Cover letter for a scientist position (5 samples)

This blog post will show samples of “cover letters for a scientist position.”

How to write a cover letter for a scientist position

To get a scientist position, you need a well-written cover letter that showcases your passion for and dedication to the industry. When writing a cover letter for a scientist position, these are some of the essential things to include in your letter:

  • Address the employer with a formal salutation. For example, “Dear/Hello (name of the recipient or hiring manager).”
  • The next step is to state the position you are applying for and how you found the opening. 
  • Write a short sentence about why you’re interested in the position.
  • State your skills and work experience; ensure they are similar to the job position. When stating your skills, provide the accomplishment you have achieved. 
  • Conclude your letter with a forward-looking statement. For example, “I look forward to discussing the position further.”

Sample 1: “Cover letters for a scientist position”

“Ivy Haddington

(123) 456-7891

ihaddington@email.com

May 1, 2018

Dear Hiring Manager,

Considering my background in the physical sciences, I’m extremely excited to be applying for the Scientist position at River Tech. As a highly analytical individual, I aim to always make rational and objective observations about the world around me. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to offer my talents to River Tech, which is one of the top research organizations in the business world today.

While working in my previous role at Cloud Clearwater, I evaluated professional research as part of an internal self-regulation policy designed to maintain high standards of quality and credibility in various fields of scientific inquiry. Always on a mission to ensure complete objectivity in all of our projects, I made sure that all research met certain exacting guidelines before it went into any of the company’s publications.

While at Cloud Clearwater, I was able to apply many of the skills I earned while majoring in Biomedical Studies at Longford Tech. Understanding that data-driven presentations are absolutely necessary when sharing complex scientific concepts, I proposed and carried out a plan to move our visuals to a new digital design platform that combines eye candy with hard facts that increased researcher participation by 40%.

I’m grateful for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to learning more details about the Scientist position and the River Tech corporate family as a whole. I’m a committed individual looking to join a goal-oriented team, and I feel that River Tech offers me an environment where I can apply my skills on worthy projects.

Sincerely,

Ivy Haddington”

Sample 2: “Cover letters for a scientist position”

“Dear Ms. Simpson,

As an efficient chemist with 6+ years of specialization in synthesizing and characterizing material properties for product development, I was thrilled to see the chemist opening at Blayne Chemicals on LinkedIn. I know you need a chemist who can analyze product samples, who is trained in Six Sigma, and who can conduct process improvements in collaboration with your product development team. I think you’ll find my resume of interest, especially for a few reasons I’ve outlined below.

As a product development chemist at Zendron labs, I analyzed all final product samples (20+ per day for four years) for quality and specifications adherence. I used my knowledge as a Six Sigma Black Belt to spearhead seven product and test improvements, leading to a 10% drop in costs and a 15% drop in cycle times. I also worked closely with 30+ team members in our product development line to restructure our hazardous waste disposal process, resulting in a 30% drop in health & safety incidents and a 15% reduction in waste removal costs.

Beyond that, I know from reading the C&EN trade journal that your commitment to employee development is second to none, so I know a position at Blayne Chemicals would help me grow my skills and passion for chemistry and process improvement over the next ten years. I would be gratified to get the chance to speak with you about how my skills in organic synthesis, analysis, and OSHA guidelines can help create similar results at Blayne. Could we set up a time next week to chat?

Best regards,

Donald K. Jackson

Chemist

217-201-3013

donald.zety.jackson@gmail.com”

Sample 3: “Cover letters for a scientist position”

“My Ph.D. in molecular biology and five years as a postdoctoral fellow in the U.S. and in Switzerland, along with my leadership skills and ability to contribute collaboratively, will enable me to enhance your lab’s success in a research scientist capacity, per your current job posting on BioSpace.

I offer proficiency in cell biology, techniques in molecular biology in general, and RNA methodologies in particular, encompassing various techniques of DNA and RNA isolation, linear RNA amplification for microarray hybridization, RNA microinjection, RT-PCR and quantitative RealTime PCR (TaqMan), in-situ hybridization, as well as a wide variety of lab techniques and computer skills, as outlined in my CV.

