The scientific method and the belief in God could not be further apart...
Of course, in science there are things that are taken on "faith." (Notice that the scientific "faith" is in quotation marks.) However, scientific "faith" is different from faith in God—much, much different. When "faith" is needed in science it's because there is no proof that a certain claim is true. However, in absence of proof, there must be evidence. When there is evidence, it means that there is room for doubt, which is why certain "faith" is needed. Nonetheless, because there is evidence, the likelihood of the claim can be established. When there is high likelihood of the claim being true "faith" is needed to accept that claim; however, there is high likelihood for the claim to be true!
Now, however, when there is absence of both proof and evidence—that is, when the likelihood is low—the scientific method automatically demands that one reject the claim. There is no "faith" here. This is completely opposite from religious faith. Religious faith in God is never based on proof or evidence because there is none for God. The belief in God is simply based on faith—not on proof, not on evidence, unlike in science. This is why religious faith and scientific "faith" are two completely and utterly opposite concepts.
And, no, no faith is needed not to believe in something. Faith is only needed to believe in a claim. That is why when atheists claim that there is no God, they need faith; there is no proof or evidence for God nor against God, so faith is needed in both cases. However, when atheists do not claim that there is no God but rather simply reject the positive theist claim that there is God, no faith is needed. It's a simple concept. Really simple.
And, no, I'm not even going to join the discussion about "the true essence of who we are." As far as I'm personally concerned, this is total bullshit. (No offence intended...)