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 Development Manager - INCS
$110K - $130K *
Develop and execute national sales strategies to drive growth in industrial networking and cybersecurity. Build relationships, identify opportunities, and deliver tailored solutions to clients in crit...
2 days ago
Project Delivery Manager - Engines & Power Generation
$95K - $143K *
Lead logistics and inventory management ensuring timely delivery of materials. Collaborate with teams for optimal material readiness and quality standards while enhancing supply chain processes and ex...
3 weeks ago
Project Delivery Manager - Engines & Power Generation
$95K - $143K *
Optimize logistics and inventory management processes to ensure timely delivery of materials and components for successful project execution, fostering collaboration across teams and maintaining high...
3 weeks ago
Sr. QA Test Engineer (Quality Assurance)
$95K - $130K *
Transform the quality assurance landscape by leading manual and automated testing efforts, ensuring enterprise applications meet high standards for reliability, usability, and performance while collab...
1 week ago
Senior Enterprise Business Process Architect
$130K - $160K *
Lead the transformation of enterprise business processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Collaborate with stakeholders to architect solutions that drive operational excellence across the orga...
Reposted 1 week ago
$185K - $260K *
Join Reddit's Ads team as a Machine Learning Engineer, where you will design, build, and deploy machine learning models to enhance ad ranking, bidding, and optimization. This hands-on role involves ta...
Reposted 1 week ago
$135K - $160K *
Join Reddit's Ads team as a Machine Learning Engineer, where you will design, build, and deploy machine learning models to enhance ad ranking, bidding, and optimization. This hands-on role involves ta...
Reposted 1 week ago
$110K - $130K *
Unlock potential by driving technical sales engagement in power conversion and energy storage markets. Collaborate with diverse teams to align customer needs with innovative solutions, ensuring commer...
1 week ago
Principal Software Engineer, Platform
$225K - $285K *
Elevate your career by defining the technical strategy for a core platform, leading high-scale distributed systems, and mentoring engineers while driving innovation across multiple teams in a dynamic...
1 week ago
$104K - $130K *
Join a team that's driving project success in mission-critical environments. As a Project Manager, you'll oversee design and construction phases, manage stakeholder relations, and ensure project profi...
3 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Champion the future of healthcare by leading cutting-edge ML research in NLP and clinical AI. Collaborate with experts to translate innovative ideas into impactful solutions that enhance patient outco...
5 days ago
$69K - $101K *
Empower our Micro-Fulfillment Operations team by ensuring optimal performance and reliability of automated systems. Engage with customers to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues, enhancin...
2 days ago
Forward Deployed Engineer (Principal)
$132K - $211K *
Unlock potential by serving as a key technical leader, bridging engineering and enterprise architecture to eliminate adoption friction and enhance cloud-native infrastructure and AI platform deploymen...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$165K - $175K *
Shape the future of the Ontology Platform by driving data engineering initiatives, collaborating with stakeholders to deliver impactful solutions, and managing onboarding processes for new data source...
4 weeks ago
Product Manager - Service Engineering
$112K - $126K *
Join us to lead strategic investments in Service Engineering and Technical Publications, driving innovation through AI technologies. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance product lifecycl...
3 weeks ago
PCB Manufacturing Applications Engineer (Frontline Software)
$114K - $168K *
Engage with customers by providing technical support and training for Frontline software products, while managing implementation projects. Collaborate across teams to enhance product features and ensu...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Lead the design strategy for a comprehensive financial product stack, focusing on user experience across trading, margin, and DeFi workflows. Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams to enh...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Software Productization & Technology Commercialization Architect
$150K - $280K *
Elevate AI and autonomy technologies from concept to production-ready solutions. Collaborate across teams to drive commercialization and product strategy while ensuring effective implementation and in...
4 weeks ago
Lead Energetics Materials & Explosives Risk Management Engineer
$130K - $150K *
Pioneer safety solutions in explosives risk management. Leverage your extensive experience to lead high-stakes projects, mentor staff, and drive strategic improvements in risk mitigation across divers...
3 weeks ago
Sr Mechanical Engineer (SRM - Ballistician) (Remote Option Available)
$95K - $129K *
Advance your career by leveraging your expertise in solid rocket motor ballistics. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to perform detailed analyses, provide technical leadership, and drive innovat...
2 weeks ago
Principal Machine Learning Engineer
$187K - $253K *
Advance your career by owning enterprise AI/ML architecture, crafting end-to-end machine-learning systems, and collaborating across teams to deliver innovative AI solutions securely and effectively...
3 weeks ago
Strategy & Operations Associate
$80K - $95K *
Unlock potential by driving strategic insights and operational excellence in a dynamic environment. Collaborate across teams to analyze complex problems, shape pricing strategies, and support market e...
6 days ago
Horizon: Full-Stack Engineer (Senior)
$120K - $145K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of maritime data management and AI. You'll develop cutting-edge applications and enhance warfighter capabilities through innovative data solutions...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$140K - $160K *
Join a team that's redefining data engineering by leading the analytics data platform. Drive technical strategy, enhance data quality, and mentor peers while ensuring reliable access to trusted data f...
1 week ago
Software Engineering L5, Open Connect Platform
$388K - $500K+*
Drive impactful solutions for one of the largest CDNs by managing and optimizing our Open Connect platform through scalable microservices and data models, while collaborating with multidisciplinary te...
3 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.