30 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2005 Careers for scientists— and others— in scientific research and development by Nicholas Terrell reating supercomputers out of tiny nanotubes. Identifying how proteins regulate activity in Cplant cells. Developing next year’s hottest cars. Workers in the scientific research and development services industry create today the technologies that will change the way people live and work in the future. 31 Nicholas Terrell is an economist in the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, BLS, (202) 691-5711. Summer 2005 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly To gauge the importance of this industry, consider the Companies often conduct their research and devel- attention it receives from the press, business associations, opment (commonly referred to as “R&D”) in separate politicians, and the financial markets. Major discoveries laboratories and workshops. The people who work in are heralded in both the technical and popular media, and these facilities are part of the scientific research and de- many studies monitor the pace of research and develop- velopment services industry. Research and development ment. As the success of the Internet demonstrates, new occurring in establishments that mainly engage in other technologies can quickly revolutionize business and activities, such as manufacturing or educational services, leisure. are not counted as part of this industry. Workers in the scientific research and development ser- vices industry include scientists and engineers, of course. But the industry also includes managers, accountants, people who inter- view test subjects, and many other workers in a range of occupations. All of these workers contribute to scientific breakthroughs and the development of new or improved products. This article describes the sci- entific research and development services industry: its organization, occupations, benefits and draw- backs for workers, job outlook, training requirements, and ad- vancement opportunities. Constantly in flux: The nature of R&D The scientific research and devel- opment services industry provided 549,950 jobs in 2004, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis- tics (BLS). Workers are employed nationwide, but six States—Cali- fornia, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, and Michi- gan—together accounted for more than half of all research and devel- opment jobs. Much of the research Some scientific research and develop- 32 ment is performed in laboratories and workshops. Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2005 Workers in this industry contribute to scientific breakthroughs and the development of new products. and development in the automotive field is conducted in Michigan. Research and development includes three types of activities: Basic research, applied research, and development. In ad- dition, the industry is divided into two dis- tinct categories. One comprises physical, engineering, and life sciences; the other includes social sciences and humanities. Types of R&D work Nearly everything we use, from antibiot- ics to zoom lenses, is the result of basic research, applied research, and develop- ment. Basic research expands scientific knowledge but is not applied directly to real-world situations. This sort of research typically involves a high level of theory and is very risky; many projects fail to produce conclusive results. Basic research includes, for example, studying the prop- erties of antibodies to learn more about how they work. Because of the risk and the Physical, engineering, broad applicability of the results, most basic research is and life sciences funded by State governments, the Federal Government, According to BLS data, workers in the physical, engi- universities, and nonprofit organizations. Scientists in- neering, and life sciences accounted for about 89 percent volved in basic research typically work for these employ- of employment in the scientific research and development ers. services industry in 2004. Important areas of research and Applied research is the bridge between science and development in these sciences include the aerospace, au- business. It is conducted to solve some general scientific tomotive, biotechnology, chemical and materials science, problem but, instead of simply increasing knowledge, ap- electronics, nanotechnology, and pharmaceutical fields. plied research aims for the more concrete goal of helping Aerospace. Research and development in aerospace to eventually create a product. This research will not cre- involves the study and creation of aircraft, spacecraft, ate a final product, but it might generate viable options. missiles, and component parts and systems. More than For example, applied research might lead to the discovery half of the research and development in aerospace is fed- of antibodies that can be used to create better vaccines. erally funded. The U.S. Department of Defense and the Development, according to the National Science National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Board, accounts for more than half of all research and are the largest supporters of aerospace research and de- development funding. Development is the stage in which velopment, with defense-related programs accounting for researchers refine the technologies or processes of ap- most of the work. plied research into usable products. So, in the previous Most civil aerospace research and development is example, development would involve researchers seeking devoted to making air transportation cheaper and safer. a way to create and mass produce a particular vaccine. Other projects include upgrading passenger aircraft and Most development is done by private industry and is gen- designing private spacecraft to launch satellites or trans- erally geared toward manufacturing. port people into space. 33 Summer 2005 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly Workers who handle potentially dangerous materials must follow safety procedures. processes of cellular biology to improve medicines, consumer products, and industrial processes. Much of the work in biotechnology relates to basic and applied medi- cal research. Advances in biotechnology have led to new drugs and vaccines, disease-resistant crops, and novel meth- ods of dealing with hazardous materials. A particularly vibrant branch of biotechnology is bioinfomatics, which involves the use of biological data, such as DNA. Chemical and materials science. Research and development in chemical and materials science focuses on the design and creation of new molecules or materials that have useful properties. Researchers might develop new chemical structures that are stable or volatile, rigid or flexible, insulating or conducting. Because chemical research and development is im- portant to many technologies, it includes work on com- puter chip manufacturing processes, composite materials development, and reducing pollution through chemical treatment. It also is important in both biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development. Electronics. Technologies that incorporate electron- ics research and development include computer hardware, telecommunications, consumer electronics, automated Automotive. Automotive research and development control systems, medical equipment, and electronic sens- leads to new vehicles and systems that are more efficient, ing. Research and development in this field produces powerful, and reliable. Significant automotive research advances that make electronic systems faster and more and development is directed toward integrating new tech- reliable, compact, useful, powerful, and accessible. nologies into complete vehicles. But there is also much Developing new technologies and integrating exist- research on improving individual components, such as ing systems with new functions account for much of the light emitting diode (LED) headlights and fuel injectors. research and development in this field. Basic research in As electronic technology has advanced, so have areas such as electromagnetics and photonics is also a automotive designs. Incorporating computer systems both significant part of the work. for monitoring performance and as separate features has Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is the creation and added a new dimension to research and development in study of new structures that are roughly the same size as this field. With the demand for efficiency—vehicles that individual atoms, about 1 one-millionth of a millimeter. use less fuel to provide more power—a good deal of time At this size, materials behave differently and so can be and resources are devoted to the research and develop- used to build very small devices, such as quantum dots ment of transmission systems and car bodies. that act like artificial atoms or hydrophobic coatings for Biotechnology. One of the most active fields of stain-repellent clothing. research is biotechnology, which receives at least one- With basic and applied research composing the bulk fourth of all funding in the scientific research and de- of work in this field, there are still relatively few applica- velopment services industry, according to the National tions of nanotechnology. The National Nanotechnology 34 Science Board. Workers in this field seek to use basic Initiative coordinates research funding from Federal Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2005 agencies and aids in developing new technologies that try was in the social sciences and humanities. Important result from this research. fields of research and development in these disciplines Pharmaceutical. Pharmaceutical research and