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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$123K - $149K *

Unlock your potential by designing and optimizing live-cell assays for drug discovery. Collaborate with diverse teams to deliver high-quality data using advanced microscopy techniques and computationa...

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$180K - $200K *

Drive the electrical design integrity of Class III medical devices, ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency. Collaborate across teams to resolve production issues, lead testing strategies, and enh...

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$139K - $231K *

Shape the future of AI in drug discovery by leading the design and delivery of innovative systems that integrate human expertise with AI, driving impactful scientific outcomes and transforming researc...

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$139K - $231K *

Innovate AI-driven solutions to transform scientific discovery, leading end-to-end system design and deployment. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to tackle complex challenges and enhance resea...

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$139K - $231K *

Champion the development of AI systems that transform scientific discovery by leading end-to-end solutions, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and driving impactful projects in a fast-paced...

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$117K - $158K *

Join a dynamic team to discover and optimize biocatalysts for innovative manufacturing processes. Utilize cutting-edge protein engineering and high-throughput screening to enhance enzyme performance...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$245K - $332K *

Join us to lead the PV Science department, driving strategic safety management and aggregate reporting for all products. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance risk management processes an...

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$245K - $332K *

Drive strategic leadership in pharmacovigilance, managing teams to enhance safety profiles and aggregate reporting for all product lifecycles. Collaborate cross-functionally to implement risk manageme...

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$80K - $95K *

Lead the charge in enzyme research and development for bakery innovations, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance enzymatic analysis, driving project execution and translating scientific...

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$130K - $171K *

Lead the charge in delivering complex clinical projects, ensuring quality, time, and cost objectives are met. Collaborate with cross-functional teams and manage client expectations while driving risk...

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$130K - $171K *

Champion the delivery of complex clinical projects, ensuring quality, time, and cost objectives are met. Lead cross-functional teams, manage client expectations, and drive risk resolution while foster...

Cambridge, MARemote

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$188K - $235K *

Elevate product performance by leveraging data science to analyze ad ecosystems, drive insights, and enhance machine learning systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement solutions th...

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$169K - $211K *

Join a team that's driving innovation in ad technology by leveraging data science to enhance product performance, analyze complex datasets, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver actio...

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's pioneering LC-MS/MS experiments to uncover drug metabolites and toxicity mechanisms, integrating analytical expertise with AI to enhance data reliability and predict human drug outc...

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $189K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of aseptic manufacturing. In this role, you'll lead process development and innovation for drug product technologies, ensuring operational efficiency and collabor...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$75K - $90K *

Unlock potential by conducting rigorous testing of pharmaceutical products, ensuring compliance and quality through analytical techniques. Collaborate on method transfers and investigations to enhance...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of scientific innovation by designing and leading advanced experiments that drive project success and reliability in drug manufacturing processes...

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$117K - $201K *

Lead the charge in developing an AI-Reasoning platform to transform drug discovery. Collaborate with scientists to harness multimodal data, enhancing decision-making and accelerating therapeutic advan...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $155K *

Drive innovative biomarker and immunology assays, collaborating across teams to enhance clinical pharmacology deliverables. Execute complex methodologies and analyze bioanalytical data to inform strat...

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$116K - $182K *

Innovate by developing automated AI/ML toxicology models to enhance drug safety assessments. Collaborate globally to deliver critical data, accelerating the journey of effective medicines from discove...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$80K - $95K *

Drive your career with impactful project management in clinical trials, overseeing global projects, ensuring quality deliverables, and maintaining client communications while leading cross-functional...

Johnson City, TNRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$125K - $213K *

Deliver regulatory strategies for CMC in small molecule products, ensuring compliance and successful submissions throughout the product lifecycle while leading a team and collaborating with cross-func...

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$125K - $213K *

Transform regulatory strategies for small molecule products, ensuring compliance and successful submissions. Lead a team to navigate complex CMC challenges while collaborating with cross-functional pa...

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$126K - $189K *

Join a dynamic team to analyze vast genetic data, driving innovations in RNAi therapeutics. Utilize cutting-edge methods to uncover insights from global genomic resources, translating findings into tr...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$126K - $215K *

Unlock potential by leading innovative in vitro strategies for cancer immunotherapy. Drive drug discovery projects, design assays, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop next-generati...

3 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.