Principal Scientist Jobs

Explore Principal Scientist jobs on Ladders, where professionals can find vetted opportunities paying $100,000 or more. Principal Scientists lead complex research, guide scientific strategy, and turn deep technical expertise into discoveries, products, and business impact.

What Does a Principal Scientist Do?

Principal Scientists provide senior-level scientific direction within organizations such as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, technology firms, manufacturers, and research institutions. They design and oversee research programs, interpret complex data, develop new methods, and communicate findings to technical and executive stakeholders. Depending on the organization, they may also mentor scientists, manage collaborations, and help set long-term research priorities.

Skills and Qualifications

Employers typically seek extensive experience in a relevant scientific discipline, a strong record of research or technical achievement, and the ability to lead projects across teams. Commonly valued skills include experimental design, data analysis, scientific writing, subject-matter expertise, project leadership, and clear communication. Many positions require a Ph.D. or other advanced degree, though requirements vary by field and employer.

Principal Scientist Salary and Career Outlook

Compensation varies based on specialty, experience, location, and employer. Ladders focuses on vetted professional opportunities paying at least $100,000, making it a useful place to explore senior-level Principal Scientist roles. Career paths may lead to scientific leadership, research director, vice president of research, or other executive and technical leadership positions.

Find Principal Scientist Jobs on Ladders

Search Principal Scientist openings by specialty, location, and other preferences to identify roles aligned with your experience. Review each listing for its responsibilities, qualifications, and compensation details, then apply directly to opportunities that match your career goals.

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$95K - $100K *

Grow your career with a dynamic team focused on LNP formulation and optimization. Leverage your expertise in a fast-paced environment to drive innovative solutions and enhance product quality while co...

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $145K *

Champion high-throughput protein binder screening by leading a skilled team, optimizing protocols, and ensuring quality data delivery. Drive innovation in molecular cloning and library methods while c...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$110K - $135K *

Join a team that's driving strategic change by managing multiple customer programs. This role requires strong project governance, risk management, and the ability to coach junior team members in a dyn...

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$95K - $115K *

Elevate your career by providing technical leadership and project management for environmental assessments, investigations, and remediation projects. Collaborate with clients and regulatory agencies w...

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$95K - $115K *

Lead the charge in managing complex environmental projects, ensuring technical accuracy and client satisfaction while developing staff and fostering business growth in a dynamic, safety-focused enviro...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$120K - $150K *

Explore a pivotal role in continuous manufacturing, driving innovative process engineering for drug substance development. Collaborate across teams to enhance product quality and efficiency while ensu...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $145K *

Champion the advancement of radiopharmaceutical products by leading analytical method development, process controls, and technology transfers, ensuring compliance and commercial viability from late-st...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$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...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Unlock your potential by leading innovative poultry health research programs. Drive product development and validation while collaborating with industry partners to enhance poultry health and producti...

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$165K - $185K *

Lead drug substance activities in process chemistry, driving projects from early to late phases. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful manufacturing and regulatory submissions...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$108K - $222K *

Empower our biologics team! Lead the formulation development of complex biologics, driving scientific innovation and collaboration. Shape early-stage strategies and manage multiple projects with a div...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$90K - $110K *

Lead innovative continuous manufacturing processes, providing engineering support for R&D and ensuring excellence in API development and technical transfers while fostering strong collaborations acros...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$90K - $110K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of pharmaceutical engineering by providing expert support in continuous manufacturing processes, ensuring timely project delivery and collaboration across teams to...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$110K - $130K *

Contribute to the success of analytical operations by managing external and internal testing processes, ensuring high-quality deliverables, and fostering collaboration across teams to support innovati...

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$144K - $241K *

Transform the neural landscape by leading scientific initiatives, fostering partnerships, and guiding R&D strategies. Leverage your expertise to drive innovation and enhance product development in a c...

Vancouver, BCIn-Person

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$148K - $198K *

Develop and implement advanced analytical workflows to enhance Discovery Chemistry efforts, focusing on small molecule design and optimization. Collaborate across teams to generate high-quality data t...

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$110K - $130K *

Transform analytical development by leading innovative methods for lentiviral vector platforms. Collaborate with R&D and Process Development teams to enhance capabilities, drive scientific excellence...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Explore innovative biotech solutions by driving research and development of disease-resistant traits through hands-on experimentation and collaboration with cross-functional teams, ensuring effective...

2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$201K - $373K *

Engineer unified computational workflows that bridge ML models and operational procedures, enhancing drug discovery processes. Collaborate cross-functionally to standardize SOPs and leverage data inte...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$96K - $120K *

Elevate your career by driving innovative product development in a dynamic R&D environment. Collaborate cross-functionally to create transformative ingredients and expand product portfolios into new v...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$170K - $190K *

Lead the charge in advancing analytical development strategies for small molecule drug substances and products, ensuring compliance and quality across the product lifecycle while collaborating with cr...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Unlock potential by driving innovative solid-form strategies for bRo5 molecules. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to enhance drug development through advanced characterization and formulation...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Drive analytical excellence in product development and validation, overseeing method execution, data integrity, and cross-functional collaborations in a fast-paced environment. Your expertise will be...

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$69K - $195K *

Join a team that's advancing drug discovery by leading bioanalytical studies and managing CRO partnerships. Drive project oversight, ensure quality standards, and leverage AI tools to enhance efficien...

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$69K - $195K *

Transform your career by leading bioanalytical studies and vendor partnerships, ensuring project success through scientific oversight and innovative AI tools. Drive efficiency and quality in drug deve...

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Principal Scientist do?question toggle

    A Principal Scientist leads advanced research or technical programs, sets scientific direction, analyzes results, and shares findings with stakeholders. Responsibilities may also include mentoring colleagues and coordinating cross-functional teams.

  • What qualifications are commonly required for Principal Scientist jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary by specialty, but employers often look for extensive relevant experience, a strong record of scientific or technical work, and advanced expertise. Many roles require a Ph.D. or another advanced degree, along with research leadership and communication skills.

  • How much do Principal Scientists earn?question toggle

    Pay depends on factors such as field, location, experience, and employer. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more; check individual listings for compensation information.

  • Where do Principal Scientists work?question toggle

    Principal Scientists work across industries including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and academic or independent research.

  • How can I find Principal Scientist jobs on Ladders?question toggle

    Browse Principal Scientist listings on Ladders and use available search filters to narrow opportunities by location, specialty, or other preferences. Review each listing for its requirements and compensation details.