Why is this job a big deal? That's easy: Everything in our world is made of chemicals. If chemical technicians do hands-on experiments and look at little details, the chemist and materials scientists who manage them oversee the big picture as they try to discover compounds and learn more about existing ones. As a chemist or materials scientist, you might be testing ceramic tiles for a space station, creating a tougher waterproof mascara, or working with doctors to develop new medications. Although you can get by with just a bachelor's degree for some jobs, many employers require candidates to have a master's degree or even a PhD. Instead of labs, materials scientists usually work at manufacturing plants and might help create things like plastics, packaging, paper products, or fabrics. But for either job, you'll need to be curious, dedicated, and kind of obsessed with the process of scientific discovery.