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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$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

$180K - $240K *

Lead scientific strategy for clinical development of BHB-1893, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure data integrity and regulatory compliance. Drive protocol design, data analysis, and e...

San Francisco, CARemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $215K *

Lead the charge in driving enterprise sales for strategic consulting accounts, coaching a team of Account Executives while managing complex sales cycles. Build executive relationships and execute grow...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$72K - $111K *

Lead and innovate Tier I service desk operations by supervising agents, optimizing performance, and ensuring exceptional support for external users. Drive shifts performance, manage escalations, and e...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $170K *

Join a team that's transforming drug development through data science. Leverage your expertise to build predictive models and analytics, driving process improvements and technology transfer in a colla...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $170K *

Join a team that's dedicated to advancing tuberculosis (TB) prevention and care. As a senior technical advisor, you'll lead innovative strategies, collaborate with global partners, and enhance TB prog...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$117K - $156K *

Elevate strategic decision-making by managing integrated program plans, ensuring accurate portfolio data, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement in a fast-paced...

Cambridge, MARemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $190K *

Help us shape the future of AI operations by leading a dynamic team focused on innovative solutions, strategic partnerships, and technical excellence in agentic environments. Drive growth and operatio...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$140K - $185K *

Drive technical excellence by developing standards and processes for commissioning, ensuring consistent execution across projects. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance workforce capabili...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$131K - $196K *

Architect and lead the commissioning process for cutting-edge liquid-cooled and AI factory deployments. Ensure rigorous testing and validation, providing independent assurance on performance and desig...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$160K - $190K *

Transform your career by managing data center acquisitions and infrastructure transactions. Drive negotiations, provide legal guidance, and support operational transitions, while deepening expertise i...

Sunnyvale, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $125K *

Champion the development of healthcare marketing tools by guiding cross-functional teams through the product lifecycle, driving innovative features and optimizing user experiences to enhance HCP engag...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$161K - $189K *

Drive the hiring engine for high-volume staffing engagements, leading a team to optimize recruitment processes, ensure client satisfaction, and meet ambitious fill-rate and time-to-fill goals while ma...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$100K - $130K *

Champion innovative methodologies in medical communications, leading Delphi studies and expert panels. Drive strategic insights and deliver scientifically rigorous findings to support clinical develop...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$150K - $180K *

Lead the charge in building innovative fraud detection models using high-scale data. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to influence data and design advanced risk signals for real-time identity v...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$170K - $195K *

Lead the charge in global regulatory submissions, managing U.S. INDs and ex-U.S. CTAs. Collaborate cross-functionally to develop strategies, ensure compliance, and drive timely approvals in a fast-pac...

San Francisco, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$100K - $131K *

Join a team that's redefining cultural resource management by leading complex projects, mentoring staff, and driving business growth while ensuring compliance with federal regulations and delivering h...

Sheridan, WYRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$110K - $130K *

Transform complex scientific and business domains into scalable semantic models, guiding the development and governance of ontologies that enhance AI-driven digital experiences and ensure accurate, in...

Pennsylvania, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$130K - $190K *

Drive the design and operation of robust AI systems, leading technical delivery and guiding teams in building high-throughput pipelines and production services that enhance customer engagement across...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$130K - $190K *

Shape the future of AI by building scalable AI agents that drive innovation across healthcare applications, fostering collaboration with diverse teams to implement advanced solutions and ensure operat...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$150K - $180K *

Transform the engineering landscape by leading the development of high-performance, scalable web scraping systems while ensuring security, compliance, and team excellence...

Los Angeles, CARemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$215K - $280K *

Drive strategic foresight and systems thinking to analyze global finance disruptions. Lead a multidisciplinary team to produce actionable insights and high-quality thought leadership, influencing deci...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$125K - $150K *

Champion the evolution of identity security by leading product management for our core identity graph and correlation services, ensuring seamless integration and access control across platforms while...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$151K - $205K *

Elevate client success by driving technical innovation and transformation. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop strategic solutions, enhance client relationships, and execute multi-year...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive strategic initiatives and operational excellence across a global portfolio, partnering with leadership to enhance business performance and deliver measurable outcomes in oncology and rare diseas...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

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.