Skills
Materials Scientist Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in materials scientists, and how to build and show them.
What skills do materials scientists need?
Materials Scientists need technical skills such as materials chemistry, characterization, and synthesis, plus people skills like curiosity and persistence. They also use tools such as XRD and SEM and TEM.
Technical (hard) skills
- Materials chemistry
- Characterization
- Synthesis
- Microscopy
- Data analysis
- Scientific writing
People (soft) skills
- Curiosity
- Persistence
- Collaboration
- Attention to detail
Tools, equipment and technology
- XRD
- SEM and TEM
- DSC and TGA
- Spectroscopy
- Glove boxes
- Python
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how materials scientists put their skills to work:
- How to characterize a new material
- How to build and test a coin cell battery
- How to work safely in a glove box
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Materials chemistry” and “Characterization.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “curiosity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Ph.D. near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our materials scientist glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Materials Scientist training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.