13 Key Attributes Natural Sciences Managers Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Noah Smith

Sunday, January 3, 2016

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.

The core tasks that natural sciences managers are likely to carry out include:

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.
Plan or direct research, development, or production activities.
Design or coordinate successive phases of problem analysis, solution proposals, or testing.
Prepare project proposals.
Review project activities and prepare and review research, testing, or operational reports.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that natural sciences managers would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for enterprising work environments. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 88.6%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.8%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.4%

A willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 84.4%

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 82.4%

Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80.8%

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%