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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$100K - $140K *

Deliver impactful project leadership in a multi-phase AI integration program, ensuring timely execution and alignment with strategic goals while fostering collaboration across technical and leadership...

Virginia, USRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$190K - $217K *

Transform business strategy into execution as a strategic partner to leadership. Drive cross-functional initiatives, enhance operational discipline, and ensure alignment across departments to achieve...

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$73K - $121K *

Manage complex investigations for product quality issues, ensuring timely root cause analysis and compliance with established procedures. Collaborate with teams to implement corrective actions and mai...

Toronto, ONIn-Person

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$73K - $121K *

Manage investigations for product quality complaints and failures, ensuring compliance with regulations. Act as a quality resource, conducting root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions t...

North York, ONIn-Person

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$280K - $300K *

Pioneer innovative AI solutions in workforce management, leading product development from concept to deployment. Collaborate with engineers and executives to create impactful agentic products that enh...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$128K - $176K *

Empower your career with a Senior Scientist role, advancing OTC medicine science. Collaborate cross-functionally, drive medical strategies, and support product lifecycle management through evidence ge...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$110K - $130K *

Drive the development and deployment of secure software and workflows in bioinformatics and data science, leveraging DevOps practices to enhance collaboration and efficiency across teams in a dynamic...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$88K - $105K *

Join a dynamic team to develop impactful communications that enhance strategic initiatives and partnerships. Collaborate across diverse projects, utilizing your expertise to translate complex ideas in...

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$140K - $200K *

Accelerate innovation within pharmaceutical R&D by developing cutting-edge algorithms and models. Collaborate across teams to leverage extensive datasets, drive improvements, and communicate insights...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $210K *

Contribute to groundbreaking research by leveraging advanced machine learning and generative AI to enhance drug R&D processes, collaborating across teams to deliver innovative computational solutions...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $200K *

Shape the future of healthcare by leveraging advanced machine learning and AI techniques. Uncover insights from extensive patient data to drive innovation in drug R&D while collaborating with cross-fu...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $210K *

Explore advanced machine learning for drug R&D. Collaborate with teams to innovate algorithms and models, driving insights that enhance pharmaceutical projects and patient care through extensive multi...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$114K - $281K *

Elevate your career by joining our team to design and enhance the MOOSE framework, enabling high-fidelity modeling for nuclear energy. Collaborate globally to optimize performance and drive innovation...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$95K - $115K *

Shape the future of molecular diagnostics by leading high-complexity testing operations, overseeing quality control, and ensuring rigorous performance standards in a dynamic lab environment...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$90K - $140K *

Champion innovative therapeutic antibody development by leveraging your expertise in protein engineering, data analysis, and project management to drive impactful discoveries and mentor junior scienti...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$173K - $205K *

Shape the future of neurology by leading in vivo pharmacology studies, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and driving data-driven decisions for IND submissions in a dynamic biotech environment...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$112K - $168K *

Join a dynamic team to drive innovative cell therapy research, translating complex data into impactful therapies. Collaborate across disciplines to accelerate clinical progress and enhance patient out...

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$67K - $112K *

Transform complex data into actionable insights by developing predictive models and analytics solutions for financial services clients. Collaborate with stakeholders to drive business value through ad...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$96K - $126K *

Engage in the development and validation of immunogenicity assays, collaborating across teams to ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines, enhance assay capabilities, and support innovative therap...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$80K - $95K *

Join a team that's dedicated to leading complex analytical procedures in a dynamic laboratory environment. As a key leader, you'll manage daily operations, ensure quality, and mentor staff while drivi...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$120K - $170K *

Unlock potential by leading analytical development for cell therapy programs, ensuring method validation, and authoring CMC content for regulatory submissions. Collaborate across teams to drive produc...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$113K - $226K *

Unlock the potential of agentic systems by leading the design and implementation of complex multi-agent solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to set engineering standards and drive produc...

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$127K - $171K *

Lead innovative research in membrane protein biology, driving experimental validation of cell-surface targets to inform therapeutic development and enhance understanding of cellular mechanisms across...

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$160K - $190K *

Shape the future of our technology landscape by leading infrastructure and security engineering, optimizing cloud strategies, and enhancing operational excellence while driving innovation and complian...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$95K - $115K *

Develop innovative AI/ML workflows for numerical weather prediction systems. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to enhance HPC and Cloud capabilities, ensuring efficient deployment and optimizat...

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

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.