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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$108K - $201K *

Drive strategic growth in the federal public safety sector by leading capture strategies, developing relationships, and aligning business solutions with customer needs for successful proposal executio...

Washington, DCRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$119K - $186K *

Transform the future of supply chain technology by leading innovation initiatives, managing a structured evaluation process, and engaging stakeholders to drive measurable value and strategic alignment...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$160K - $200K *

Empower National Security growth by leading complex programs, fostering relationships, and driving profitability while ensuring delivery excellence and strategic alignment across multiple agencies and...

Arlington, VARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Transform the future of analytical chemistry by leading high-throughput testing, sample analysis, and documentation in a dynamic lab environment. Collaborate with a team to ensure compliance with safe...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $165K *

Lead the charge in managing strategic healthcare programs, enhancing integrated delivery systems through innovative project solutions and stakeholder engagement while mentoring junior analysts and ove...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $180K *

Transform document verification solutions by leading ML projects, guiding data scientists, and ensuring high-quality model performance throughout the lifecycle. Collaborate with cross-functional teams...

California City, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$105K - $165K *

Innovate by leading the development of cutting-edge harness engineering solutions. Create controls that enhance the AI coding process, ensuring quality and efficiency in production through hands-on de...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Empower clinical development by collaborating with Medical Directors to ensure scientific integrity and data quality in clinical trials. Engage with experts, analyze data, and manage project deliverab...

North Carolina, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$127K - $160K *

Drive innovative research in authorship verification by developing robust machine learning models. Collaborate closely with engineering to ensure seamless integration and optimize performance for real...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$110K - $130K *

Empower regulatory excellence by managing promotional materials compliance across global markets, ensuring adherence to laws and internal policies, while aligning with strategic business objectives in...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$160K - $200K *

Drive strategic capture efforts for large federal contracts, managing multiple pursuits while leading cross-functional teams. Leverage market insights to develop winning strategies and ensure complian...

Virginia, USRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Champion the pursuit of large federal contracts by managing multiple capture efforts, developing winning strategies, and inspiring cross-functional teams to achieve excellence in complex, high-stakes...

Reston, VARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's dedicated to enhancing healthcare reporting through Epic tools. Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements, design reports, and provide support, ensuring successful projec...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$172K - $202K *

Shape the future of AI-driven compute architecture by delivering innovative insights and strategies. Collaborate with industry leaders to analyze market trends and provide actionable advice that drive...

Irving, TXRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Business Services

$160K - $190K *

Transform the AI landscape by architecting and building the Vector Store GenAI Platform, enhancing document intelligence and retrieval for clinical applications. Collaborate with cross-functional team...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$165K - $185K *

Manage clinical trial operations for early-phase gene-editing studies, overseeing execution from start-up to close-out. Collaborate with internal teams, CROs, and vendors to ensure timelines, budgets...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$190K - $228K *

Drive enterprise Quality and Regulatory governance for U.S. operations, ensuring compliance with FDA regulations and overseeing manufacturing quality in the therapeutic radiopharmaceutical sector whil...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$114K - $140K *

Pioneer innovative solutions as a Data Scientist, driving advanced analytics and machine learning applications to enhance project success and economic opportunities across diverse teams and workflows...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$180K - $220K *

Drive the establishment of a high-impact Professional Services function that accelerates customer success. Oversee implementation, define service offerings, and lead a talented team to enhance service...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$223K - $233K *

Deliver strategic leadership in biologics process development, overseeing outsourced manufacturing and ensuring alignment with corporate goals while driving technical excellence in late-stage developm...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$210K - $250K *

Develop transformative tech strategies to elevate operational performance. Lead a 175-person team in optimizing core systems and embedding AI across workflows while ensuring rigorous financial control...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$160K - $200K *

Join a dynamic team to define and drive the product strategy of an enterprise SaaS platform. Lead product managers, collaborate with engineering, and ensure platform coherence while enhancing client e...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$110K - $130K *

Champion client relationships by building and managing a robust advocacy program that enhances brand authority and drives pipeline growth, ensuring effective engagement across sales, marketing, and cl...

Charlotte, NCRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$184K - $230K *

Shape the future of product security by leading architecture reviews and risk mitigation strategies. Collaborate with engineering and compliance teams to embed security throughout the development life...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$110K - $130K *

Drive enterprise remediation initiatives for cryptographic assets, coordinating with cross-functional teams to enhance security compliance and reduce risks in a complex technology environment. Lead ef...

Texas, USRemote

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Staffing

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.