One way the mindfulness movement reflects a religious sensibility is in the reverence shown towards sacred texts: the sayings of individuals thought to have achieved enlightenment. Such reverence towards specific individuals isn't really compatible with a scientific mindset. Scientists may admire Darwin as an exemplar of scientific virtue but that is different than revering him as a master. When an evolutionary biologist struggles with some scientific conundrum, he doesn't look up Darwin for guidance or “answers”.
I suspect that scientists who meditate switch back and forth between perspectives: mindful watching and empirical sleuthing. You can't really inhabit both ways of being and seeing at the same time.