Explore R&D Engineer Jobs

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.

What R&D Engineers Do

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.

Industries and Specializations

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.

Skills and Qualifications

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.

Find R&D Engineer Jobs on Ladders

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.

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$90K - $108K *

Drive successful project execution by managing customer projects from quotation to completion. Collaborate with teams and stakeholders to ensure timely delivery, quality standards, and customer satisf...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$150K - $205K *

Shape the future of AI by designing intuitive tools that empower users to create and manage automated workflows, bridging the gap between technology and user experience in contact centers...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$118K - $216K *

Unlock growth through AI-native engineering expertise to design and ship monetization experiments. Lead the enhancement of mobile user experiences for a vast user base by collaborating across teams an...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$117K - $189K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of pharmaceutical quality by leading compliance initiatives and building a robust Quality Management System to support innovative therapies in a dynamic, collabor...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$90K - $110K *

Join a team that's dedicated to delivering successful large-scale projects. Oversee all phases from planning to execution, ensuring timely completion and budget adherence while fostering strong custom...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$150K - $180K *

Drive the development of AI-native solutions, designing robust agentic systems and workflows while closely collaborating with SMEs to enhance real user value through effective feedback mechanisms and...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$126K - $162K *

Drive project success by leading design and construction phases, managing teams, and ensuring client satisfaction in commercial and mission-critical environments. Collaborate with stakeholders to deli...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$110K - $130K *

Innovate healthcare delivery by developing AI solutions that enhance operations and resident experiences. Collaborate with teams to automate processes and improve clinical decision-making in senior ca...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$80K - $95K *

Elevate your career by leading the design and quality assurance of telecom infrastructure projects. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions for underground conduit sys...

Seattle, WARemote

1 week ago

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

$120K - $145K *

Architect engineering strategies by guiding a team in delivering quality software. Foster business alignment, manage product roadmaps, and leverage AI technologies while ensuring high-performance outc...

United StatesRemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$118K - $177K *

Champion the delivery of safe, quality outage services and upgrades, ensuring customer satisfaction and project profitability while navigating a complex, matrixed environment in the nuclear power sect...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$110K - $130K *

Advance the Government-Military growth strategy to drive revenue, enhance market share, and innovate applications. Lead cross-functional teams to capture value and influence specifications in military...

Manchester, NHRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$110K - $130K *

Innovate within a dynamic team to lead electrical engineering design for grid modernization projects. Drive client engagement and mentor junior engineers while ensuring high-quality deliverables in a...

Houston, TXRemote

Yesterday

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

$148K - $254K *

Transform connected systems by designing and deploying advanced anomaly detection models. Lead a team to build robust pipelines, ensuring real-time analysis and integration across AI and engineering t...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$151K - $211K *

Architect transformative solutions by leading strategic pre-sales efforts, analyzing customer needs, and defining technical direction for enterprise infrastructure. Collaborate with teams to enhance g...

United StatesRemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Partner with us to design and implement cloud-native data solutions, ensuring secure and reliable data exchange across platforms. Collaborate with teams to enhance data accessibility and support advan...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$163K - $306K *

Champion the future of laboratory innovation by leading global product strategy, connecting emerging technologies and customer insights to drive impactful business initiatives across diverse markets...

RemoteRemote

5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$124K - $241K *

Join a visionary team to architect cloud networking solutions, drive innovation in DPU and NIC technologies, and collaborate with global experts to redefine data center architecture from hardware to a...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$150K - $180K *

Deliver strategic regulatory leadership for global development programs, overseeing regulatory strategy and execution from late-stage clinical phases to marketing authorization while ensuring complian...

North Carolina, USRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$152K - $205K *

Join a team that's designing and operating secure, scalable platform infrastructure for critical digital assets. Leverage your SRE expertise to enhance reliability, performance, and security across hy...

San Francisco, CARemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$68K - $110K *

Unlock insights into global product costs by collaborating with teams to enhance data transparency, support decision-making, and drive improvements in cost reporting and AI adoption for strategic init...

Indianapolis, INRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$80K - $100K *

Manage and execute complex LIMS implementations for public health and environmental labs. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure project success, stakeholder alignment, and high-quality out...

Tucson, AZRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by taking ownership of complex software challenges. Drive real-time traffic optimization through innovative AI solutions, collaborating across teams to deliver scalable and reliable s...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Champion the development of innovative observability solutions, leveraging your expertise in Go and network protocols to enhance network automation. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $185K *

Champion the development of high-trust engineering teams while managing intake, capacity planning, and operational excellence. Drive delivery and foster collaboration across functions to meet evolving...

CanadaRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does an R&D engineer do?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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.