Research Data Scientist Jobs in California
Research Data Scientist jobs in California are among the most actively recruited in the country, concentrated in biotechnology, technology, and academic research across experience levels from entry-level analyst to senior principal scientist. The largest hiring hubs are the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, home to major employers such as Genentech, Apple, and UCLA Health. The most in-demand specializations include machine learning research, computational biology, and large-scale statistical modeling. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 29+ Research Data Scientist jobs
Minimum qualifications:
- Master's degree in Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Economics, Operations Research, Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
- 8 years of work experience using analytics to solve product or business problems, coding (e.g., Python, R, SQL), querying databases or statistical analysis, or 6 years of work experience with a PhD degree.
Preferred qualifications:
- 10 years of work experience using analytics to solve product or business problems, coding (e.g., Python, R, SQL), querying databases or statistical analysis, or 8 years of work experience with a PhD degree.
- 2 years of relevant work experience as a data scientist/product analyst, including deep expertise and experience with statistical data analysis such as linear models, multivariate analysis, causal inference, sampling methods.
- Experience articulating business questions and using mathematical techniques to arrive at an answer using available data. Experience results into business recommendations.
- Demonstrated skills in selecting the right statistical tools given a data analysis problem.
About the job
Google Labs exists to discover and deliver new products that advance Google’s mission. Labs builds innovative new products and gets them into the hands of users as quickly as possible. The Labs team also runs labs.google, a place where you can try and co-create with Google's latest AI. We co-create with internal and external teams to showcase their bold and responsible ideas, so we can all shape the future of technology together (see go/labs).
In this role, you will be joining the Data Science team within Labs. The Labs Data Science team is a horizontal team, and we help the broader Labs team with metrics, experimentation, evaluation, insights, and data-driven decision making.
The Labs Data Science team is a horizontal team that supports quality evaluation, growth analysis, and data-driven decision making across the portfolio of Labs products. You will work closely with Labs product teams (PMs, Engineers, and cross-functional partners) on selected analysis projects. Example projects include growth and funnel analysis, quality evaluation (autoraters, metrics, eval set development), top-line metrics development, and user insights. You will work with these teams to develop scalable investigative tools (dashboards, metrics, pipelines), and also to communicate actionable results to the product teams to help influence product direction.
US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Work with large, complex data sets. Solve difficult, non-routine analysis problems, applying advanced investigative methods as needed. Conduct end-to-end analysis that includes data gathering and requirements specification, processing, analysis, ongoing deliverables, and presentations.
- Regularly share/present analysis to organization executives in order to share insights and influence product direction.
- Build and prototype analysis pipelines iteratively to provide insights at scale. Develop comprehensive understanding of Google data structures and metrics, advocating for changes where needed for both products development and sales activity.
- Interact cross-functionally with a wide variety of people and teams. Work closely with engineers to identify opportunities for, design, and assess improvements to google products.
- Make business recommendations (e.g. cost-benefit, forecasting, experiment analysis) with effective presentations of findings at multiple levels of stakeholders through visual displays of quantitative information.
Minimum qualifications:
- Master's degree in Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Economics, Operations Research, Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
- 8 years of work experience using analytics to solve product or business problems, coding (e.g., Python, R, SQL), querying databases or statistical analysis, or 6 years of work experience with a PhD degree.
Preferred qualifications:
- 10 years of work experience using analytics to solve product or business problems, coding (e.g., Python, R, SQL), querying databases or statistical analysis, or 8 years of work experience with a PhD degree.
- 2 years of relevant work experience as a data scientist/product analyst, including deep expertise and experience with statistical data analysis such as linear models, multivariate analysis, causal inference, sampling methods.
- Experience articulating business questions and using mathematical techniques to arrive at an answer using available data. Experience results into business recommendations.
- Demonstrated skills in selecting the right statistical tools given a data analysis problem.
About the job
Google Labs exists to discover and deliver new products that advance Google’s mission. Labs builds innovative new products and gets them into the hands of users as quickly as possible. The Labs team also runs labs.google, a place where you can try and co-create with Google's latest AI. We co-create with internal and external teams to showcase their bold and responsible ideas, so we can all shape the future of technology together (see go/labs).
