Job profile
R&D scientist
Top job offers for R&D scientists
R&D scientists: being part of technological progress
Being involved in the development of drugs, new energy sources or alternative packaging materials, R&D scientists have a broad range of interesting tasks. Various industries rely on highly qualified experts to advance technological progress in a creative way. Are you interested in starting or advancing your career as an R&D scientist? Feel free to contact us!
Which opportunities do R&D scientists have on the labour market?
Scientists are in demand in different economic sectors. Companies from the pharmaceutical, packaging, medical engineering or electrical engineering industry, for example, usually have development departments where innovative research is conducted. As studies are often carried out in cooperation with universities or universities of applied sciences, graduates and PhD students have a good chance of being directly involved in such projects. Furthermore, R&D scientists often perform management tasks. Their career prospects also depend on their specialisation – university graduates in broad fields of study, such as chemistry or physics, have more opportunities than experts who have completed a very specialised course of study.
What are the tasks and responsibilities of R&D scientists?
R&D scientists are involved in the planning and implementation of scientific projects. Depending on their field of expertise, they may, for instance, develop formulas for new materials, execute tests or prove theories in practice. Moreover, close teamwork is usually part of R&D scientists’ daily business.
- Cooperation with other scientists
- Presentation of own research activities at conferences
- Publication of research results
- Preparation of expert reports
- Preparation of project applications
- Staff management
Which hard skills and soft skills should R&D scientists have?
Scientists who want to work in the research & development department of a company require a relevant academic background, i.e. a very good master’s degree or similar. First research experience acquired while working as student assistants improve their chances. Candidates with a PhD degree have an advantage when applying for project management positions at research departments. Besides, fluent English skills are essential to be able to publish and present research activities in English.
- An appropriate specialisation
- Expertise (ideally proved by a list of publications/presentations)
- Specific software skills
- Analytical skills
- Organisational talent and an independent way of working
- Team spirit
- The ability to adequately communicate in written and oral form
What is the average salary of R&D scientists?
Graduates with a master’s degree who start to work as scientific assistants have a salary of at least EUR 40,000 per year. Their salary increases depending on their research experience and field of work.
Find your dream job as an R&D scientist – with Hays
We are very familiar with the individual labour markets of different occupational fields and match university graduates with companies in a targeted manner, covering industries such as healthcare, engineering and life sciences.
Convince yourself of our expertise and make use of the benefits of finding a job with Hays!
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