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What is a project scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Betsy Smith,
Richard Tollo Ph.D.

A project scientist is someone assigned to work on a specific project for some time. The project depends on the scientist's specialization and experience. Also, depending on the project's scope, there may be two or twenty scientists on any given project.

Once assigned, the scientist's duties are to conduct experiments, gather data, and report findings. The job of a scientist is based on hard facts gathered through findings. Scientists often begin with a question in mind, and they proceed to answer it through experiments. The ultimate goal is to add to the current body of knowledge and, hopefully, fuel drive advancements.

The educational requirements for being a project scientist depends on your desired specialization. You'll need a bachelor's and advanced degrees. As a scientist, you'll also need to publish several papers on your research findings.

What general advice would you give to a project scientist?

Dr. Betsy SmithDr. Betsy Smith LinkedIn profile

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.
ScoreProject ScientistUS Average
Salary
6.2

Avg. Salary $79,073

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 26.22%

Black or African American 6.49%

Hispanic or Latino 9.75%

Unknown 4.14%

White 53.25%

Gender

female 31.98%

male 68.02%

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

Project scientist career paths

Key steps to become a project scientist

  1. Explore project scientist education requirements

    Most common project scientist degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.2 %

    Master's

    15.2 %

    Doctorate

    13.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific project scientist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Data Analysis10.45%
    Research Projects9.44%
    Oversight7.05%
    Data Management5.87%
    Technical Reports4.09%
  3. Complete relevant project scientist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New project 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 project scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real project scientist resumes.
  4. Research project scientist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage clearance sampling and responsible for final clearance readings and other duties as directed by EPA.
    • Manage the GIS data set and develop maps to support interim actions, the risk assessment, and the RI/FS.
    • Develop and manage company asbestos inspection program.
    • Develop and manage company EHS compliance processes in accordance with current and upcoming regulatory mandates.
  5. Prepare your project scientist resume

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

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a project scientist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable project scientist resume templates

    Build a professional project scientist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your project scientist resume.
    Project Scientist Resume
    Project Scientist Resume
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    Project Scientist Resume
  6. Apply for project scientist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a project scientist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first project scientist job

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Average project scientist salary

The average project scientist salary in the United States is $79,073 per year or $38 per hour. Project scientist salaries range between $56,000 and $110,000 per year.

Average project scientist salary
$79,073 Yearly
$38.02 hourly

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How do project scientists rate their job?

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Project scientist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

I do the same job every day but I never get the same results twice. each minute, hour, day everything changes. we drill thru different formations all the time. But we drill the same stuff from well to well.

Cons

There is a constant chance of someone making a big mistake and causing a blow out that hurts or kills others.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2021
Pros

Firstly, the most important is to protect our planet for us and the future generations. Secondly our planet is not going to support the pressure and negative impacts because of the big Increased human population . Finally our planet needs more and more environmental specialists to regulate and control all human activities, especially the ilegal ones.

Cons

I don’t like when big companies they know what’s wrong and what’s right, but still the destroy, like cutting trees in Brazil and the other side big companies even knowing those trees are ilegal, but still they continuing to porches. There for I can’t understand and I don’t like.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Science of observation


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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