My current experience as a postdoctoral research associate in the Molecular Biology Group at Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG in Basel, Switzerland, translates well to the requirements of your research-scientist position. These past three years at a leading international pharmaceutical company, along with two years of postdoctoral research at the Center for Developmental Biology, University of Texas, have bolstered an eclectic combination of skills that gives me a solid foundation upon which to make an immediate and meaningful contribution at your lab.

I hope you will review my resume, and if you agree with what I have stated here, consider me for the position. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

Sample 4: “Cover letters for a scientist position”

“Dear hiring manager,

My Ph.D. in Computer Science from Northwestern University and five years working with Google have uniquely qualified me to be your new Lead Research Scientist.

My past co-worker and your current Director of Development, Johnny Smith, suggested this position to me as he thought I would be the ideal fit. I happen to agree and am excited to bring my talents to your team.

I was afforded the opportunity to try many different approaches at Google and am most proud of my accomplishments in the following areas.

  • Boosted click-through rates on answer boxes by 42%
  • Divided SEO into two new verticals and successfully managed both
  • Improved productivity in SEO verticals by 24% by specializing teams
  • Successfully worked with implementation teams for the entire term of employment

While Google is indeed a standout on my resume, my educational experiences at Northwestern as a student and professor make me an even better fit for your company.

Quaker Education is renowned for offering its employees learning opportunities. This is what excites me most about being your Lead Research Scientist. I am a dedicated educator who is looking to pair my years of experience in the classroom with a corporate setting.

I am enclosing my resume and a research project list, which details my primary research activities. I am more than happy to provide additional documentation upon request, and I’m available for any questions you may have.”

Sample 5: “Cover letters for a scientist position”

“[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]

[341 Company Address]

[Company City, State xxxxx]

[(xxx)-xxx-xxxx]

[hiring.manager@gmail.com]

Dear [Dr./Mr./Ms./Mx.] [Hiring Manager’s Last Name],

I’m writing to express my interest in a postdoctoral research position in your lab at Harvard University, which I discovered through your lab website. I recently received my Ph.D. from the Chemistry Department at Columbia University under the supervision of Dr. John Smith. In my thesis work, I applied my skills in structural chemistry to characterize chromatin factors involved in human cancer. As your lab uses chemistry to investigate cancer epigenetics and functional genomics, I believe my diverse technical skills and interest in cancer research make me an ideal fit for your lab.

One major part of my thesis work was the isolation of the protein MADP-1, which has eluded purification by the field for six years. Having tried three conventional methods to isolate MADP-1, I tackled the problem through development of a novel purification scheme. I then determined the contacts between MADP-1 and PRC2 by X-ray crystallography. As the Smith Lab specializes in the study of metabolic signaling proteins – rather than chromatin factors – involved in cancer, I pioneered three chromatin assays in our lab. To further elevate the MADP-1 project, I collaborated with chromatin expert Dr. Maria Curry Lab at Stanford. Therefore, I am not afraid to go where the research takes me, and value being both an independent as well as highly collaborative researcher.

I am particularly interested in your work in cancer epigenetics, specifically your recent publications using CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutagenesis for genome-wide screens. Having planned and executed three high-throughput drug screens and assisted with two genetic screens, I am confident that I can apply my previous experience to perform similar screens in your laboratory. Additionally, I trained four undergraduates during my PhD. Specifically, I taught bench techniques, oversaw experiments, and edited their scientific writing, such as conference posters and senior theses. As a postdoctoral researcher at your laboratory, it would be a privilege to continue mentoring junior researchers.

I believe my resourceful and collaborative nature, interdisciplinary technical skills, and interest in disease research make me well-suited to work in your lab. I look forward to discussing more with you about my fit within your research group. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jane Webster

Frequently Asked Questions: How to write a cover letter for a scientist position

Can a cover letter hurt your chances?

Yes, a bad cover letter can hurt your chances just as much as a good one can help. That’s why three words can stop you cold while you’re searching for jobs: “Cover letter optional.”

What 3 main points should be included in your cover letter?

  • Show enthusiasm.
  • Show you’ve done research about the company.
  • Show you want to come in there and make a contribution

If you like this blog post, please leave your comments and questions below.

Citations

https://zety.com/blog/science-cover-letter-example

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/cover-letter-samples/scientist

https://www.biospace.com/article/how-to-write-the-best-cover-letter-for-a-research-scientist-job-/

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