Explore Researcher Jobs

Researcher roles turn complex questions into evidence, insights, and discoveries that inform decisions and advance knowledge. From laboratory and clinical research to data science, market research, and policy analysis, researchers work across industries and disciplines. Explore vetted researcher opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders and find roles that match your expertise and career goals.

What Researchers Do

Researchers plan studies, gather and analyze information, evaluate findings, and communicate results. Depending on the role, work may involve designing experiments, managing datasets, reviewing literature, conducting interviews, developing models, or preparing reports and publications. Many positions also require collaboration with technical teams, business leaders, clinicians, or academic partners.

Researcher Career Paths

Research careers span areas such as biomedical and life sciences, pharmaceuticals, clinical trials, artificial intelligence, software, economics, finance, consumer insights, public policy, and academia. Job titles may include research scientist, clinical researcher, data researcher, market researcher, research analyst, and principal investigator. Responsibilities and qualifications vary by specialty and employer.

Skills and Qualifications

Successful researchers bring strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, clear communication, and sound judgment. Depending on the field, employers may seek experience with statistical methods, programming, laboratory techniques, research ethics, study design, or specialized tools and subject-matter knowledge. Advanced degrees are common in some scientific and academic roles, while industry positions may prioritize applied experience and demonstrable results.

Find High-Paying Researcher Jobs

Use Ladders to explore vetted researcher jobs with salaries of $100,000 or more. Compare opportunities by specialty, seniority, location, and employer, and focus your search on positions that align with your skills and preferred career direction.

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$122K - $153K *

Advance impactful research initiatives by leading complex studies and managing multiple projects. Collaborate with clients and partners to generate actionable insights while mentoring colleagues and e...

Alameda, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$81K - $138K *

Transform user experiences by conducting in-depth UX research, synthesizing insights, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance service design and product usability for federal clients...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$135K - $160K *

Engineer next-gen AppSec solutions by collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance detection capabilities and drive innovation in vulnerability research and autonomous pen-testing...

Toronto, ONRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$110K - $130K *

Join a dynamic team as a Research Scientist, leading innovative qualitative studies in clinical trials. Oversee project delivery, mentor junior staff, and drive scientific excellence while fostering c...

North Carolina, USRemote

2 days 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

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$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...

San Francisco, CARemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $350K *

Join a dynamic team to develop cutting-edge reinforcement learning algorithms and frameworks. Collaborate on scaling research and training systems, focusing on your strengths to enhance AI capabilitie...

San Francisco, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Elevate project outcomes by leading cross-functional teams to deliver clinical research projects on time and within budget, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and client expectations while...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$180K - $300K *

Partner with us to tackle complex data challenges and enhance frontier AI model performance. In this critical role, engage with leading AI labs to design innovative datasets and environments while tra...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$80K - $95K *

Engage in high-quality legal research to support law firm clients, focusing on intellectual property matters. Utilize advanced research tools to deliver accurate results and synthesize findings into a...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$95K - $115K *

Transform clinical testing by providing scientific expertise and strategic guidance. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance analytical strategies and support global initiatives, ensuring h...

Johnson City, TNRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Drive impactful healthcare decisions by leveraging real-world data expertise. Collaborate with clients to evaluate and analyze RWD for regulatory assessments, ensuring high-quality evidence generation...

Arlington, VARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$96K - $101K *

Empower domestic workers by leading impactful research initiatives that inform advocacy and policy development. Drive strategic research agendas, mentor a dedicated team, and collaborate with diverse...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$133K - $190K *

Innovate in machine learning and AI by conducting research on large-scale models, developing methodologies, and collaborating with teams to enhance personalization systems and user experiences...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Media

$120K - $145K *

Lead quantitative user research across product lines, shaping strategy and answering critical questions with data-driven insights. Collaborate with teams to prioritize research that mitigates risk and...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$80K - $95K *

Contribute to the development and delivery of training programs for Clinical Trial Delivery, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and regulatory standards. Collaborate with cross-functional te...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$80K - $95K *

Elevate your career by managing clinical sites and ensuring study quality, patient safety, and regulatory compliance. Collaborate with site teams to support enrollment and deliver impactful clinical r...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$100K - $120K *

Elevate clinical research by assisting with study design, medical monitoring, and compliance to ensure effective execution of clinical trials and contribute positively to patient outcomes in alignment...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $145K *

Innovate with us as you drive research initiatives, develop ML models, and translate complex algorithms into practical solutions, collaborating across teams to enhance fraud detection and authenticati...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$80K - $95K *

Execute project management strategies to drive research initiatives, ensuring effective collaboration and communication across teams. Manage project life cycles, optimize processes, and enhance outcom...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$80K - $135K *

Advance educational research by analyzing data and synthesizing findings to enhance student access to advanced courses. Collaborate with stakeholders to design studies, build dashboards, and communica...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$150K - $180K *

Shape the future of AI evaluation by leading rigorous methodologies, collaborating with engineers, and mentoring teams to ensure accurate assessments that drive product innovation and market standards...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$174K - $240K *

Champion innovative research in AI/digital safety, leading methodologies and partnerships to enhance assessment tools. Drive project management and team development to advance the mission of digital s...

RemoteRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$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

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$115K - $172K *

Transform cutting-edge remote sensing technologies through collaborative research, algorithm development, and sensor data analysis. Contribute to innovative projects while shaping future research dire...

Ann Arbor, MIRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a researcher do?question toggle

    A researcher investigates questions by planning studies, collecting and analyzing evidence, interpreting results, and sharing findings. Specific duties depend on the field and may include experiments, data analysis, interviews, literature reviews, or reports.

  • What types of researcher jobs are available?question toggle

    Researcher opportunities include roles in life sciences, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, data science, finance, market research, economics, public policy, and academia. Titles can include research scientist, clinical researcher, research analyst, and principal investigator.

  • What qualifications do researcher jobs require?question toggle

    Requirements vary by specialty. Employers may look for a relevant degree, research or industry experience, analytical and communication skills, and expertise in methods or tools such as statistical analysis, programming, laboratory techniques, or clinical study design.

  • Can researchers earn $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Yes. Compensation depends on factors such as specialty, experience, location, employer, and seniority. Ladders features vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more.

  • How can I find researcher jobs on Ladders?question toggle

    Browse researcher listings on Ladders and narrow your search by specialization, location, seniority, and other preferences to find opportunities that fit your background and goals.