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

What is a proteomics scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Betsy Smith

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a proteomics scientist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $41.22 an hour? That's $85,738 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 17% and produce 20,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a proteomics 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.

ScoreProteomics ScientistUS Average

Salary

6.7

Avg. Salary $85,738

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.14%

Asian 27.95%

Black or African American 4.60%

Hispanic or Latino 7.38%

Unknown 3.55%

White 56.38%

Gender

female 30.00%

male 70.00%

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 proteomics scientist

Explore proteomics scientist education requirements

Most common proteomics scientist degrees

Bachelor's

66.7 %

Doctorate

16.7 %

Master's

16.7 %

Start to develop specific proteomics scientist skills

Skills	Percentages
Cell Culture	62.26%
Drug Discovery	37.74%

Complete relevant proteomics scientist training and internships

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

Research proteomics scientist duties and responsibilities

Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
Conduct scientific analyses routinely on seed samples in effort to classify GMO crops versus Non-GMO crops.
Screen assays in pilot studies to vet the efficacy of the assay prior to HTS.
Present HTS data to disease area scientists.

Apply for proteomics scientist jobs

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

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