Science Cover Letter: Examples & Writing Guide for a Scientist

If you want to work at Boston Scientific or Eli Lily, your science cover letter must do one thing: show the team your past accomplishments fit the job like a theorem from Euclid. Oh—and you’ve got to do it fast. Your goal? To make them read your resume like it’s got a giant funding grant inside.

Below, you’ll see a sample cover letter for scientist jobs that lands interviews, with a clear process to fit it to your career.

Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.

Science Cover Letter for a Resume—See more cover letter templates and create your cover letter here.

Science Cover Letter Sample

That science cover letter sample works because it fuses the applicant to the job offer at an almost molecular level. But your resume has to deliver on the promise. See our guide: Science Resume Guide & Sample

Searching for specific science jobs? See these guides:

• Academic Cover Letter Sample
• Biology Cover Letter Sample
• Cover Letter for Graduate Assistantship
• Lab Technician Cover Letter Sample
• Research Assistant Cover Letter Sample
• Medical Assistant Cover Letter Sample
• Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter Sample
• Engineering Cover Letter Sample
• Education Cover Letter Sample
• Postdoc Cover Letter Sample
• Cover Letter for Scholarship Application
• Graduate School Cover Letter Sample
• Best Cover Letter Samples for All Careers

Science Cover Letter Template

Here’s how to write a cover letter for a science job application:

1. Use a proven science cover letter format and layout

For a cover letter design that passes the chi-square test, follow these tips:

• Cover letter layout: one-inch margins on all sides will make your cover letter look professional and inviting.
• Cover letter outline: write 3–4 paragraphs. A longer cover letter can get you ignored, and a shorter one makes you look lazy.
• Cover letter line spacing: set the spaces between lines to 1.15.
• Cover letter font: use a professional-looking font like Cambria or Didot.
• Use a modern cover letter template, but avoid infographics (they are not ATS-friendly).

Read more: What Does a Good Cover Letter Look Like?

2. Write a clean-looking science cover letter header

• Write your name and your job title first, so the employer knows who you are and what job you’re applying for.
• Add your mailing address next, followed by your phone, email address, and your LinkedIn handle.
• Skip a line, then add the date and skip another line.
• Write the hiring manager’s name, job title, company name, and the business address.
• Let that cover letter heading do double-duty for your resume. A resume and cover letter that look similar create an obvious set.

Read more: Can You Use 'To Whom It May Concern’ in Your Cover Letter?

3. Write an engaging first paragraph

• Start writing with a personal cover letter greeting like, “Dear [Hiring Manager Name],”. Using someone’s name is a great way to get attention.
• Mention the job you’re applying for in the first sentence, so they know you’re in the right department.
• Convey your understanding of the job. That’s as simple as listing off a few of the top job requirements from their online ad that fit what you can do.
• Showing you know the job duties makes your letter about them. That creates an Alnylam-level science cover letter and resume.

Read more: How to Start a Cover Letter

4. Show fitting science achievements

• In paragraph two, prove you have the qualifications they mentioned in the job ad. You can’t just say “I’m skilled in...” You’ll have to show a few resume achievements.
• Don’t add copious evidence, and don’t rewrite your resume in letter form. Just cite the best few science achievements that show you’ve already done the job.
• Include numbers in your accomplishments. Numbers add scale to what you’ve done.

Read more: Can Your Talk About Salary in a Cover Letter?

5. Tell them why you want this science job

• In your final paragraph, explain why this science job is so important to you. That will make them see you’re a good investment, because you’ll stick around.
• If you’re not sure why the job is better than all the others out there, do some digging on the company’s website, in trade publications, and on the web in general.
• In a pinch, you can quote something you like about the organization from their mission statement or the home page of their website.

Not sure what salary makes sense? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists median salary data for dozens of science jobs. Be careful with medians though, because they—who am I kidding, you could explain “median” better than I could.

6. End your scientist cover letter with an offer

• The final part of your cover letter structure should ask for a meeting. Make it specific by giving a finite time frame.
• Offer something. Promise to talk about how you can help improve their process, cut costs, or hit some other goal you know they’d like to reach.
• Mention 2–3 more of your skills to increase your value. That’ll give you one more shot at getting more reading-time for your resume.

Read more: How to End a Cover Letter

7. Close with a professional wrap-up

• Finish your resume cover page with, “Best regards,”.
• It’s a nice touch to add a digital version of your signature, if you have one.
• Include your contact information again at the end, without your street address this time.

Q.E.D.! Now take a peek at what a cover letter should say to get the job!

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Questions? Concerns? We’re here for you. If you still have doubts about how to write a cover letter for science jobs that works, drop me a line in the comments.