What is a staff scientist?

Career: Staff Scientist

A staff scientist conducts research for a governmental, scientific, or technical agency. As a staff scientist, you may be the principal investigator (PI) or lead researcher, or you may report to a supervising scientist in a lab or fieldwork setting. Job duties include designing and conducting scientific research projects, collecting data, documenting findings, and complying with budgets, schedules, and regulations. The qualifications for a career as a staff scientist include in-depth college education in the sciences and at least two to eight years of post-doctorate experience. You need proven research and teamwork skills for this job.