Computer Scientist Job Description

Scientists, including Computer Scientists, are among the most respected professionals in the country. Computer Scientists design inventive ways to use both current and new computing technology. They may develop programming languages, software systems, or programs to control robotic technology in their search to improve hardware, software, and networks.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Computer and Information Research Scientists earn a median income of around $145,000 annually. Training for Computer Scientist roles often includes a master’s degree or higher, although some computer science positions may have different requirements. Read on to learn more about this exciting field.

What is a Computer Scientist?

The expression Computer Scientist refers to a broad category of computer science roles, including numerous titles. Positions for Computer Scientists can include titles like:

• Applied Scientist
• Computational Scientist
• Computer Vision Scientist
• Cybersecurity Research Scientist
• Machine Learning Scientist
• Research Scientist
• Staff Scientist

These are a few of the many titles these skilled professionals can hold. It can be challenging to determine which online job listings are not Computer Scientist if they have the word Scientist in them. However, here are some of the commonalities among Computer Scientist roles overall:

Typical Responsibilities

Job responsibilities for Computer Scientists vary, depending on level, industry, and title. Computer Scientist roles can require research, communication, mathematics, innovation, and writing for publications. Their tasks can relate to software, hardware, networks, and computer programming languages.

Reporting Structure for This Position

Many Computer Scientists work on large projects for teams, although some may work independently for research and development. They may work in business, medicine, government, system administration, data science, or other fields. Computer Scientists may report to management or team leaders.

Typical Working Environment

While there is no typical working environment for all Computer Scientists due to the diversity of positions, a team approach is the most common. In addition to their combination of technical skills, Computer Scientists of all types should expect to use multiple soft skills (communication, time management, attention to detail) to work well with managers, engineers, programmers, and other specialists.

Job Requirements

Requirements for Computer Scientists vary, from the Machine Learning Scientist testing and data analysis skills to the Applied Scientist research and modeling skills. A Data Scientist might have to create software, a Research Scientist might specialize in a particular academic field, and an Applied Scientist might have to develop applications for commercial enterprises. Job requirements can differ by industry, title, location, or other factors.

Many Computer Scientists hold advanced degrees, either a master’s or higher. However, this is not to say that all computer science positions require a particular degree. High school students planning to pursue careers as Computer Scientists should take the highest possible level of math courses in subjects like calculus and statistics. College students should consider pursuing computer science experience beyond the classroom, like internships or part-time work.

While few Computer Scientist positions require specific certifications, a certificate of completion from a respected course provider can help job applicants stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Consider enrolling in a computer science bootcamp or certificate program—especially if you are at the start of your career and have not graduated from a college or university.

Job Responsibilities

Typical job responsibilities for Computer Scientists vary by industry, location, title, and whether they hold a junior or senior position. Consider the following list of potential duties for computer science roles:

• Conduct research to resolve complex technical issues
• Develop theories and models to address computing problems
• Design, develop, and test software, hardware, network, or systems solutions
• Design and implement modern algorithms (coding)
• Collaborate with team members and key stakeholders, including engineers, designers, researchers, and management
• Analyze results of research and experiments
• Identify and fix bugs or bottlenecks
• Write and publish research findings and present papers at conferences

Computer Scientists also need multiple hard and soft skills, which vary by position, industry, and other factors. Read on to learn more about the many skills and tools a Computer Scientist may have to master.

Skills

Computer Scientists’ technical and soft skills vary widely by seniority, industry, location, or title. Consider the following essential skills applicable to most Computer Scientist positions, whatever their particulars.

Hard Skills

Technical skills for Computer Scientists vary, but they can include a range of programming languages, content creation tools, platforms, development environments, and system architectures. Consider the following list of minimum requirements for a Junior Computer Scientist role:

• Python
• Java
• C++
• MATLAB
• Red Hat Command-Line Interface
• Standard Commands for Programmable Instrumentation (SCPI)
• NET Framework
• Git/GitHub

Remember that a different role might have vastly different requirements, particularly in another industry. If you know what industry or sector you plan to work in, you must learn about industry-specific requirements for Computer Scientists before you start training.

Soft Skills

Computer science soft skills are typically more consistent than hard skills across industries. Consider the following skills categories essential, as they would be in numerous other fields:

• Analytical Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Math Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills

Most organizations will also expect computer science employees to be self-motivated, able to work independently or collaboratively and demonstrate leadership skills in the case of a mid-level or senior position.

Why Do Businesses Need Computer Scientists?

Organizations of every type today may need Computer Scientists, from governmental agencies to systems design companies. These skilled professionals add to the workplace in invaluable ways: they can create or improve software, hardware, or networks. They can also create new computer programming languages, machine learning algorithms, or systems to design or control robotic technology. In short, computer science professionals ranging from Applied Scientists to Research Scientists can use math, statistics, artificial intelligence, data mining, and other scientific techniques to support public and private entities.

The broad range of tools and skills Computer Scientists bring to industries of all kinds means they have a level of responsibility and respect held by few other professionals. Corporations or governmental agencies can call on Computer Scientists to obtain high-level security clearances, and many must pass background checks to qualify for their positions. Their numerous and varied skill set goes beyond science, as they may have to study problems, develop theories, collaborate with others, create systems, design and conduct experiments, and analyze research results.

Where Do Computer Scientists Usually Work?

