R&D engineers turn ideas and scientific insights into practical products, technologies, and processes. They plan and conduct experiments, build prototypes, analyze results, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to move concepts from early research toward real-world use. Browse vetted R&D Engineer opportunities on Ladders, including roles paying $100,000 or more.
Responsibilities vary by industry and employer, but often include designing experiments, evaluating materials or systems, developing prototypes, documenting findings, and improving product performance. R&D engineers may also assess safety, quality, cost, reliability, and manufacturability while coordinating with product, manufacturing, software, and regulatory teams.
R&D engineering opportunities span technology, aerospace, automotive, energy, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, advanced materials, and manufacturing. Specializations may include mechanical, electrical, chemical, biomedical, software, and materials engineering. The work can range from fundamental research to applied development and product optimization.
Employers commonly seek a relevant engineering degree and experience with technical research, experimentation, data analysis, and problem-solving. Depending on the position, valuable skills may include CAD or simulation tools, programming, laboratory methods, design controls, technical writing, and knowledge of industry standards. Strong communication and collaboration skills help engineers explain findings and align research with business and customer needs.
Use Ladders to explore vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more. Review each listing for its responsibilities, required qualifications, location, and compensation details to find R&D engineering roles that fit your experience and career goals.
Business Analyst - R&D Advisory
$100K - $120K *
Grow your career with a dynamic team focused on enhancing life science R&D efficiency. As a Functional Business Analyst, you'll drive process improvements and support change management initiatives acr...
1 week ago
Member of Technical Staff, Research
$125K - $150K *
Transform scientific research with innovative AI methods. Collaborate across teams to design, test, and implement state-of-the-art models that advance academic discovery and impact the future of scien...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
Senior Manager, Software Engineering
$225K - $265K *
Partner with us to lead a high-performing engineering team, driving innovation and efficiency in our travel marketplace. You'll manage project lifecycles, enhance collaboration, and champion a custome...
1 week ago
$103K - $181K *
Empower a dynamic Agile team in developing critical mission applications, utilizing your expertise in enterprise software development and fostering effective collaboration to enhance solutions for com...
3 weeks ago
$100K - $115K *
Advance the development of EV charging infrastructure by supporting project management activities, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring project controls are effectively maintained a...
3 weeks ago
$125K - $150K *
Lead the charge in transforming innovative ideas into impactful AI-driven solutions for public health and medical research. Collaborate with diverse teams to develop MVPs that enhance scientific disco...
Today
Principal Sales Applications Engineer
$128K - $188K *
Drive your career with impactful technical sales in the medical device sector. Lead customer engagements, identify new business opportunities, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance pr...
1 week ago
Product Engineer- Endpoint Security
$90K - $153K *
Lead the enhancement and administration of enterprise endpoint security technologies, collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize security processes and improve detection capabilities in a g...
2 days ago
$90K - $110K *
Optimize real-time automation solutions across manufacturing and enterprise levels. Collaborate with engineering teams to design, implement, and enhance systems using diverse programming and design to...
6 days ago
$95K - $115K *
Transform your career by engineering innovative automation solutions across industries. Collaborate with a dynamic team to enhance operational efficiency and drive real-time information systems from t...
6 days ago
$92K - $110K *
Elevate your career by engineering real-time automation solutions across industries. Collaborate with a dynamic team to design, implement, and optimize systems that enhance operational efficiency and...
1 week ago
Engineer III (Electrical Design Engineer)
$95K - $115K *
Partner with us to enhance project operations and drive continuous improvement. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline processes and ensure timely delivery of integrated customer soluti...
2 weeks ago
Software Engineer, Data Integration
$110K - $130K *
Transform healthcare by engineering seamless data integrations between complex EHR systems and our innovative platform. Empower clinicians with actionable insights to enhance patient care and outcomes...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$135K - $160K *
Elevate the design and development of a robust replication engine for large-scale data systems, focusing on high-performance, secure, and resilient asynchronous replication capabilities to ensure reli...
3 weeks ago
$138K - $163K *
Drive the evolution of software solutions for healthcare quality reporting, leading engineering teams to deliver innovative, high-quality products while fostering a culture of collaboration and contin...
Today
Structural Designer 3 - Nuclear Power
$68K - $104K *
Join a dynamic structural design team to shape innovative engineering solutions. Collaborate with multi-discipline teams to develop 3D structural designs, solve complex issues, and mentor junior talen...
4 weeks ago
$100K - $120K *
Empower quality through engineering excellence and automation. Drive innovation by integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines, collaborating with teams to elevate software standards and preven...
3 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Join a team that's redefining network solutions by designing, implementing, and supporting advanced LAN, WAN, and wireless systems. Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to enhance network strateg...
6 days ago
$180K - $220K *
Deliver innovative data pipelines for legal records, transforming unstructured data into actionable insights while supporting advanced AI workflows and data quality improvements for robust legal resea...
3 weeks ago
$160K - $500K+*
Engage in cutting-edge verification methodologies to drive scalable solutions across blocks and systems, ensuring robust validation at the chip level. Champion verification execution, planning, and cl...
4 weeks ago
Application Engineer- Industrial Circuit Protection
$84K - $150K *
Collaborate with sales and technical teams to identify opportunities, translate customer needs into design requirements, and launch new products effectively, ensuring alignment with market trends and...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Engineering Manager, Provider Ecosystem
$150K - $180K *
Grow a dynamic team driving OpenRouter’s provider ecosystem, managing innovations across diverse models and endpoints, ensuring quality and efficiency in inference services for millions of requests da...
3 weeks ago
$125K - $150K *
Manage a talented engineering team, driving software development and community collaboration while maintaining high-quality standards and executing on ambitious goals effectively. Engage directly with...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
Staff Attack Engineer, External
$238K - $280K *
Lead the charge in developing autonomous attack workflows for external surfaces, leveraging your expertise to enhance reconnaissance capabilities and mentor engineers while driving strategic technical...
4 days ago
$105K - $202K *
Innovate and build AI-native products that automate complex workflows. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, develop, and deploy full-stack applications, ensuring reliability and performa...
2 weeks ago
What does an R&D engineer do?
An R&D engineer researches, designs, tests, and improves products, technologies, or processes. The role may involve experiments, prototyping, data analysis, technical documentation, and collaboration with product and manufacturing teams.
What qualifications are typically required for R&D engineer jobs?
Many roles require a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or a related field. Employers may also look for relevant research or product-development experience, technical problem-solving ability, and familiarity with tools or standards specific to the industry.
Which industries hire R&D engineers?
R&D engineers work in industries such as technology, aerospace, automotive, energy, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, materials, and manufacturing.
How can I find R&D engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?
Browse R&D Engineer listings on Ladders, where professional jobs are vetted and pay $100,000 or more. Check each listing for compensation, location, responsibilities, and qualifications.
What skills are useful for an R&D engineer?
Useful skills include experimental design, data analysis, prototyping, technical writing, and engineering problem-solving. Depending on the role, employers may also value CAD, simulation, programming, laboratory methods, or regulatory knowledge.