Research Engineer Jobs

Research engineers turn scientific ideas into practical systems, tools, and products. They combine engineering expertise with research methods to design experiments, build prototypes, analyze results, and help teams move discoveries toward real-world applications. Explore vetted Research Engineer opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.

What Does a Research Engineer Do?

Responsibilities vary by industry and employer, but often include developing research software or hardware, creating and testing prototypes, designing experiments, processing data, documenting findings, and collaborating with scientists, product teams, and other engineers. In fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, materials science, and biotechnology, research engineers may also build infrastructure that enables teams to train models, run simulations, or evaluate new technologies.

Research Engineer Skills and Qualifications

Employers typically seek strong engineering fundamentals, analytical thinking, and experience applying technical methods to open-ended problems. Relevant skills may include programming, statistical analysis, machine learning, simulation, experimental design, prototyping, and technical communication. Requirements depend on the specialty; some roles favor a bachelor’s or master’s degree and industry experience, while others may prefer a doctorate or a background in academic or laboratory research.

Where Research Engineers Work

Research engineers work in technology companies, research and development organizations, universities, laboratories, healthcare and biotech firms, and advanced manufacturing. Roles may focus on software, AI, robotics, electrical or mechanical systems, or other specialized areas. Team structures and day-to-day work can differ, so review each job description for its research focus, required expertise, and collaboration model.

Find Research Engineer Jobs on Ladders

Search Ladders for vetted Research Engineer openings with salaries of $100,000 or more. Compare responsibilities, qualifications, and compensation details to find opportunities that fit your technical background and career goals.

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$150K - $350K *

Transform the landscape of reinforcement learning by designing evaluations and environments that enhance model training and performance. Collaborate with researchers to identify and address model fail...

San Francisco, CARemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $160K *

Pioneer transformative data solutions by automating evaluations and building immersive environments that redefine enterprise capabilities and training methods for cutting-edge labs and real-world appl...

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$250K - $350K *

Lead the charge in developing comprehensive data strategies to enhance research efforts. Collaborate with researchers to source, integrate, and maintain diverse datasets crucial for training models an...

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $350K *

Elevate your career by driving the development of advanced AI models, overseeing pretraining processes, and optimizing training systems to ensure successful outcomes in a collaborative, innovative env...

San Francisco, CARemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Empower Meta's AI safety by developing rigorous evaluations for emerging risks, collaborating across teams to design and implement continuous safety metrics essential for reliable AI deployment...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$145K - $175K *

Lead the charge in defining robust safety evaluation metrics for AI systems, ensuring reliable, continuous measurement of safety across multiple model families and modalities. Collaborate effectively...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Transform your career by creating computer simulations that predict compound impact on insect behavior under real field conditions. Collaborate with scientists to enhance models and guide effective ex...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$120K - $145K *

Develop reinforcement learning environments to enhance model training and evaluation. Collaborate with researchers and engineers to translate real tasks into computational challenges, ensuring reliabl...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Innovate by building reinforcement learning environments that empower researchers to train models effectively. Collaborate with experts to translate real tasks into computational challenges, ensuring...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$193K - $318K *

Shape the future of undersea systems engineering by translating stakeholder needs into innovative solutions. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop, test, and transition advanced hardware...

Today

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$193K - $318K *

Drive the development of advanced undersea systems by translating stakeholder needs into robust engineering solutions. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure successful integration and tes...

Today

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$193K - $318K *

Drive the development of complex undersea systems, integrating hardware/software technologies for defense applications. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to transition innovative concepts into...

Today

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by transforming spatial AI research into practical solutions that enhance user experiences for homebuyers and builders, driving innovation in generative floor plan capabilities within...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

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

$125K - $150K *

Champion innovative multimodal solutions by developing advanced ML systems for creative tasks, enhancing agentic capabilities, and integrating complex data for real-world applications in a collaborati...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$150K - $350K *

Drive the development of cutting-edge AI infrastructure to enhance large-scale reinforcement learning and distributed training systems, optimizing performance and efficiency across various layers and...

San Francisco, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$350K - $500K+*

Unlock potential by designing infrastructure for cutting-edge AI research. Collaborate to optimize deployment and enhance scientific capabilities, driving progress in developing advanced AI systems fo...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Innovate the future of AI by designing memory architectures for LLMs. Collaborate with a dedicated team to advance self-improving intelligence through cutting-edge research, fostering multi-agent effi...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$128K - $193K *

Launch groundbreaking robotics initiatives by developing robust control stacks, managing sim-to-real pipelines, and collaborating with researchers to optimize real-world robot behavior and capabilitie...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$207K - $300K *

Drive innovative solutions by leveraging machine learning and software engineering expertise. Collaborate across teams to enhance data analysis, improve user experiences, and tackle complex challenges...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$207K - $300K *

Join a team that's pioneering research in machine learning and robotics. Lead innovative projects focused on uncertainty estimation and automated system diagnosis, driving advancements in adaptive per...

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$130K - $155K *

Drive innovation by building advanced agent-powered systems that enhance model training and streamline research processes, enabling our team to revolutionize AI drug design through rigorous experiment...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$145K - $175K *

Drive the development and maintenance of robust research systems and pipelines, ensuring reliable data processing and deployment. Collaborate closely with researchers to enhance efficiency and scalabi...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $155K *

Lead the development of innovative synthetic data solutions to enhance model capabilities. Own the end-to-end process from data generation to validation, ensuring high-quality datasets that drive impa...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$350K - $500K *

Advance the post-training stack for AI models by optimizing techniques and ensuring model quality, safety, and performance. Collaborate across research and engineering to implement innovative methodol...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$350K - $500K *

Unlock potential by implementing and optimizing advanced post-training techniques for AI models, driving improvements in quality and safety while collaborating across teams to enhance production capab...

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What is a Research Engineer?question toggle

    A Research Engineer applies engineering methods to investigate technical questions and develop tools, prototypes, or systems that advance research or translate discoveries into practical applications.

  • What qualifications do Research Engineer jobs require?question toggle

    Requirements vary by specialty. Employers commonly look for an engineering or related technical degree, relevant programming or laboratory experience, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate research results. Some positions require advanced degrees or specialized expertise.

  • What industries hire Research Engineers?question toggle

    Research Engineers are hired across technology, AI, robotics, biotechnology, healthcare, manufacturing, academia, and research laboratories, among other sectors.

  • How much do Research Engineers earn?question toggle

    Compensation varies based on location, experience, specialization, and employer. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, and job listings may provide role-specific compensation information.

  • How can I find Research Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Browse Research Engineer listings on Ladders and review each posting’s salary information, responsibilities, and qualifications to identify roles that match your experience and goals.