Scientist Resume Example

This complete guide to a scientist resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your scientist resume.

Main sections of a science resume

A successful scientist resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.

Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:

Header and Personal Information

Your scientist resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.

Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.

Resume Summary

Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in scientist roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. Additionally, make sure your resume summary reflects the job description and focuses on qualities that are relevant to working as a scientist.

Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why scientist roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.

A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for scientist jobs below.

On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.

Employment History

In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a scientist. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.

Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to scientist jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. See the examples below for some ideas of what a great resume work experience looks like.

In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.

Education

In your education section, include details of your most relevant scientist qualifications and educational achievements.

If you're applying for scientist positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Science in Biology will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your statistical software proficiency or PCR and qPCR.

Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.

Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.

Projects and Publications

Including resume sections for key projects and publications can really help your chances of success with scientist applications. These help to demonstrate your expert knowledge and your standing within the academic community. You may wish to include any key academic projects you've directed or taken part in, along with publications such as books, chapters, academic journal articles or articles for mainstream publications such as magazines and newspapers.

The two most widely-used citation styles are the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Both of these include variations on author name, year of publication, article title (if necessary), publication name, volume, issue, page numbers and publisher. While the MLA style is more suitable for humanities subjects, APA is the citation style of choice for scientific and engineering subjects. Below you will find an (APA-style) example of a publication that's suitable for a scientist resume.

Skills

Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a scientist role. Skills such as data analysis techniques or critical thinking skills are particularly useful for scientist jobs. Again, refer to the scientist job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.

Highlighting your hard skills

Hard skills are the key technical skills required for scientist positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a scientist resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. It's best to aim for four or five key hard skills that match the job description. These can really showcase your suitability for the job.

You'll make more impact with your resume hard skills list if you focus on technical skills that reflect your unique expertise and specialism, and that match the key requirements in the job description. See the graphic below for some tips on hard skills for a scientist resume.

Adding soft skills to your scientist resume

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

An effective scientist resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.

Relevant Certifications and Licenses

In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a scientist. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.

Below you can find several examples of certifications for a science resume:

Optional Resume Sections

As well as the main sections of a science resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.

Hobbies and Interests

Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.

Volunteering

Adding voluntary roles can be a useful way of showing relevant experience and skills for scientist roles beyond your main employment history. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.

References

References aren't a standard scientist resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.

Best words to use in a scientist resume

Action words can help illustrate to the hiring manager the difference you made in each of your previous jobs. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.

For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.

Example resume for scientist applications

The scientist resume example below incorporates all the information from above into a full-designed resume template, so you can see how a final resume will look:

How to make an ATS-friendly resume

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. There are several things you can do when writing your scientist resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.

Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:

• Opt for an established, traditional resume format such as a reverse-chronological or functional structure. These will ensure your resume includes all the necessary details ATS systems scan for.
• Add keywords that match the job description throughout your resume, as ATS applications scan for these and well-placed, considered use can help your resume rank more highly.
• Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
• Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
• Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.

Key points for your scientist resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Resumes & Cover Letters for PhD Students, Hardvard University: https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/161/2024/08/2024-GSAS_phd_resume_cover_letters-1.pdf

(2) Guide to Résumés and Curricula Vitae, National Institutes of Health: https://www.training.nih.gov/documents/16/Guide_to_Resumes_and_Curricula_Vitae.pdf