Research scientist cover letter

Research Scientist Cover Letter (With Examples)

While resumes are necessary for any complete job application, they only tell part of the story for many of us.

On the other hand, cover letters share more about who you are as a person and why you would be a good fit for the job. They also allow you to speak directly to the hiring manager long before an interview.

The perfect cover letter may seem like something out of your reach, especially if you are prone to imposter syndrome or simply dislike talking about yourself. But, you’re in luck, since there are numerous templates available for you to use; nearly every word processor has templates, including Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Parts of a Research Scientist Cover Lette

It doesn’t matter what job you’re applying to; the main structure of the letter will remain the same.

Cover letters begin with an opening. These openings follow tradition, meaning they start with an address and a formal greeting, as if you were sending the letter by mail.

Then, in the body of the letter, you will explain some of your experience, emphasize some of your greatest achievements, and talk a bit about yourself and why you would be a good fit for the position. You can also show off your writing and communication skills in this section while you’re at it.

Finally, you’ll end the letter with a few concluding words and a farewell.

Splitting the letter up into these three sections makes it a bit easier to handle, preventing you from becoming overwhelmed by the task itself.

Cover Letter Opening

As we said, the opening of the letter will include information you would find on a mailed letter.

To begin, in the header of your document, include your full name, phone number, email address, and any other information you’d like the hiring manager to have easy access to.

Start your document by checking your font. It should be 12pt Times New Roman, single-spaced.

The first line of the document should be the date that you’re submitting your application, written as Month Day, Year.

Next, you are going to include the information of the hiring manager. Sometimes their name will be included with the job listing, but if you cannot find it there, try doing some preliminary research on the company. Check out their LinkedIn and other social media pages to see if you can find someone with a title like “hiring manager.”

Once you’ve found it, consider how to address the person. If the company seems to have a more formal or traditional attitude, consider using a prefix such as Mr. or Ms. before the person’s name. If they seem more casual, use their full name.

Also, use their full name with no prefix if you are unsure of which prefix they would use -- say, they have a gender-neutral name such as Jessie or Pat.

If you cannot find the name of the person, simply addressing them as “Hiring Manager” is fine.

After this, you’re going to include information about the company, including their main address, which can most likely be found through a quick internet search or a scan of their website.

Then, start a new paragraph, and address the hiring manager. Using “Dear So-and-So” is an acceptable format.

Once you’ve gathered this information, your letter should look something like this:

Research Scientist Cover Letter Body

This is probably the most challenging section of a cover letter to write, simply because it is the most personalized. That being said, feel free to play around with several drafts before deciding on which one best represents you.

Though this section is tailor-made to each individual, there is still a main outline you can follow.

First, you will state what the purpose of this letter is: to apply to a specific position. Hiring managers have to read through dozens of cover letters, and they may be hiring for several positions at once.

Because of this, it’s best not to beat around the bush. “I am writing to you to…” is a great way to begin, but don’t feel married to this sentence starter. You can also use this first sentence to explain what drew you to the position. For example, “As a long-time admirer of your firm and your work, I am excited to submit my application …”

You should mention the title of the position you are applying to and make sure the hiring manager is considering you for the correct position. You should also let them know where you found the job listing. This gives hiring managers valuable information as to which of their job listings are producing the most results.

With these things in mind, your opening sentence should look a bit like this:

Now that you have stated your intent, you will explain why you are an ideal candidate for this position. To begin, the easiest thing to do is to return to the job listing itself. Take a look at what they say they are looking for and note what qualifications you have that they want. This becomes your list of things to mention.

When describing your skill set, use language similar to the language used in the job listing. For example, if the job listing asks for someone familiar with research team management, you can say, “I have experience managing a research team.”

You can also list off your more technical skills in bullet points, since they tend not to require much explanation. Try to keep this short -- around four or five bullet points. For example,

In this section of the letter, you can also take a few lines to describe your career journey so far. Talk about your education, your certificates, and past experiences. Make sure to remain positive when speaking about these. Talk about your past responsibilities and what you have learned at your last job that will help you in this one. For example:

This section is also a chance for you to underline some of your accomplishments, whether that be a project you’re proud of or an obstacle you overcame. Try using data to back up your claims, as using data makes your claims more credible and helps the hiring manager understand the scale of your achievements.

It is more impactful to say, “I managed a research team of twenty members,” rather than “I managed a large research team.”

This section can be the hardest to write, but this is your time to shine. You deserve to have your hard work recognized. Don’t be afraid to brag a little, as this is the time and place to do it.

Research Scientist Cover Letter Closing Lines

Now that the hard part is over, and you’ve portrayed yourself in the best light possible, it’s time to wrap up your letter with a proper conclusion and farewell.

Start by reiterating your interest in the position.

Include your contact information one more time. Thank them formally, and end with a professional signature.

“Regards” and “Yours” can also be appropriate closings.

Example of a Research Scientist Cover Letter

Once you’ve completed your letter, it should look something like this:

Final Thoughts

Though it can be scary for all of us, writing a cover letter does not need to be complicated. It actually can make good practice, as writing a cover letter allows you to pitch yourself to someone who doesn’t know you, which is an essential skill in any interview.

Cover letters are what set you apart from the competition, especially since you will be far more likely to catch the eye of the hiring manager and possibly land a highly coveted interview. Luckily, there is no shortage of resources out there that make writing a cover letter as easy as possible.