Introduction
People with a natural flair, ability, and potential for research on any and every subject can find this job extremely satisfying. The role of a research scientist is to plan and conduct laboratory-based trial and experiments, keeping oneself updated with the latest developments and innovations in the field of scientific research, monitoring experiments, writing research papers or reports by recording and analyzing data, collecting samples, and getting oneself involved in various other types of fieldworks, demonstrating procedures and supervising junior staff members. The subjects include a wide variety of topics such as chemistry, political science, biology, biochemistry, environmental science, medicine, chemical science, etc.
Steps that one needs to take to become a Research Scientist
Firstly, a person is required to obtain a Bachelor’s degree from a field that he or she is interested in. if a person is not initially sure regarding what field he or she wants to pursue further in the path of a Research Scientist, then one should consider obtaining a degree in clinical research. A person can obtain a degree in biochemistry, biology, pharmacology, or pre-med if he or she wants to go for research work in medicine, chemistry, or biology.
Then after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from a particular field, a candidate is required to obtain a Master’s degree from a field they wish to pursue further. There are some schools which offer an integrated course for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree so that students in those schools can immediately start with their graduate courses. However, if any school does not provide the integrated course, a candidate is expected to complete the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) before applying to graduate degree programs. The duration of this program is two to three years and it includes subjects related to the field that a candidate wishes to enter. Some of the basic fields of teaching include advanced mathematics courses, to help students present their research findings there are public speaking classes, teaching skills, and developing writing skills as candidates are expected to write for research papers and grants.
After obtaining a Master’s degree in a relevant field, it is expected that a candidate gets some work experience for one to two years before pursuing their Ph.D. program. There is one more option available with the candidates if they want to gain work experience at the Master’s level only. Candidates can defer a master’s program and work as a research assistant.
After getting some work experience, a candidate can go for pursuing certification. It means obtaining a license. Though this is not mandatory for candidates it is advised that individuals go for these certification courses as it will give an edge to a candidate over other candidates. Certification courses such as Certified Clinical Research Associate, ACRP Certified Professional designations, or Certified Principal Investigator offered by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP).
Those who are ambitious about becoming a lead Research Scientist can further go on to obtain a doctorate after completing the master’s program. This usually takes four to five years and a candidate is required to produce the original research in this program. Candidates are also expected to defend it through formal processes.
Skills that a research scientist should possess
- Critical thinking– A research scientist will be presented with several problems in their day-to-day functioning. Thus, he or she is expected to possess critical thinking skills so that for finding a solution to that problem and conducting an interview, they can find out the best method.
- Communication skills– They need strong communication skills so that they can describe their finding and observations to the technicians and other scientists. To facilitate writing research papers and grant proposals, it is also required that Research Scientists possess strong writing skills. They also require good writing skills if they want to publish their work in journals.
- Interpersonal skills– Research Scientists work in a team and therefore, they require listening, speaking, and interacting skills with other members of the team. Strong interpersonal skills can ensure effective teamwork and good working relationships.
- Data analysis– this is the basic skill that a Research Scientist should possess. The work of a Research Scientist is to conduct experiments, collect data and analyze it to draw a proper conclusion.
- Strong attention to detail and patience– Research Scientists are required to have patience as getting results may take a long time and optimism is also required during such time. Strong attention is required to ensure that the information is recorded accurately and also designing repeatable procedures is done accurately.
Research Scientist provides a promising career avenue. The rise in demand has been noted for the research scientist to research various diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for the research scientists in the medical field is expected to grow 8% which is slightly faster than the 5% average for all occupations.
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