[1][2] Scott conducted most of his research during his career at the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (DTM) of the Carnegie Institution of Washington where he was appointed chairman of a section on theoretical geophysics in 1957.

As an observer at DTM's magnetic observatory, he worked in Huancayo, Peru, in the Andes 100 miles east of Lima, before joining the staff of the famous nonmagnetic sailing ship, Carnegie, two years later.

With these titles he helped to organize and coordinate both national and international efforts in the observation of cosmic ray intensity world-wide using neutron monitors developed by John A.

[3] The bulk of his research was pertaining to geophysical and solar activity, as he contributed a reliable foundation for fundamental cosmic ray effects and also made discoveries of his own.

[3] He became a master of the calibration and maintenance of these meters which measured charged secondaries, and the effects of temperature and barometric pressure in relation to Earth's external magnetic field and its interaction with the overlying atmosphere.

[3] For 5 years, starting in 1940 Scott was forced to discontinue his research due to his contextual surroundings of World War II in progress.