Staff Scientist Jobs

Explore Staff Scientist opportunities for experienced researchers and scientific professionals. Staff Scientists lead and support research programs, design experiments, analyze data, develop methods, and share findings with scientific and business partners. On Ladders, discover vetted professional roles with salaries of $100,000 or more across research organizations, life sciences, healthcare, technology, government, and academia.

What Does a Staff Scientist Do?

Staff Scientist responsibilities vary by field and employer. The role may involve planning and conducting experiments, managing specialized equipment or laboratory operations, interpreting complex datasets, contributing to publications and proposals, and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams. Many Staff Scientists also guide junior researchers and help set technical direction for a project or research group.

Skills and Qualifications

Employers commonly seek deep subject-matter expertise, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and experience with relevant research methods, instruments, or computational tools. A Ph.D. is often preferred or required, though requirements depend on the discipline and position. Clear scientific communication, project management, collaboration, and a record of research contributions can also strengthen an application.

Staff Scientist Salary and Career Opportunities

Compensation depends on factors such as specialization, experience, location, employer, and scope of responsibility. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, helping experienced candidates explore Staff Scientist roles that align with their expertise and career goals. Senior opportunities may include increased research leadership, program ownership, or progression into principal scientist and research management positions.

Find Staff Scientist Jobs on Ladders

Search Staff Scientist jobs by specialty, location, and employer to find opportunities suited to your background. Review role requirements, tailor your résumé to highlight relevant research outcomes and technical strengths, and explore positions that can advance your scientific career.

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$81K - $106K *

Unlock potential by leading complex cultural resource projects, ensuring high-quality compliance services and technical excellence, while mentoring staff and fostering business growth in a supportive...

Montana, USRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$81K - $106K *

Join a team that's dedicated to delivering top-notch cultural resources compliance services. You'll lead projects, mentor staff, and develop innovative solutions while ensuring adherence to industry s...

Idaho, USRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$166K - $275K *

Shape cutting-edge solutions in geospatial intelligence by leveraging advanced data science. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to drive innovative projects, utilizing machine learning to tackle...

Richland, WARemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$125K - $150K *

Shape data-driven solutions by leveraging your expertise in machine learning and analytics. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful insights and ensure seamless deployment in prod...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$76K - $126K *

Join a team that's pioneering AI-driven computational synthesis to optimize fuel cell catalysts. Collaborate with experts to develop innovative frameworks that enhance reaction energetics and contribu...

Golden, CORemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$130K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of scientific computing and research infrastructure. Lead strategic initiatives, manage high-performance computing resources, and collaborate with diverse teams to...

Madison, WIRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$95K - $115K *

Unlock potential by leveraging data science to drive informed decision-making through advanced analytics, modeling, and collaboration in a dynamic research environment...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$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

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Empower decision-making by utilizing data-driven insights to enhance operations, supporting growth through statistical modeling and AI techniques while maintaining compliance in a complex regulatory e...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$134K - $179K *

Lead the charge in bridging genomic variants with clinical insights, collaborating with scientists to automate and scale curation workflows. Drive innovation in AI/ML applications while ensuring softw...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$121K - $176K *

Transform operational excellence by leading a team to implement Lean strategies, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and enhance safety, quality, and cost performance across multiple sites while...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $175K *

Optimize data analytics support for lab production operations by leading a dedicated team in a dynamic environment. Drive innovation, ensure compliance, and enhance operational effectiveness while mak...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$164K - $205K *

Lead the design and analysis of clinical validation studies, ensuring regulatory compliance and driving innovative research in molecular diagnostics. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$150K - $350K *

Build advanced inference systems to enhance RL research, optimizing throughput and enabling scalable model updates. Collaborate with researchers to balance efficiency and quality in cutting-edge AI ar...

San Francisco, CARemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $131K *

Join a team that's redefining cultural resource management by leading complex projects, mentoring staff, and driving business growth while ensuring compliance with federal regulations and delivering h...

Sheridan, WYRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$83K - $103K *

Drive success in regulatory affairs by preparing critical submissions for medical and diagnostic devices. Oversee compliance with U.S. and international regulations while collaborating with cross-func...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$185K - $215K *

Take ownership of analytical development initiatives, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and high-quality documentation for multiple projects. Collaborate closely with internal teams and external partners...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$134K - $219K *

Lead clinical laboratory operations for precision medicine projects, ensuring timely deliverables and risk management across therapeutic areas. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support clini...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$73K - $132K *

Contribute to impactful environmental projects by analyzing data, preparing technical documents, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to support CERCLA investigations and remediation efforts...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$270K - $280K *

Join a team that's driving clinical excellence by overseeing trial execution, managing timelines, budgets, and CROs. Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure compliance and quality while mentoring team...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$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

$180K - $212K *

Pioneer innovative IAM strategies to enhance security across cloud and on-premise infrastructures. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement robust identity governance and access management...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$195K - $312K *

Zillow is seeking a Principal Applied Scientist to join the Agentic AI team, focusing on developing advanced multimodal technologies for understanding homes. The role involves designing and prototypin...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

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

$95K - $110K *

Discover user needs and drive product decisions as a UX Researcher, collaborating with cross-functional teams to conduct research, usability studies, and synthesize insights that enhance user experien...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Join us to lead the development and oversight of scientific content across therapeutic areas, ensuring strategic medical communication aligns with brand goals while managing a team and collaborating w...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Staff Scientist do?question toggle

    A Staff Scientist conducts and supports research, designs experiments, analyzes results, maintains expertise in scientific methods or technologies, and collaborates with research teams. Depending on the role, they may also mentor colleagues and contribute to publications, proposals, or research strategy.

  • What qualifications are typically required for Staff Scientist jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary by discipline and employer. Many roles ask for a Ph.D. and relevant research experience, while some accept a master's degree paired with substantial specialized experience. Employers may also expect expertise in field-specific methods, instruments, or data analysis.

  • How much do Staff Scientists earn?question toggle

    Staff Scientist pay varies according to field, experience, location, organization, and responsibilities. Ladders features vetted professional opportunities paying $100,000 or more, including eligible Staff Scientist roles.

  • Where do Staff Scientists work?question toggle

    Staff Scientists work in settings such as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, universities, hospitals, government agencies, national laboratories, and technology or industrial research organizations.

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

    Use Ladders to explore vetted professional Staff Scientist openings with salaries of $100,000 or more. Search by location or specialization and compare requirements to identify roles that fit your experience.