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.
Member of Technical Staff, AI Researcher (New Stealth Startup)
$250K - $400K *
Shape the future of AI by designing evaluation frameworks and feedback systems that enhance model performance. Collaborate across teams to translate research into scalable solutions, driving impactful...
Today
Software Engineer 4 - AI Native
$88K - $180K *
Accelerate progress at the forefront of AI-native software development. Drive engineering excellence by orchestrating autonomous agents and maintaining high-quality standards in a FedRAMP-authorized e...
3 weeks ago
$245K - $260K *
Join a team that's redefining Digital Employee Experience and Unified Observability. As a Solutions Engineer, you'll partner with sales to drive technical strategies, solve complex challenges, and enh...
1 week ago
Senior SI/PI Engineer - AI and Compute Server Design
$110K - $130K *
Partner with us to optimize high-speed interconnect performance through SI/PI simulation, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance design quality and resolve signal issues across various a...
3 weeks ago
$80K - $90K *
Advance your career by managing project documentation, coordinating schedules, and ensuring quality control on large-scale construction projects across the U.S. Collaborate with diverse teams to deliv...
3 weeks ago
$104K - $141K *
Elevate supplier quality management in R&D by ensuring compliance, data integrity, and continuous improvement across the supplier lifecycle, collaborating with cross-functional teams to support our mi...
2 weeks ago
$68K - $131K *
Optimize procurement processes by managing purchase orders and vendor returns. Collaborate with teams to ensure timely deliveries and compliance, while maintaining strong relationships and accurate re...
Yesterday
Lead Product Engineer - (AIOps for Observability) - Remote
$100K - $170K *
Transform your career by leading the development of AI-powered observability solutions that enhance operational efficiency and system resilience across multi-cloud environments. Drive innovation in au...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Senior Engineer, Agentic Engineering Governance, Open Source
$153K - $166K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of AI governance in software development. As a Senior Engineer, you'll design policies and tools that ensure safe, effective use of AI coding agents, empowering d...
6 days ago
Senior Embedded Software Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Innovate your career by designing and developing safety-critical firmware for vehicle control systems. Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to enhance performance and ensure compliance with forma...
2 weeks ago
Principal Engineer - Agentic AI Applications
$168K - $240K *
Join us to define and deploy autonomous AI agents at scale, transforming cutting-edge LLM capabilities into reliable, high-availability products while mentoring a team of engineers and setting industr...
1 week ago
$95K - $185K *
Deliver impactful solutions as a technical leader to drive system resilience, architect observability, and empower engineers, while establishing strong SLO-driven processes across diverse cloud enviro...
1 month ago
$180K - $225K *
Pioneer innovative solutions as a Machine Learning Engineer, fine-tuning transformer models and deploying real-time automation pipelines, collaborating with top talents to tackle complex, data-driven...
3 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, SRE and Production Engineering - DGX Cloud
$152K - $287K *
Join a team that builds and operates large-scale GPU infrastructure for AI workloads. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop automation and tools, ensuring reliability and efficiency in pr...
3 weeks ago
Senior Manager, Switchgear Product Line
$150K - $200K *
Lead a dynamic team to drive product strategy and growth for switchgear, ensuring market competitiveness and profitability while collaborating with cross-functional partners to achieve long-term busin...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, SRE and Production Engineering - DGX Cloud
$184K - $287K *
Transform production infrastructure by automating bare-metal provisioning and enhancing GPU capacity management. Collaborate across teams to ensure reliability and efficiency in AI workloads, driving...
1 week ago
Senior Technical Content Engineer
$115K - $135K *
Engage with engineers and executives to create compelling technical content that showcases innovative CAD solutions. Deliver presentations, demos, and tutorials that highlight product features and the...
1 week ago
Principal High-Speed Analog Circuit Design Engineer
$130K - $155K *
Engineer cutting-edge high-speed analog circuits, driving innovation in broadband amplifiers and clock generation. Collaborate on next-gen optical transceivers, ensuring excellence from design to sili...
3 days ago
Principal High-Speed Analog Circuit Design Engineer
$200K - $300K *
Engineer cutting-edge high-speed analog circuits, driving innovation in broadband amplifiers and clock generation. Collaborate on next-gen optical transceivers, ensuring excellence from design to sili...
3 days ago
$130K - $180K *
Innovate your career by leading product strategy and execution in AI-driven simulation and autonomy. Collaborate with customers and technical teams to transform complex needs into impactful product so...
1 week ago
$171K - $245K *
Empower program delivery by leveraging AI-driven tools and automation. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to manage complex projects, ensuring high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment wh...
2 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Elevate propulsion engineering by leveraging advanced CAE analyses for cutting-edge vehicle systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance product performance and expedite development acr...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$83K - $109K *
Drive the development and evaluation of innovative packaging processes within a cross-functional team, leading projects and ensuring compliance with industry standards while enhancing product developm...
3 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Infrastructure
$100K - $300K *
Transform the infrastructure for AI applications, enabling seamless app development, hosting, and integration. Drive innovation in a dynamic environment, impacting thousands of users with scalable, re...
2 weeks ago
Business Development Leader - Software & PLC Solutions
$105K - $160K *
Unlock potential by driving growth in industrial software and PLC solutions. Shape market strategies, build customer relationships, and collaborate with sales teams to enhance market penetration and a...
1 week 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.