However, if you only decide what you would like to do after your secondary education, some universities offer foundation year degrees, aimed at those who don’t have a relevant A level or equivalent qualification.
After completing a bachelor’s degree, many aspiring scientists choose to do a master’s degree, and many scientists eventually also obtain a doctorate, but how common this is depends on the field.
It is important to gain some hands-on experience during your studies to become a scientist, regardless of the speciality you choose. This is because in addition to knowledge and qualifications, scientists also need to develop skills such as problem-solving, effective communication and teamwork.
Some industries, such as data science or computer science, offer postgraduate job posts for people straight out of university. These are often designed as training posts, where you will complete a training programme rotating between different teams in the company before becoming a permanent employee.
Additionally, some companies offer their employees the opportunity to undertake a fully- or partially-funded masters or even a PhD while working.
How long does it take to become a scientist?
The exact duration of training depends on the field of study you choose. However, for most scientist jobs, it will take at least three to four years to complete the required undergraduate degree.
It is common to then take a year to complete a master’s degree, and many scientists also undertake a PhD which can last around three to five years.
So, depending on the route you choose, you could spend between three and 10 years in education. But, for example, if you do a PhD, you will be working independently as a research scientist during that time, and will be paid for your research.
A day in the life of a scientist
Different scientists will spend their days in different work environments and may carry out a variety of different specific tasks. Nevertheless, the broad responsibilities are often similar for many scientists across different fields of study.
For example, most research scientists will need to do tasks like proposing projects, designing and carrying out experiments in a lab or out in the field, and writing up and presenting the findings.
Other types of scientists, like engineers or computer scientists, will also need to propose projects, but they will focus less on data collection and interpretation, and more on developing new technology.
Scientist: Career options
Scientists work around 40 hours a week. Depending on which field they work in and what kind of role they take on, they may need to work some evenings, weekends or bank holidays, and some might even work unsocial hours. For example, research scientists will often need to spend weekends doing administrative work, forensic scientists may be called out on weekends or during the night, and computer scientists may need to work out of hours to finish projects on time.
There are many directions your science career can take. These narrow down as you choose your scientific field and subspeciality.
For example, if you know you want to study life sciences, or more specifically be a scientist in a biology-related field, you could become anything from a molecular biologist, a zoologist or a wildlife biologist to a climate change scientist.
Similarly, if you would like to study physics or maths, you might become an astrophysicist, an applied mathematician, a statistician or even an engineer.
Within most academic-oriented science careers, the natural career progression is from academic research scientist to senior research fellow, and eventually professor. This progression will require an increasing level of independence and you will need to publish original research and lead research teams to become a professor.
As a scientist, you may also work in a more industrial setting. For example, pharmacologists often work in large pharmaceutical companies, where they help to design and research new medication, or produce already established pharmaceuticals.
Other fields, such as physics, computer science or even medical science, may have less of a research focus as you progress, and more of an applied component. For instance, as a geneticist you might progress from researching molecular genetics to a career in medical genetics and advising on genetic conditions.
Or, as a computer scientist, you might take on managerial roles as you become more senior and lead a team of junior computer scientists to develop new software or systems.
In summary, a career in science is broad and offers many opportunities, whichever field you choose.
How much does a scientist earn in the UK and the US?
As a research scientist in the UK, you might earn between £17,688 and £43,000 depending on your level of expertise. However, this will vary between different scientific fields.
In the US, the salary range for a scientist is large, starting from around $50,700 to $132,100 for the best paid roles. This will, as in the UK, vary depending on your expertise, specialisation and workplace.
References:
- National Careers Service. Research Scientist. Available from: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/research-scientist
- Get Educated. How to become a scientist. Available from: https://www.geteducated.com/careers/how-to-become-a-scientist/#/
- Career explorer. Comprehensive list of science related careers and degrees. Available from: https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/scientist/#comprehensive-list-of-science-related-careers-and-degrees
- Careers Wales. Scientist: How to become. Available from: https://careerswales.gov.wales/job-information/scientist/how-to-become
- Career explorer. Scientist salary. Available from: https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/scientist/salary/
