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.
Solutions Integration Engineer IV
$105K - $160K *
Take ownership of B2B integrations as a key technical leader, collaborating across teams to deliver effective solutions that drive customer success and evolve with innovative IoT technology. Expect a...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$130K - $200K *
Join our team to shape the future of construction tech by building impactful tools for professionals. Leverage your expertise to create user-focused solutions that enhance productivity, reliability, a...
3 weeks ago
$130K - $260K *
Lead the charge in delivering high-quality healthcare applications through comprehensive testing and collaboration. Utilize your expertise in QA methodologies and Agile practices to ensure robust solu...
Today
Senior Mechanical Engineer, Central Utilities and District Energy
$120K - $155K *
Join a team that's leading the design and implementation of central utility systems. You'll manage complex projects, mentor engineers, and drive innovation in energy solutions for diverse facilities...
2 weeks ago
Senior Systems Engineer -- Agentic AI
$224K - $431K *
Architect scalable systems for agentic AI, tackling challenges in runtimes and large-scale execution to deliver production-quality solutions. Collaborate across teams for optimal performance and resou...
Reposted 5 days ago
Growth Engineer, Developer Platform
$200K - $322K *
Lead the charge in driving open source adoption and governance. Manage community infrastructure, contributor pathways, and post-launch plans to ensure sustainable project growth and engagement across...
2 weeks ago
$76K - $119K *
Champion innovative solutions in feed mill operations by defining and prioritizing software capabilities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance product performance and customer satisfacti...
1 week ago
$130K - $160K *
Transform the web3 landscape by developing secure, scalable Rust systems. Collaborate in a cutting-edge team to solve complex protocol challenges and deliver impactful solutions that drive innovation...
4 weeks ago
Senior Technical Recruiter, Engineering
$110K - $130K *
Elevate talent acquisition at a dynamic tech company by leading comprehensive recruiting strategies, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and enhancing candidate experiences to drive sustainable...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$165K *
Engage in cutting-edge AI projects by developing and deploying NLP models. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize performance and scalability, utilizing frameworks like PyTorch or TensorF...
2 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Drive innovation in AI by building and evaluating machine learning models. Collaborate with experts to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings effectively to enhance model performan...
1 week ago
Director, Research & Insights, Quantitative
$95K - $115K *
Transform healthcare insights by leading end-to-end quantitative market research. Collaborate with pharmaceutical teams to design impactful studies, analyze data, and deliver actionable recommendation...
1 week ago
$120K - $145K *
Lead a dynamic team of software engineers to enhance data import systems, ensuring efficient document processing and integration. Drive technical direction, improve engineering practices, and foster a...
2 weeks ago
Lead Forward Deployed Engineer
$195K - $362K *
Transform complex customer needs into scalable solutions by leading technical deployments, integrations, and automation. Collaborate with stakeholders to drive value and enhance operational efficiency...
3 weeks ago
$184K - $356K *
Join a dynamic team to develop cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, collaborating with research and product teams to transform innovative ideas into production-ready services that enhance AI tooling...
2 days ago
$105K - $165K *
Innovate by leading the development of cutting-edge harness engineering solutions. Create controls that enhance the AI coding process, ensuring quality and efficiency in production through hands-on de...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Senior Proposal Writer / Proposal Architect - Aerospace
$100K - $120K *
Drive your career with us as you craft compelling technical proposals for aerospace projects. Collaborate with experts to deliver innovative solutions and elevate your writing skills in a dynamic, mis...
2 weeks ago
Senior Product Security Engineer
$157K - $184K *
Empower secure software delivery by designing and maintaining robust CI/CD pipelines, enhancing cloud-native product security, and implementing best practices in software supply chain security. Collab...
2 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Take ownership of automating workflows across teams by building AI agents using Claude and Microsoft Copilot. Collaborate with various departments to identify automation opportunities, ensuring securi...
1 week ago
$162K - $290K *
Contribute to building cutting-edge software systems that harness AI to solve real-world operational challenges. Drive technical strategy, collaborate across teams, and develop full-stack solutions in...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$100K - $120K *
Drive your career with a pivotal role in business development, focusing on lead generation and relationship building to enhance pipeline growth and support sales objectives across North America...
2 days ago
$100K - $120K *
Unlock potential by driving business growth through lead generation, relationship building, and strategic engagement. Collaborate with sales teams to identify opportunities and close deals, ensuring a...
2 days ago
$100K - $120K *
Join a team that's driving growth by identifying and developing new business opportunities. You'll engage prospects, nurture relationships, and support the sales team in achieving corporate objectives...
2 days ago
$120K - $160K *
Drive cybersecurity solutions by managing security platforms, improving detection logic, and leading incident response efforts while ensuring operational health and compliance across diverse client en...
1 month ago
$110K - $130K *
Architect robust CI/CD pipelines and cloud infrastructure while driving innovation in geospatial science. Collaborate on AI architecture and ensure compliance-ready deployments across multi-cloud envi...
Yesterday
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.