Material scientists can work in a variety of settings, including:
- Research and development (R&D) departments in private companies, where they work on developing new materials for products and applications.
- Universities and academic institutions, where they conduct research and teach classes on materials science and related subjects.
- National laboratories and government research institutions, where they conduct basic and applied research on materials and their potential uses.
- Consulting firms, where they provide expertise on materials selection and testing to clients in various industries.
- Manufacturing companies where they work on quality control, process optimization and troubleshoot production problems
Some material scientists may also work in interdisciplinary teams, collaborating with scientists and engineers from other fields, such as chemistry, physics, and mechanical engineering, to develop new materials and technologies.