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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$119K - $264K *

Advance your career by leading product strategy for laboratory automation and robotics. Collaborate with scientists and engineers to transform complex workflows into scalable solutions, driving innova...

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$119K - $264K *

Unlock transformative business impact by leading product strategy, aligning customer needs with market opportunities, and driving innovation across multiple product lines. Collaborate with cross-funct...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$119K - $264K *

Drive innovation and strategic direction by leading product development, aligning customer needs with market opportunities, and fostering collaboration across teams to enhance product offerings and ac...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$85K - $102K *

Transform environmental analysis and permitting projects by leading teams in assessing impacts and preparing documents for mining and energy infrastructure. Collaborate with federal and private client...

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$144K - $240K *

Optimize scientific data platforms by creating efficient ETL pipelines and reliable datasets. Collaborate with researchers to transform raw outputs into structured data, enhancing analysis and workflo...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$141K - $262K *

Join a dynamic team to develop and implement biomarker strategies for oncology therapeutics, driving translational research and collaborating across disciplines to enhance clinical development and pat...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$250K - $325K *

Lead the charge in clinical development by providing scientific expertise, analyzing data, and driving study design for ADC programs. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure effective clinical trial...

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$97K - $100K *

Join a dynamic team to drive scientific innovation and project management in molecular operations, enhancing diagnostic protocols and automated technologies while mentoring staff and ensuring complian...

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$121K - $202K *

Optimize oligonucleotide synthesis processes, bridging discovery and scale-up. Lead method development and purification strategies for ASOs, siRNA, and RNA therapeutics, ensuring high-quality in vivo...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$88K - $105K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of pharmaceutical development by leading technology transfer and manufacturing process development for injectable products, ensuring successful scale-up and compli...

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Join a dynamic team to drive technology transfer and process development for injectable products, ensuring successful scale-up and compliance with GMP standards while supporting client interactions an...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$204K - $310K *

Drive the development and delivery of advanced AI model capabilities by collaborating with cross-functional teams to prioritize needs, define requirements, and ensure effective integration of fine-tun...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$204K - $310K *

Champion the evolution of AI capabilities by owning the roadmap for fine-tuned model variants, integrating customer needs with research inputs, and coordinating cross-functional delivery efforts for c...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$90K - $110K *

Lead environmental assessments on contaminated sites to drive remediation and sustainable solutions. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure project compliance and deliver quality outcomes...

Edmonton, ABIn-Person

Reposted 1 week ago

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

$90K - $110K *

Advance your career by designing and synthesizing innovative oligonucleotides for R&D. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve complex challenges and drive new product development in a dynami...

2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Elevate sustainable manufacturing by leading process engineering projects, optimizing efficiency, and ensuring product quality. Collaborate with a dynamic team to innovate and implement solutions that...

4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$167K - $226K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of AI solutions by tackling complex problems, collaborating with stakeholders, and deploying innovative models that enhance business outcomes and customer experie...

3 weeks ago

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

$255K - $290K *

Drive the technical vision for a complex database platform, ensuring scalability and performance. Lead architecture decisions, mentor engineers, and collaborate across teams to enhance data infrastruc...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Optimize manufacturing capabilities by managing capital projects up to $5MM. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with GMP standards and drive project success through effective...

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $177K *

Lead global product strategy for molecular syndromic panels, ensuring customer-centric solutions and collaboration across various functions to drive innovation and performance in diagnostics. Expand p...

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$171K - $222K *

Transform the future of software development by designing AI-driven tools that enhance code understanding and navigation, impacting millions of developers globally. Own the end-to-end process from res...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$171K - $222K *

Transform the future of AI by leading innovative research in continual learning and memory-augmented architectures, impacting millions of developers through cutting-edge machine learning solutions and...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$114K - $240K *

Empower teams by managing complex R&D programs, ensuring alignment with contract scopes, budgets, and schedules while fostering collaboration across technical and executive teams to deliver innovative...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$92K - $166K *

Champion the execution of material strategies by managing purchase orders, resolving delays, and ensuring supplier accountability. Drive program success through effective risk management and collabora...

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$95K - $115K *

Join a team that's driving innovation in resin manufacturing by leading tech transfer projects, ensuring compliance with quality standards, and fostering collaboration across global stakeholders to ac...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

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.