Aim: In this study we draw on value theory in social psychology to analyze the range of motives that influence the research-related attitudes, decisions, and actions of scientists. Methods: To conceptualize scientific work values, we integrated theoretical insights from the personal, work, and scientific values literature and the responses of 6 interviewees and 255 survey participants about values relevant to scientific work. Examples of our inductive (steps 1-2: inteviews and survey responses based on personal values) and deductive (step 3: integrating work values) process steps are depicted below. Benefits: Gaining a better understanding of values different scientists have is useful to improve scientific careers, make science attractive to a more diverse group of individuals, and can elucidate some of the mechanisms leading to exemplary and questionable science. Results: Conceptualization of scientific work values: Standards which serve as a basis of evaluating outcomes of scientific work-related actions, guide the selection of scientific work goals, and represent the relative importance assigned to various academic job aspects related to research activities. We identified 11 value dimensions and generated 246 value item proposals, based on the literature, interviews, and survey responses. Next steps: Further discussion and content validation, starting with evaluations of experts and scientists. Due to the complexity of this construct, full scale validation is an ambitious next step, especially if we aim to represent values relevant to a diverse set of scientists across a broad range of characteristics including discipline, academic status, age, gender, nationality and ethnicity, culture, and so on. While such efforts will be labor-intensive and expensive, the return of this investment for funders seems worthwhile.