How To Become A Junior Scientist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a junior scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Betsy Smith

A junior scientist is an individual who works under the direction of a chief scientist and conducts research and scientific studies. These individuals work in a variety of industries, from chemistry, biology to pharmacology. They obtain and process samples for experiments and analysis, coordinating with other staff and scientists, document all tests, procedures and results, and author reports for management and clients. A junior scientist follows organizational procedures and protocols and must also follow budgets and meet deadlines. A junior scientist can work for a university, a private organization, or a for-profit company.

Most junior scientists have a bachelor's, master's, or an associate's degree in the field in which they are working, such as biology, physics, engineering, or chemistry. However, some employers may consider candidates who have comparable experience and skills. A junior research scientist should possess strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills. They should also be comfortable working in teams and under direct supervision.

If you have a degree or experience in a scientific discipline, a position as a junior scientist can be a great career move and offers opportunities for advancement. A junior scientist can make up to $57,000 annually in the US, and the field is expected to grow 8% in the next ten years.

What general advice would you give to a Junior Scientist?

Dr. Betsy Smith

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths, like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.

ScoreJunior ScientistUS Average

Salary

4.9

Avg. Salary $63,169

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.3

Growth Rate 17%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 26.33%

Black or African American 6.43%

Hispanic or Latino 9.69%

Unknown 4.12%

White 53.28%

Gender

female 53.02%

male 46.98%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.8

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a junior scientist

Explore junior scientist education requirements

Most common junior scientist degrees

Bachelor's

74.7 %

Master's

18.5 %

Doctorate

3.3 %

Start to develop specific junior scientist skills

Skills	Percentages
Lab Equipment	17.70%
Literature	12.53%
Data Analysis	7.96%
GMP	6.76%
Experimental Design	5.80%

Complete relevant junior scientist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New junior scientists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a junior scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real junior scientist resumes.

Research junior scientist duties and responsibilities

Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
Manufacture supplies for GLP toxicology studies while audit by quality unit.
Develop laboratory protocols for genetic extraction/gel electrophoresis.
Develop and validate immunoassay methods for the quantitative analysis of proteins.

Prepare your junior scientist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior scientist resume.

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