In this role, you will be joining the Data Science team within Labs. The Labs Data Science team is a horizontal team, and we help the broader Labs team with metrics, experimentation, evaluation, insights, and data-driven decision making.
The Labs Data Science team is a horizontal team that supports quality evaluation, growth analysis, and data-driven decision making across the portfolio of Labs products. You will work closely with Labs product teams (PMs, Engineers, and cross-functional partners) on selected analysis projects. Example projects include growth and funnel analysis, quality evaluation (autoraters, metrics, eval set development), top-line metrics development, and user insights. You will work with these teams to develop scalable investigative tools (dashboards, metrics, pipelines), and also to communicate actionable results to the product teams to help influence product direction.
US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Work with large, complex data sets. Solve difficult, non-routine analysis problems, applying advanced investigative methods as needed. Conduct end-to-end analysis that includes data gathering and requirements specification, processing, analysis, ongoing deliverables, and presentations.
- Regularly share/present analysis to organization executives in order to share insights and influence product direction.
- Build and prototype analysis pipelines iteratively to provide insights at scale. Develop comprehensive understanding of Google data structures and metrics, advocating for changes where needed for both products development and sales activity.
- Interact cross-functionally with a wide variety of people and teams. Work closely with engineers to identify opportunities for, design, and assess improvements to google products.
- Make business recommendations (e.g. cost-benefit, forecasting, experiment analysis) with effective presentations of findings at multiple levels of stakeholders through visual displays of quantitative information.
See All 29 Research Data Scientist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Data Scientist JobsResearch Data Scientist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Data Scientist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Google12
- TikTok3
- ByteDance2
- Pika1
- Apple1
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Science & Research
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research data scientist jobs across California.
- Advanced degree in statistics, computer science, or a related quantitative field required
- Proficiency in Python and R for statistical modeling and data analysis
- Experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn
- Ability to design and execute independent research studies and publish findings
- Familiarity with large-scale data infrastructure including cloud platforms and SQL databases
- Strong written communication skills for presenting research to cross-functional stakeholders
Research Data Scientist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research data scientist in California?
Most research data scientist roles in California require at least a master's degree, with many senior and research-track positions expecting a PhD in statistics, computer science, or a domain-specific field such as computational biology. California does not issue a state license for this role. Hiring in California's biotech corridor, academic medical centers, and major tech campuses strongly favors candidates with a published research record, demonstrated proficiency in Python or R, and hands-on experience with machine learning or statistical inference.
How much do research data scientists make in California?
Research data scientists in California earn a median of about $141,590 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,480 for the lowest 10% to over $224,920 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire research data scientists in California?
Employers hiring research data scientists in California right now include Google, TikTok, and ByteDance, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of biotech firms in the Bay Area and San Diego, alongside major tech headquarters and university research centers, makes it one of the deepest hiring markets for this role in the country.
Which California cities have the most research data scientist jobs?
Mountain View, San Jose, and Novato have the most research data scientist openings in California. The San Francisco Bay Area leads because of its dense cluster of technology headquarters and life sciences campuses, San Diego draws heavily from its biotech and pharmaceutical research industry, and Los Angeles is driven by a mix of entertainment technology, health systems, and a growing startup ecosystem funding applied research roles.
Are there remote research data scientist jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 44% of research data scientist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on coding, modeling, and analysis that requires no physical lab. Fully remote arrangements are most common on the software and machine learning side of the role, while positions involving wet lab data, clinical trials, or collaborative research teams more often require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a research data scientist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research internship or graduate research assistantship, which California universities such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego offer in partnership with industry sponsors. Adjacent roles like data analyst, junior biostatistician, or research associate at California biotech or health-system employers provide a practical bridge. Building a public portfolio of reproducible research projects in Python or R, and contributing to open-source datasets, strengthens an application considerably when formal experience is limited.
Where can I find and apply to research data scientist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to research data scientist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries including technology, biotechnology, healthcare, and academia. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 29 Research Data Scientist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Data Scientist Jobs