1. Employment Profile: What exactly does a Research Scientist do? |
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 What field is your job in?
Microbiology (Research)
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What is your job title?
Research Scientist
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Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for
(size and general description of what type of organization it is)
I am currently employed and paid by Washington University which is a private educational institution employing about 12,500 people.
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How long have you been employed in this position?
3 years
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How many hours do you work a week on average?
45
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Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
As a research scientist I am responsible for developing interesting hypotheses regarding the role of bacteria in the human gut, designing experiments to test those hypotheses, and compiling my data and conclusions for publication.
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What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
$26,000
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What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
27000
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Please
list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation,
sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
2 weeks vacation, full medical coverage contingent on the use of WashU medical facilities, group plan dental and vision, no retirement plan available
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Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
Undercompensated
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2. Work environment! |
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Does
your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this
something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
I work with roughly 12 other people on a daily basis. I very much enjoy interacting with my fellow scientists, who in many cases are experienced in areas I am not. I find working with others daily is a rewarding way to grow professionally, gain new expertise, and improve my communication skills.
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Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
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Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
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Describe
your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what
you like/dislike about working in it
Our projects are often multidisciplinary and require the collaboration of multiple scientists for a successful outcome. Different projects may require me to work with different groups of people (i.e. I am usually not interacting with the same nucleus of employees each time a new project starts).
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Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
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1 Income
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2 Work Environment - co-workers
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5 Work Environment - supervisors
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6 Benefits
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4 Hours
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7 Level of responsibility
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3 The actual "work" you do at your job
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8 Job Title
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3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours? |
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If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
It would be nearly impossible to do my job without first obtaining a degree in the biological sciences (I would recommend nothing less than a M.S. in Biology in the current job market). A strong emphasis on obtaining hands-on research experience is paramount, as is accumulating a well-documented record of successes in past research projects (most notably, publications in reputable journals).
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What
skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a
position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social
skills, organization skills, technical skills)
I think a successful research scientist must, above all, have a well-developed appreciation for and experience with the scientific method, from developing hypotheses to designing experiments, to carrying those experiments out and analyzing the results. A strong foundation in logical reasoning is very important, as are well-developed organizational skills (an ability to maintain good records, plan long-term strategies for experiments, etc.). Technical skills in research methods are very helpful, but one should expect to have to learn as they go, as each project presents its own sets of challenges and approaches required. Finally, strong social and communication skills are becoming increasingly important as science becomes more and more multidisciplinary and studies require greater levels of resources and expertise. The days of the lone scientist toiling in his/her basement are over - you cannot be successful in research today without being able to work with others, learn from them, and communicate your own ideas to a group.
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Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Absolutely. It would be impossible to do my job without a strong educational background in the sciences and hands-on research experience in a lab.
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What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Do not be afraid of failure and do not let yourself get easily discouraged. Science is HARD and takes much more time than most people realize. Do not miss opportunities to learn from others who are more experienced than you, do not be afraid to ask questions, and do your best to cultivate a love of learning and reading. If you have little research experience, it is incredibly important to be mentored early on so that you can develop good habits and effective approaches to answering the questions that interest you.
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