Career Explorer Science
Grows with AI
Materials scientists
Research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and synthetic or composite materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and glass. Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications. Includes glass scientists, ceramic scientists, metallurgical scientists, and polymer scientists.
Changing faster than most: more resilient than 35% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is high (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it very high), and US jobs are projected to change by +8.3% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on creative vision.
AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.
- Median pay (2025)
- $117,790
- Job growth to 2035
- +8.3%
- Openings a year
- 600
- People doing it (2025)
- 8,600
- Usual route in
- Bachelor's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Research technology designs or applications
- Present research or technical information
- Advise others on the design or use of technologies
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Test characteristics of materials or products
- Develop research plans or methodologies
- Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance
What the work looks like
- Conduct research on the structures and properties of materials, such as metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics, to obtain information that could be used to develop new products or enhance existing ones.
- Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.
- Test material samples for tolerance under tension, compression, and shear to determine the cause of metal failures.
- Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications.
- Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Materials engineersGrows with AI, Index 61, +7.5%
- Computer and information research scientistsGrows with AI, Index 41, +21.8%
- Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographersGrows with AI, Index 38, +5.1%
- Soil and plant scientistsGrows with AI, Index 41, +6.7%
Also known as: Materials Research Engineer, Materials Scientist, Research Scientist, Scientist, Applications Scientist, Metallurgical Engineer, Micro Electrical/Mechanical Systems Device Scientist (MEMS Device Scientist), Polymer Materials Consultant.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.