Principal Scientist Jobs in Washington
Principal Scientist jobs in Washington concentrate heavily in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and advanced computing, making the state one of the most active markets in the country for senior research talent. Seattle and its surrounding Eastside corridor anchor most of the hiring, followed by the Tri-Cities area where federal energy research drives demand. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Bristol Myers Squibb have deep roots in Washington and represent some of the most consistent principal scientist employers in the state. The most sought-after specializations include computational biology, machine learning research, and materials science. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 32+ Principal Scientist jobs
DESCRIPTION
As a Principal Applied Scientist for the FAIM team, you will invent the models that help advertisers achieve desired outcomes. Today's state of the art models can setup ad campaigns to a specification, but do not understand advertising strategy well enough to help with abstract goals that real advertisers ask about like "how can I make more money."
This is a rare charter to build foundational optimization science where little exists today, spanning campaign recommendation, cross-product budget allocation, incrementality measurement, and long-term-sales modeling. You will set technical direction for a growing team, partner with engineering and product to take models from research to production at Amazon scale, and directly move advertiser ROAS and new-to-brand growth.
In this role you will
- Own the science vision for developing evaluations of the Ads Agent
- Partner with scientists from across Ads to develop best practices for evaluating agent performance both online and offline
- Raise the science bar for all agent evaluations developed in Ads.
- Own establishing a data driven foundation for making decisions about when new features are ready to launch in Ads Agent.
Key job responsibilities
- Define the long-term scientific vision for agent evaluations in Ads
- Translate ambiguous advertiser needs and competing objectives into a concrete science roadmap.
- Invent, prototype, and productionize machine learning and optimization solutions for joint budget allocation across sponsored ad products, spanning the shopper journey from awareness to purchase.
- Develop rigorous approaches to incrementality measurement and long-term-sales modeling that ground optimization in true advertiser value.
- Design and lead large-scale experiments and analyses to validate hypotheses and guide product direction.
- Partner closely with engineering and product to define technical contracts, data schemas, and serving systems that carry models into production.
- Raise the technical bar across science and engineering through mentorship, design reviews, and hands-on collaboration.
- Grow scientific talent and publish impactful research internally and at top-tier venues.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of hands-on work in predictive modeling and analysis experience
- PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field
- Experience working in predictive modeling and analysis
- Experience distilling informal customer requirements into problem definitions, dealing with ambiguity and competing objectives
- Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
- Experience with leading experienced scientists as well as having a record of developing junior members from academia or industry to a career track in a business environment
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 10+ years of relevant work in industry or academia experience
- Knowledge of problem solving, algorithm design and complexity analysis
- Experience creating novel algorithms and advancing the state of the art
- Have peer-reviewed scientific contributions in premier journals and conferences
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, CA, Palo Alto - 228,700.00 - 309,400.00 USD annually
USA, NY, New York - 218,800.00 - 295,900.00 USD annually
USA, WA, SEATTLE - 198,900.00 - 269,000.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
As a Principal Applied Scientist for the FAIM team, you will invent the models that help advertisers achieve desired outcomes. Today's state of the art models can setup ad campaigns to a specification, but do not understand advertising strategy well enough to help with abstract goals that real advertisers ask about like "how can I make more money."
This is a rare charter to build foundational optimization science where little exists today, spanning campaign recommendation, cross-product budget allocation, incrementality measurement, and long-term-sales modeling. You will set technical direction for a growing team, partner with engineering and product to take models from research to production at Amazon scale, and directly move advertiser ROAS and new-to-brand growth.
In this role you will
- Own the science vision for developing evaluations of the Ads Agent
- Partner with scientists from across Ads to develop best practices for evaluating agent performance both online and offline
- Raise the science bar for all agent evaluations developed in Ads.
- Own establishing a data driven foundation for making decisions about when new features are ready to launch in Ads Agent.
Key job responsibilities
- Define the long-term scientific vision for agent evaluations in Ads
- Translate ambiguous advertiser needs and competing objectives into a concrete science roadmap.
