Explore Chief Scientist Jobs

Chief Scientists guide an organization’s scientific vision, research strategy, and technical innovation. These senior leaders help turn complex research into meaningful products, services, and discoveries while advising executives on scientific opportunities and risks. Explore vetted Chief Scientist opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.

What Does a Chief Scientist Do?

Responsibilities vary by organization and industry, but commonly include setting research priorities, leading multidisciplinary teams, overseeing experiments and development programs, evaluating emerging technologies, and communicating findings to business and government leaders. Chief Scientists may also shape research budgets, build partnerships with universities or laboratories, and ensure that work meets ethical, regulatory, and quality standards.

Common Skills and Qualifications

Employers often seek a strong record of scientific achievement, deep expertise in a relevant discipline, and experience leading research teams or complex programs. A doctoral degree is common in many fields, though requirements depend on the role. Strategic thinking, clear communication, collaboration, and the ability to connect scientific evidence with organizational goals are valuable across industries.

Industries and Career Opportunities

Chief Scientist roles are available in areas such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, artificial intelligence, aerospace, energy, government, and advanced manufacturing. Titles and reporting structures differ: some positions focus on fundamental research, while others lead applied science, product development, or enterprise-wide innovation.

Find Chief Scientist Roles on Ladders

Use Ladders to explore vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more. Review each listing’s responsibilities, qualifications, location, and compensation details to identify roles that fit your expertise and leadership goals.

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$101K - $197K *

Empower your career by leading global regulatory strategies for medical devices and diagnostics. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and drive market access while mentoring ot...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$160K - $200K *

Empower clients by leading the implementation of innovative solutions, ensuring successful adoption and integration of Omnissa Workspace ONE. Collaborate with diverse teams to drive business outcomes...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$163K - $204K *

Unlock potential by leading innovative machine learning methods for cancer detection, collaborating with experts, and mentoring junior scientists to advance research in multi-cancer early detection us...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$225K - $324K *

Accelerate growth by leading global enablement initiatives that empower sellers, engineers, and partners. Drive strategic programs, enhance skills, and ensure readiness for a multi-product platform in...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$255K - $402K *

Unlock potential by leading AI technical strategy in R&D, driving innovation and collaboration across IT and business units to enhance scientific capabilities and streamline processes for impactful ou...

Rahway, NJRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$466K - $500K+*

Elevate your career by designing and deploying ML models that transform advertiser requests into optimized media plans, collaborating with a dynamic team to drive innovation and enhance decision-makin...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$160K - $190K *

Unlock potential by leading data-driven insights to enhance patient access to medications. Collaborate with diverse teams to execute innovative analytics that inform health plans, improve medication e...

Denver, CORemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $180K *

Contribute to cloud migration efforts by designing secure, scalable Azure architectures. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions for mission-critical healthcare applica...

Texas, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $140K *

Lead the charge in transforming healthcare through cloud solutions, driving modernization and interoperability initiatives. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design secure, scalable Azure arc...

Texas, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Unlock your potential by leading customer discovery and product definition. Drive cross-functional collaboration to translate insights into actionable requirements, manage product backlogs, and delive...

Pennsylvania, USRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$100K - $120K *

Join a dynamic team to oversee portfolio health, ensuring quality and operational alignment across studies. Drive performance visibility, manage risks, and facilitate client governance while fostering...

Johnson City, TNRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$175K - $210K *

Innovate in AI research by driving cutting-edge projects in cybersecurity. Leverage your expertise in LLMs and model evaluation to translate complex challenges into actionable insights, collaborating...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$160K - $257K *

Advance the future of home shopping by leading innovative AI systems that enhance user experiences. Drive the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models while collaborating with cr...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$79K - $157K *

Advance clinical data insights by reviewing and analyzing trial results, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure data integrity, and presenting findings to stakeholders, enhancing study ou...

RemoteRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $160K *

Unlock potential by designing advanced data architectures that enable agentic systems. Collaborate across teams to enhance data flow, governance, and retrieval methods in a dynamic environment focused...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$165K - $185K *

Join a team that's shaping strategic direction and driving growth across multi-account projects in medical affairs. In this senior leadership role, you'll enhance client relationships, develop teams...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$100K - $120K *

Champion impactful People Projects by managing cross-functional initiatives, fostering collaboration, and driving measurable outcomes. Help shape the future of HR processes and project management in a...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$192K - $356K *

Lead the charge in advancing AI security research by innovating protective measures for AI models and systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to tackle complex cybersecurity challenges and co...

RemoteRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$79K - $157K *

Join a team advancing oncology clinical data analysis and review, collaborating with study teams and clients. Ensure integrity of data and reports, communicate key trends, and guide clinical strategie...

RemoteRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$130K - $150K *

Champion public safety operations across North America, leading program directors to ensure effective training, deployment, and customer satisfaction while aligning resources and operational prioritie...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$95K - $115K *

Champion innovative forecasting solutions by developing advanced marine and seasonal prediction models. Collaborate with scientists to enhance global coupled forecasting systems, leveraging AI/ML tech...

College Park, MDRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$255K - $290K *

Drive the technical vision for a complex database platform, ensuring scalability and performance. Lead architecture decisions, mentor engineers, and collaborate across teams to enhance data infrastruc...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$115K - $150K *

Innovate your career with a strategic role focused on omnichannel marketing. Lead data-driven insights and creative recommendations for a top financial services brand, collaborating across teams to en...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$215K - $250K *

Pioneer your career by leading a dynamic sales team focused on Labor and Public Sector markets. Drive growth, mentor talent, and execute strategic initiatives to exceed revenue goals while building im...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$115K - $152K *

Lead the charge in designing and implementing evidence-based digital prevention interventions, overseeing diverse campaigns while ensuring strategic alignment and effective outcomes through strong pro...

Washington, DCRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Chief Scientist do?question toggle

    A Chief Scientist leads or advises an organization’s research and scientific strategy. The role may include setting priorities, managing research teams, evaluating new technologies, overseeing development programs, and communicating scientific findings to senior leaders.

  • What qualifications are typically required for Chief Scientist jobs?question toggle

    Requirements depend on the field and employer. Many positions call for advanced expertise, a strong record of research or innovation, and experience leading teams or programs. A Ph.D. is common in some scientific disciplines, while other roles may value equivalent industry experience.

  • Which industries hire Chief Scientists?question toggle

    Chief Scientists work in fields including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, artificial intelligence, aerospace, energy, government, and advanced manufacturing.

  • How much do Chief Scientists earn?question toggle

    Compensation varies by industry, location, organization, and scope of responsibility. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more; check individual listings for available salary information.

  • How can I find Chief Scientist jobs paying $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Browse Chief Scientist listings on Ladders and review each role’s salary information, responsibilities, location, and qualifications to find opportunities suited to your background.