A Principal Scientist in any organization is responsible for conducting quantitative and qualitative research to improve the quality of the existing products, to develop scientific processes and to identify new products for the development of the organization. Candidates might be appointed in educational and research institutions for the position of Principal Scientist. As far as Government Organizations in India is concerned, Principal Scientists come under the pay brand of Rs.37400-67000 plus a GP of Rs.10000. However, some government organizations offer them a GP of Rs.8700.

Latest government job recruitments:

The following government organizations recently recruited candidates for the position of Principal Scientist in India:

• National Physical Laboratory

• National Botanical Research Institute

• Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur

• Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology

Educational Qualification and experience:

Normally, any organization irrespective of whether it is government or private look for candidates with Ph. D and some years of experience in appropriate disciplines for the position of Principal Scientist. For instance, the Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology, is looking for candidates with Ph. D in disciplines like plant science/botany/plant biochemistry or plant physiology with minimum three years of experience in the relevant field for the position of Principal Scientist.

Age requirement:

Since experienced candidates are appointed for the position of Principal Scientist, the upper age limit for this position in most of the government organizations is 45-50 years.

Nature of work of Principal Scientist:

Principal Scientists generally lead a team of scientists and they organize training sessions for members under their team. They also review and oversee the performance of the staff under them and offer technical guidance to the team in successful completion of the scientific projects allocated to their team. They are also responsible for providing periodical updates on the progress of the project to the management of the organization.

Skills required to become a successful Principal Scientist:

To become a successful Principal Scientist, a candidate should possess the following skills:

• Analytical disposition skills

• Mathematical reasoning skills

• Decision-making skills

• Skill for effective co-ordination of team members

• Effective communication skills

Selection Procedure:

Selection of candidates for the position of Principal Scientist is done in different ways by different organizations. Some organizations conduct personal interview for selection for this position, while some organizations conduct written test followed by interview for selection of candidates for the position of Principal Scientist.

Thus, Principal Scientist is one of the key positions in an organization for ensuring the successful completion of scientific projects in a research organizations or educational institution.