Onboarding plan
Materials Scientist Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new materials scientist from first day to full productivity.
Materials Scientist onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: Ph.D., Lab safety training (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: XRD; SEM and TEM; DSC and TGA; spectroscopy
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Materials Scientist training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Follow chemical safety
- Follow nanomaterial handling rules
- Use glove boxes properly
- Follow radiation safety
- Shadow an experienced materials scientist through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: characterize a new material
- Supervised practice: build and test a coin cell battery
- Supervised practice: work safely in a glove box
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Synthesize materials: independently
- Characterize structure: independently
- Test properties: independently
- Analyze data: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, Ph.D.)
- Discuss the career path: Research Associate → Materials Scientist → Senior Scientist
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Characterize a New Material | |||
| Build and Test a Coin Cell Battery | |||
| Work Safely in a Glove Box | |||
| Materials chemistry | |||
| Characterization | |||
| Synthesis | |||
| Microscopy |
How to measure onboarding success
- Time to independent work on instruments or projects
- Documentation or data corrections required
- Rework, out-of-spec results or failed audits
- 90-day retention
How Materials Scientist training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Materials Scientist Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Materials Scientist Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Materials Scientist Career
- Final Knowledge Check