Today, Computer Scientists work across nearly every industry and sector, from advanced manufacturing to private research facilities. However, some categories hire more computer science professionals than others. Consider the following employers of Computer and Information Research Scientists as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

Government - Besides the postal service, the U.S. government remains among the largest employers of Computer and Information Research Scientists, accounting for around 28% of positions.

Computer Systems Design - Also accounting for about 28% of positions, computer systems design and related services companies hire many types of computer science professionals.

Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences Research & Development - Another major hirer is this broad category, with as much as 17% of all Computer and Information Research Scientists.

Additional Computer Scientist employers with a meaningful percentage of hires include software publishers, colleges and universities, game development studios, and banking, financial, and insurance services (BFSI).

Computer Scientist Salary and Job Outlook

Computer Scientists earn an annual median income of about $145,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS projects that job growth for Computer and Information Research Scientists will grow by around 23% between 2022 and 2032, far more than the average of all occupations (about five percent).

While the job outlook for Computer Scientists remains robust, factors like location, education, and industry or sector can affect salary. For example, Computer Scientists in major metro areas like San Francisco, Seattle, or Washington, DC, can expect to earn well above the median annual income. More experience also equals higher salaries, as does educational background. Check job sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter for more detailed information on computer science roles in your industry or location.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Computer Scientist?

The path to the best Computer Scientist position is about seven to nine years, according to the career and jobs website Zippia. Although this may sound daunting, they base their projection on the following time frame:

Years 1-4: Bachelor’s Degree

Years 5-7: Master’s Degree

Years 7-9: Qualifying work in data analysis, software engineering, or system administration

This approach means seven years of education without gaining practical, hands-on, or in-the-field experience. However, there may be a shorter path.

As recently as June 2024, news outlets have reported a shortage of computer science workers. While there is widespread discussion of generative AI (artificial intelligence) potentially alleviating the crisis, the fact remains that there are more computer science positions than qualified candidates.

This situation often leads to companies in any field lowering their requirements threshold. For example, if a company typically requires three to five years of experience for a role, a worker shortage might cause them to lower the requirement to two to three years. Intelligent, motivated, reliable employees can often learn on the job, and some companies can even afford to send their best workers to school for additional training.

Such is the case with computer science roles. Some organizations will never change their minimum requirements for entry-level positions, but others will. A certificate of completion from a respected course provider might be all a candidate needs to get in the door—even in positions like Computer Scientist that typically require a BS or MS degree.

Computer Scientist vs. Software Engineer

One of the most often confused roles in computer science is the Software Engineer. These skilled professionals can have many titles besides the standard Software Engineer, from Web Developer to Tech Lead to Chief Architect. The typical hierarchy for Software Engineer roles should go something like this:

• Junior Engineer
• Mid-Level Engineer
• Senior Engineer

However, note that none of these titles mention software. Herein lies the primary difference between Software Engineers and Computer Scientists: while Software Engineers work with software, Computer Scientists can work with software, hardware, networks, or other systems.

Software Engineers and Computer Scientists both study design, though for different purposes. Computer Scientists may work exclusively with hardware components, whereas Software Engineers learn design principles to help them create software.

Additional differences include how they use programming languages, what tasks their positions entail, and how their career paths only occasionally dovetail. For example, Computer Scientists and Software Engineers may learn Python and Java, but Computer Scientists do not use them to create software. While some Software Engineers eventually become Computer Scientists, most Computer Scientists start in programming, web design, or data analysis.

The easiest way to remember the difference between software engineering and computer science is that one field falls within the other: computer science is a broad field encompassing hardware, software, and other tech, and software engineering is a narrower category within the field.

Learn the Skills to Become a Computer Scientist at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers multiple training options for students planning to learn computer science, in-person and online through teleconferencing. Topics include web development, data science programming, and software engineering. Consider the following programs:

• Data Science Certificate - One of Noble Desktop’s most popular programs, this course includes Python training as part of a more comprehensive data science curriculum. Attendees learn Python fundamentals like database analysis, automation, and formatting. You’ll also master other topics like SQL and machine learning.
• Full-Stack Web Development Certificate - The Full-Stack Web Development Certificate course provides students with intensive, comprehensive front and back-end coding training, teaching them to build and maintain websites. Through hands-on projects, the students will learn CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, SQL, Python, and Django, eventually becoming proficient in designing and developing complete web applications.
• Python Developer Certificate - The curriculum for this in-depth certificate program includes a 60-hour unit on Python Web Development with Django. In this intensive course, you’ll learn about URL dispatchers, automation, GitHub, and SQL. Attendees should have some experience with HTML and CSS before enrolling.
• Python Programming Bootcamp - The Python Programming Bootcamp is an intensive course designed to thoroughly immerse students in Python, one of the most sought-after programming languages in the tech industry. Not only will students be introduced to the basics of writing and running Python scripts, but they will also delve into more advanced topics such as file operations, regular expressions, working with binary data, and leveraging the extensive functionality of Python libraries.

JavaScript Development Certificate - The JavaScript Development Certificate covers programming and development basics, including object-oriented programming (OOP), variables, arrays, string methods, and more. Tools and techniques include the MERN tech stack (MongoDB, Express, React, and Node), Visual Studio Code, Git, and GitHub. The course comprises eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, and graduates can retake the program for up to one year at no additional charge. Applicants should be familiar with HTML/CSS before enrollment.