- Invent, prototype, and productionize machine learning and optimization solutions for joint budget allocation across sponsored ad products, spanning the shopper journey from awareness to purchase.
- Develop rigorous approaches to incrementality measurement and long-term-sales modeling that ground optimization in true advertiser value.
- Design and lead large-scale experiments and analyses to validate hypotheses and guide product direction.
- Partner closely with engineering and product to define technical contracts, data schemas, and serving systems that carry models into production.
- Raise the technical bar across science and engineering through mentorship, design reviews, and hands-on collaboration.
- Grow scientific talent and publish impactful research internally and at top-tier venues.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of hands-on work in predictive modeling and analysis experience
- PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field
- Experience working in predictive modeling and analysis
- Experience distilling informal customer requirements into problem definitions, dealing with ambiguity and competing objectives
- Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
- Experience with leading experienced scientists as well as having a record of developing junior members from academia or industry to a career track in a business environment
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 10+ years of relevant work in industry or academia experience
- Knowledge of problem solving, algorithm design and complexity analysis
- Experience creating novel algorithms and advancing the state of the art
- Have peer-reviewed scientific contributions in premier journals and conferences
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, CA, Palo Alto - 228,700.00 - 309,400.00 USD annually
USA, NY, New York - 218,800.00 - 295,900.00 USD annually
USA, WA, SEATTLE - 198,900.00 - 269,000.00 USD annually
See All 32 Principal Scientist Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Scientist JobsPrincipal Scientist Jobs by City in Washington
Where Washington roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Scientist Job Market in Washington
A snapshot from current Washington openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Retail
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Washington Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal scientist jobs across Washington.
- PhD in a relevant scientific discipline such as biology, chemistry, or computer science
- Minimum seven years of post-doctoral or industry research experience in a related field
- Demonstrated publication record or patent portfolio in the applicable scientific domain
- Experience leading cross-functional research teams and mentoring junior scientists
- Proficiency with advanced data analysis tools, statistical modeling, or laboratory platforms relevant to the specialty
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for presenting findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders
Principal Scientist Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal scientist in Washington?
The path to a principal scientist role in Washington typically starts with a doctoral degree in a natural or computational science, followed by several years of postdoctoral or industry research. Washington does not require a state-issued scientific license for most principal scientist positions outside of clinical or regulated fields. Candidates who build a strong record of peer-reviewed publications, lead independent research projects, and gain experience at Washington's major biotech or tech employers move into principal scientist roles most directly.
Which companies hire principal scientists in Washington?
Employers hiring principal scientists in Washington right now include Microsoft, Amazon, and Amazon Web Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Washington's concentration of life sciences companies along the I-405 corridor and global technology headquarters in the greater Seattle area means demand for principal scientists is spread across both sectors.
Which Washington cities have the most principal scientist jobs?
The cities with the most principal scientist openings in Washington are Seattle, Redmond, and Bellevue. Seattle and the Eastside cities of Bellevue and Redmond dominate because of the dense cluster of technology and biotech employers headquartered there, while the Tri-Cities area supports principal scientist roles tied to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and federal energy research.
Are there remote principal scientist jobs in Washington?
Yes, and more than many research roles, particularly for computational or data-focused principal scientists. About 29% of principal scientist openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the state's strong tech-employer presence. The most remote-compatible work tends to be in bioinformatics, machine learning research, and scientific program management rather than wet-lab or hardware-dependent positions.
How can I get hired as a principal scientist in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path for candidates without principal scientist experience is securing a postdoctoral associate or research scientist role at a Washington institution, such as the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Washington, or a Seattle-area biotech. From those positions, lateral moves into associate or staff scientist titles at companies like Seagen or Adaptive Biotechnologies provide the track toward principal level. Building a portfolio of published work and completing a doctoral degree in a directly relevant field gives candidates the clearest competitive edge in Washington's hiring market.
Where can I find and apply to principal scientist jobs in Washington?
You can find and apply to principal scientist jobs in Washington on Migrate Mate, which lists current Washington openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your background and specialization, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 32 Principal Scientist Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Scientist Jobs