How to hire medical scientists, except epidemiologists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public. • Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels. • Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination. • Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease. • Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure. • Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians. • Write and publish articles in scientific journals. • Write applications for research grants. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Doctoral or professional degree] • Strong writing, active learning, science, speaking, active listening and critical thinking skills • Working knowledge of biology, English Language and medicine and dentistry • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $49.72 an hour ($103,410 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for medical scientists, except epidemiologists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe something important you wrote at work, such as a report, notes or an email. Who read it and what happened next?
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- Tell me about a time you used scientific or technical knowledge to solve a work problem.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What medical scientists, except epidemiologists do
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
- Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
- Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
- Write applications for research grants.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +12.6% over ten years, much faster than average · about 10,500 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay medical scientists, except epidemiologists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $136,990 |
| New Jersey | $129,280 |
| Massachusetts | $128,210 |
| Connecticut | $116,990 |
| Arizona | $116,820 |
| Texas | $80,470 |
| Kentucky | $77,580 |
| Oklahoma | $76,480 |
See medical scientists, except epidemiologists pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.