Natural Sciences Managers
Also called Chemical Process Exploration Manager, Environmental Program Manager, Natural Sciences Manager, or Research and Development Director (R and D Director)
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Natural Sciences Managers do
You lead the scientists: setting research goals, hiring the team, and keeping projects, reports, and deadlines on track instead of running every experiment yourself.
Natural sciences managers lead the teams behind scientific work in biology, chemistry, physics, math, and statistics. Top leaders hand you a broad goal, and you turn it into a real plan: who does what, in what order, with which tests and what proof. You hire and evaluate engineers, technicians, and researchers, review their reports, and set the rules the team follows so the work meets government regulations.
You still need the science. You read technical papers, question results, and discuss the technical details with scientists, engineers, and government inspectors. But much of your day is people and paperwork: writing project proposals, explaining findings to clients, and checking that a project is actually where it says it is. It is a job people usually reach after years of doing the science themselves.
A day in the life
You start indoors at a desk, in a climate-controlled office, clearing email and scanning a testing report that came in overnight. A researcher stops by with results that do not match the prediction, so you talk through what the next round of tests should look like. Mid-morning, a team meeting on project status. After lunch, you write part of a proposal for new work, then call a client to explain what the findings mean in plain terms. Late afternoon brings a hiring decision and a conversation with a regulator (a government official who checks that the work follows the law) about what your paperwork needs to show. Plenty of sitting, plenty of reading, and steady face-to-face contact with your team all day.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Love science but also enjoy planning, scheduling, and organizing other people's work
- ✓Can read a dense technical report and spot what is missing
- ✓Like explaining complicated findings to people outside the lab
- ✓Feel comfortable making hiring and evaluation decisions
- ✓Want to shape the direction of research rather than run every experiment
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to stay hands-on doing the experiments yourself
- –Dislike email, meetings, reports, and long stretches of sitting
- –Would rather avoid supervising people or giving them feedback on their work
- –Get frustrated by rules, safety paperwork, and client expectations
How people get in
- 1Take science and math seriously in high school, and practice writing clearly, since writing and reading comprehension are core skills here.
- 2Earn a bachelor's degree, which is the typical entry level. Common paths include biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or a combined biological and physical sciences program.
- 3Work as a scientist, researcher, engineer, or technician first. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience before you manage.
- 4Volunteer for the organizing parts of projects: schedules, proposals, and the paperwork that shows the work follows safety rules. This is how many people show they can lead.
- 5Build the people side by training newer staff, presenting results to clients, and sitting in on hiring.
- 6Step into team lead or project lead roles, then apply for titles like research and development director or environmental program manager.
Who tends to enjoy it
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Leading
People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Official task list
Natural Sciences Managers plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields. (O*NET)
- Hire, supervise, or evaluate engineers, technicians, researchers, or other staff.
- Design or coordinate successive phases of problem analysis, solution proposals, or testing.
- Plan or direct research, development, or production activities.
- Review project activities and prepare and review research, testing, or operational reports.
- Confer with scientists, engineers, regulators, or others to plan or review projects or to provide technical assistance.
- Develop client relationships and communicate with clients to explain proposals, present research findings, establish specifications, or discuss project status.
- Determine scientific or technical goals within broad outlines provided by top management and make detailed plans to accomplish these goals.
- Prepare project proposals.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Science
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
What you'll need to know
- Biology
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
How much Natural Sciences Managers make
The median pay for Natural Sciences Managers in the U.S. is $167,220 a year ($80.39 an hour). Most earn between $79,710 and $316,850. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Massachusetts ($267,290) and lowest in Hawaii ($107,810).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $133,470 | 370 |
| Alaska | $130,590 | 710 |
| Arizona | $124,920 | 900 |
| Arkansas | $119,430 | 340 |
| California | $210,230 | 14,950 |
| Colorado | $152,730 | 1,640 |
| Connecticut | $210,670 | 1,190 |
| District of Columbia | $156,730 | 1,540 |
| Florida | $112,220 | 4,370 |
| Hawaii | $107,810 | 510 |
| Idaho | $124,800 | 610 |
| Illinois | $159,670 | 2,810 |
| Indiana | $108,250 | 1,670 |
| Iowa | $109,760 | 610 |
| Kansas | $153,820 | 240 |
| Kentucky | $126,440 | 400 |
| Louisiana | $115,950 | — |
| Maine | $141,360 | 430 |
| Maryland | $168,620 | 4,820 |
| Massachusetts | $267,290 | 10,590 |
| Michigan | $129,070 | 2,220 |
| Minnesota | $136,450 | 1,530 |
| Mississippi | $119,430 | 210 |
| Missouri | $129,410 | 1,230 |
| Montana | $119,430 | 370 |
| Nebraska | $120,620 | 550 |
| Nevada | $112,260 | 320 |
| New Hampshire | $134,010 | 240 |
| New Jersey | $207,030 | 10,040 |
| New York | $134,680 | 5,690 |
| North Carolina | $173,870 | 6,010 |
| North Dakota | $131,370 | 140 |
| Ohio | $137,170 | 1,560 |
| Oklahoma | $112,260 | 310 |
| Oregon | $143,120 | 1,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $137,900 | 7,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $119,430 | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $130,480 | 200 |
| South Carolina | $131,140 | 780 |
| South Dakota | $128,140 | 180 |
| Tennessee | $124,530 | 880 |
| Texas | $129,960 | 7,470 |
| Utah | $119,430 | — |
| Vermont | $131,290 | 290 |
| Virginia | $150,570 | 1,470 |
| Washington | $182,480 | 2,490 |
| West Virginia | $138,010 | 160 |
| Wisconsin | $128,890 | 1,070 |
| Wyoming | $109,300 | 150 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Biology 1,712 colleges
- Biological and Physical Sciences 382 colleges
- Mathematics 1,482 colleges
- Chemistry 1,371 colleges
- Physics 946 colleges
- Neuroscience 368 colleges
- Biochemistry 654 colleges
- Statistics 226 colleges
Related careers
Business and Financial Operations
Project Management Specialists
Analyze and coordinate the schedule, timeline, procurement, staffing, and budget of a product or service on a per project basis. Lead and guide the work of technical staff. May serve as a point of contact for the client or customer.
$102,320/yr median Considerable preparation
Architecture and Engineering
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological, agricultural, and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.
$109,370/yr median Considerable preparation
Computer and Mathematical
Data Scientists
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.
$120,230/yr median Considerable preparation
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Biological Technicians
Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
$57,510/yr median Considerable preparation
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Molecular and Cellular Biologists
Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.
$98,920/yr median Extensive preparation
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Biologists
Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions.
$98,920/yr median Extensive preparation
Educational Instruction and Library
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in environmental science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
$94,980/yr median Extensive preparation
Management
Clinical Research Coordinators
Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.
$167,220/yr median Considerable preparation
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 11-9121.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 11-9121. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.