Research Scientist CV Example
A research scientist CV should demonstrate deep expertise in your research area, a strong publication record, and the ability to secure research funding.
Recommended template: Sleek
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Lead with your most impactful publications and highest-profile research projects.
- Include details of grants and funding secured, with monetary values where possible.
- Highlight research supervision and mentoring of junior scientists or students.
- Demonstrate the real-world impact of your research through citations or applications.
Ready to build your CV?
Start with the Sleek template and customise it for your science role.
How to Write Your Research Scientist CV
A research scientist CV should demonstrate your ability to conceive, lead, and deliver impactful research. Selection panels and hiring managers assess your publication quality, funding track record, and evidence of scientific leadership. Your CV must present a compelling narrative of your research trajectory — from doctoral training through to independent investigation — showing clear progression in scope, responsibility, and impact.
CV Structure
Use a reverse-chronological format with sections for your profile, employment, education, publications, grants, supervision, and invited talks. Each role should describe the research context, your team management responsibilities, and the outcomes of your work. Include a publications section with full citations and a grants section with funder, value, and your role. Keep the CV to three to four pages for senior researchers.
CV Format
Select a professional academic template with clear headings. Include your h-index, ORCID iD, and Google Scholar link. Use consistent citation formatting throughout. For industry research scientist roles, use a more concise two-page format focusing on technical achievements, patents, and commercial outcomes.
CV Profile Examples
Principal Research Scientist
Principal research scientist with fifteen years of experience leading drug discovery research in oncology, currently directing a team of eight scientists within a major pharmaceutical company. Expert in target validation, high-throughput screening, and translational biomarker development. Author of thirty-five peer-reviewed publications with an h-index of 28 and named inventor on four patents. Regular invited speaker at international pharmacology conferences.
Academic Research Scientist
Independent research scientist holding a university research fellowship in materials chemistry, specialising in the development of functional nanomaterials for energy storage applications. PI on three EPSRC-funded projects with combined grant income exceeding £1.2M. Supervised eight PhD students to completion and published forty-two articles in journals including Nature Materials and Advanced Energy Materials.
Industry Research Scientist
Research scientist with six years of experience in formulation development for a consumer healthcare company, specialising in oral solid dosage forms and modified-release technologies. Skilled in Design of Experiments, dissolution method development, and regulatory submission support. Holds two patents and has contributed technical data to eight marketing authorisation applications across European and US markets.
State your research focus, years of experience, publication count, h-index, and total grant income. Mention any patents, team management experience, or industry collaborations that demonstrate breadth beyond bench science.
Key Skills for Your Research Scientist CV
Experimental Design
Planning rigorous experiments with appropriate controls, replication, and statistical power to test hypotheses and generate reliable data.
Grant Writing
Preparing competitive funding applications for research councils, charities, and industry partnerships, articulating scientific vision and project feasibility.
Peer-Reviewed Publishing
Writing and submitting manuscripts to high-impact journals, managing the peer review process, and responding to reviewer comments.
Project Management
Planning and delivering research projects on time and within budget, coordinating teams, timelines, and milestones.
Data Analysis
Applying statistical and computational methods to experimental data to draw robust, reproducible conclusions.
Laboratory Leadership
Managing research teams, allocating resources, and creating a productive and safe laboratory working environment.
Scientific Presentations
Delivering clear, engaging presentations at conferences, departmental seminars, and stakeholder meetings to communicate research findings.
Collaboration
Working effectively with multidisciplinary teams across academia, industry, and international research consortia.
Mentoring
Guiding PhD students, postdocs, and junior scientists through research projects, career development, and professional challenges.
Work Experience Examples
Describe the research programme, your leadership role, the team you managed, and the resources you controlled. Follow with publications, patents, grants, and collaborative outputs. For industry roles, include contributions to product development pipelines, regulatory submissions, or intellectual property. Quantify everything.
Senior Research Scientist
GSK, Stevenage
Led target biology research within the respiratory inflammation therapeutic area, managing a team of four scientists and an annual research budget of £800,000.
Responsibilities
- Designed and directed experimental programmes to validate novel drug targets for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma.
- Managed a team of four research scientists and two associate scientists, setting objectives, conducting performance reviews, and supporting professional development.
- Presented research findings to cross-functional project teams, influencing compound progression decisions at portfolio review meetings.
- Authored and reviewed scientific publications, patent applications, and internal research reports documenting target validation data.
- Collaborated with external academic partners and contract research organisations, managing outsourced studies and data review.
Achievements
- Identified and validated a novel anti-inflammatory target that advanced to the hit-finding stage, representing the first new target to enter the pipeline from the team in three years.
- Published eight peer-reviewed papers during the role, including a first-author article in Science Translational Medicine that received 200 citations within eighteen months.
- Secured a £350,000 collaborative research grant with the University of Oxford to investigate target biology using patient-derived samples.
Research Scientist
University of Bath, Department of Chemistry
Conducted postdoctoral research on catalytic processes for sustainable chemical manufacturing as part of an EPSRC Programme Grant.
Responsibilities
- Designed and synthesised novel catalysts for selective oxidation reactions using organometallic chemistry techniques.
- Characterised catalytic materials using NMR, XPS, and in situ spectroscopy to understand structure-activity relationships.
- Managed day-to-day laboratory operations, including equipment maintenance, safety inspections, and reagent procurement.
- Supervised two final-year project students and one visiting researcher, providing hands-on training and academic guidance.
Achievements
- Developed a catalytic system with 95% selectivity for a key intermediate, contributing to a publication in Journal of the American Chemical Society.
- Won the department's annual postdoctoral researcher prize for outstanding research contribution.
Education & Qualifications
List your PhD with thesis title and supervisor. Follow with earlier degrees. Include postdoctoral training and any visiting fellowships. Mention prizes, funded studentships, and prestigious programmes.
PhD in a Scientific Discipline
Doctoral qualification demonstrating the ability to conduct independent research and make an original contribution to scientific knowledge.
Chartered Scientist (CSci)
Professional registration through the Science Council recognising high-level scientific expertise, ethical practice, and continuing development.
FHEA / SFHEA
Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy recognising teaching excellence for research scientists with academic responsibilities.
Project Management Qualification (PRINCE2 / PMP)
Formal project management training valued in industry research roles involving complex, multi-partner programmes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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