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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$186K - $232K *

Innovate within a dynamic team by establishing bioinformatics capabilities, architecting scalable infrastructure, and enhancing genomic algorithms to drive excellence in women's and organ health produ...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$190K - $275K *

Elevate technical excellence as the Chief Engineer, guiding multidisciplinary teams to ensure mission success through robust architecture, requirements management, and strategic decision-making in com...

Huntsville, ALRemote

2 weeks ago

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

$150K - $185K *

Lead the development of innovative AI products that empower job seekers with evidence-based coaching and actionable insights, while collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to shape impactful...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$160K - $200K *

Champion the development of policy strategies that guide product decisions, ensuring compliance and safety while navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to tr...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$75K - $145K *

Empower our leadership team by managing complex operations and enhancing productivity. Collaborate across diverse teams to support high-priority initiatives at the intersection of AI and national secu...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

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

$190K - $230K *

Shape the future of scientific services by leading global product strategy, driving revenue growth, and ensuring operational excellence. Collaborate with experts to deliver innovative solutions that m...

Massachusetts, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$265K - $300K *

Shape the future of neurodegenerative disease diagnostics by leading scientific strategy, driving research programs, and building expert networks to establish industry leadership in innovative solutio...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$175K - $210K *

Lead evidence generation and scientific communications to support innovative gene therapy initiatives. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify evidence gaps and execute strategic plans, en...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$185K - $205K *

Empower your career as a Data Scientist, driving cloud-based solutions for Veterans Affairs. Collaborate with clients to modernize data workflows, harness AI, and deliver impactful data products that...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $160K *

Drive client success in our lab network by managing relationships, ensuring renewals, and identifying growth opportunities. Collaborate across teams to enhance processes and improve client experiences...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$160K - $200K *

Join a team that's redefining forensics and collections globally. Lead a skilled team, enhance operational efficiency, and drive client engagement while ensuring compliance and defensibility across re...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$195K - $312K *

Advance user modeling by driving complex AI projects end-to-end, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate cutting-edge research into impactful solutions for home shopping experiences...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$87K - $135K *

Unlock your potential by leading a dynamic Knowledge Management program that enhances IT support services, fosters collaboration, and drives efficiency for a large-scale enterprise environment. Make a...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$85K - $110K *

Drive business growth by identifying and qualifying federal procurement opportunities, focusing on healthcare contracts. Collaborate on capture strategies and build partnerships to enhance win probabi...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Engage in early-stage drug discovery by triaging research requests, managing CRO partnerships, and ensuring seamless execution of outsourced projects. Leverage scientific expertise and Mandarin fluenc...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$199K - $276K *

Drive enhancements to our unsecured underwriting models through rigorous research and experimentation. Collaborate with engineering teams to translate findings into scalable solutions that improve cre...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$405K - $485K *

Join us to design and build innovative memory and search experiences that enhance user interaction across platforms. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create impactful products that prioritiz...

Seattle, WARemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$126K - $160K *

Drive impactful software solutions by collaborating with sales teams, leading demos, and managing technical inquiries. Leverage your expertise to enhance customer experiences and support enterprise tr...

San Diego, CARemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$82K - $110K *

Champion grant proposal excellence by collaborating with clients to enhance competitiveness in scientific research funding. Drive impactful outcomes through expert consulting, training, and proposal d...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$150K - $350K *

Join a dynamic team to develop cutting-edge reinforcement learning algorithms and frameworks. Collaborate on scaling research and training systems, focusing on your strengths to enhance AI capabilitie...

San Francisco, CARemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$354K - $416K *

Elevate your career as a Medical Director, overseeing utilization management with a focus on clinical excellence and compliance. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure high standards of ca...

West Virginia, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Empower your career by leading post-sale experiences for top Enterprise clients. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive customer success and digital transformation in Life Sciences, ensuring...

San Francisco, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$147K - $274K *

Develop advanced document understanding systems to enhance legal content processing. Collaborate across teams to design, deploy, and evaluate models that drive measurable impact in legal, tax, and acc...

RemoteRemote

5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Media

$150K - $180K *

Drive engineering excellence by leading a multidisciplinary team to design, develop, and scale integrated hardware and software systems, ensuring reliability, quality, and operational effectiveness in...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$100K - $120K *

Drive advancements in operational wave modeling by enhancing predictive capabilities, integrating innovative AI techniques, and collaborating across sectors to protect coastal communities and improve...

College Park, MDRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

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.