Materials Scientist
Investigate and develop new materials for everything from batteries and aircraft to medical implants.
A day in the life
Use electron microscopes and X-ray techniques, test material properties, and scale promising materials for manufacture.
Typical route
Helpful A-levels
Physics + Maths (+ Chemistry useful)
Typical qualification and training
- Materials Science, Physics or Chemistry degree
- PhD for independent research roles
These are common routes, not compulsory subject combinations. Entry requirements vary between universities, training schemes and employers, so always check the current provider requirements.
Indicative UK salary
- Starter
- £25,000-£31,000
- Experienced
- £38,000-£55,000
- Senior
- £65,000+
Industrial R&D and specialist consultancy can exceed academic pay.
Salary range checked against Prospects.ac.uk: Materials Scientist.
UK employers
- Johnson Matthey
- Tata Steel
- Diamond Light Source
- National Physical Laboratory
Worldwide employers
- BASF
- Corning
- 3M
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology
Useful route links
These links are good starting points for courses, apprenticeships, graduate routes and professional training. They open the official or specialist sites rather than another summary page.
Key skills
Explore related careers
Sources and further reading
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