Research Jobs in Virginia
Research jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in federal contracting, defense intelligence, biomedical sciences, and public policy across a market that rivals any in the country. Most hiring is in and around the Northern Virginia corridor, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads region, where organizations like MITRE Corporation, Booz Allen Hamilton, and the Institute for Defense Analyses maintain deep research workforces. The most consistent openings are in defense and national security research, health and life sciences research, and policy analysis. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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We are seeking a Director of User Research to establish and lead a research function across Bloomberg Industry Group. This role will define how customer insight informs product strategy, prioritization, and investment decisions across our platform.
This is a foundational leadership role. You will build a centralized research capability, bring structure to how teams engage with research, and ensure insights are consistently translated into decisions that improve product outcomes. You will also help modernize how research is conducted and applied across teams by leveraging scalable systems, tools, and emerging technologies.
What You Will Do:
Build and lead a centralized user research function serving Law, Tax, and Government product lines
Hire, develop, and manage a team of user researchers, evolving from a limited existing footprint to a scaled capability
Define and operate a research model, including intake, prioritization, and engagement, that ensures research is focused on the highest-impact product and business decisions
Partner with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership to embed research into product development and shape strategy, roadmap, and investment decisions
Lead research on complex, ambiguous problem spaces and critical product bets
Translate customer insights into clear implications, tradeoffs, and recommendations that directly inform decisions and drive measurable product improvements
Establish standards, processes, and systems that improve the quality, consistency, and accessibility of research
Connect insights across product lines and Core Product Experience to inform platform-level opportunities
Establish systems, tools, and practices that enable teams to efficiently access and apply research insights, improving the speed and consistency of decision-making across the organization
Leverage tools and emerging technologies to streamline research operations, including participant recruitment, synthesis, and insight sharing, and continuously improve how research is conducted
What You Need to Have :
10+ years of experience applying user research to product development for complex, web-based or platform-level products, with increasing scope and leadership responsibility
Experience hiring, developing, and leading user research teams
Experience building or scaling a research function in a multi-product organization
Strong expertise in qualitative research methods, with working knowledge of quantitative approaches
Experience defining research processes, operating models, or systems that scale insight across teams
Demonstrated ability to influence product strategy, prioritization, and senior stakeholders through clear, actionable insights
Experience working across Product, Design, Engineering, and business teams with competing priorities
Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate insights into decisions and action
Experience leveraging modern research tools and emerging technologies to improve efficiency and scale (e.g., participant management platforms, AI-assisted synthesis, or similar capabilities)
Ability to balance hands-on research, team leadership, and organizational enablement
Compensation Range:
$215,000.00-$260,000.00
Placement in the salary range will be decided upon completion of the interview process. Salary determination will be determined based on factors including but not limited to relevant experience, demonstrated skills related to the requirements of the role, education, certifications, and geographic location.
Equal Opportunity
Bloomberg Industry Group maintains a continuing policy of non-discrimination in employment. It is Bloomberg Industry Group’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access for all persons, and the Company is committed to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified individuals without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender identity or expression, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, parental or caring status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy or maternity/parental leave, protected veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other classification protected by applicable law (“Protected Characteristic”). Bloomberg prohibits treating applicants or employees less favorably in connection with the terms and conditions of employment, in all phases of the employment process, because of one or more Protected Characteristics (“Discrimination”).
We are seeking a Director of User Research to establish and lead a research function across Bloomberg Industry Group. This role will define how customer insight informs product strategy, prioritization, and investment decisions across our platform.
This is a foundational leadership role. You will build a centralized research capability, bring structure to how teams engage with research, and ensure insights are consistently translated into decisions that improve product outcomes. You will also help modernize how research is conducted and applied across teams by leveraging scalable systems, tools, and emerging technologies.
What You Will Do:
Build and lead a centralized user research function serving Law, Tax, and Government product lines
Hire, develop, and manage a team of user researchers, evolving from a limited existing footprint to a scaled capability
Define and operate a research model, including intake, prioritization, and engagement, that ensures research is focused on the highest-impact product and business decisions
Partner with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership to embed research into product development and shape strategy, roadmap, and investment decisions
Lead research on complex, ambiguous problem spaces and critical product bets
Translate customer insights into clear implications, tradeoffs, and recommendations that directly inform decisions and drive measurable product improvements
Establish standards, processes, and systems that improve the quality, consistency, and accessibility of research
Connect insights across product lines and Core Product Experience to inform platform-level opportunities
Establish systems, tools, and practices that enable teams to efficiently access and apply research insights, improving the speed and consistency of decision-making across the organization
Leverage tools and emerging technologies to streamline research operations, including participant recruitment, synthesis, and insight sharing, and continuously improve how research is conducted
What You Need to Have :
10+ years of experience applying user research to product development for complex, web-based or platform-level products, with increasing scope and leadership responsibility
Experience hiring, developing, and leading user research teams
Experience building or scaling a research function in a multi-product organization
Strong expertise in qualitative research methods, with working knowledge of quantitative approaches
Experience defining research processes, operating models, or systems that scale insight across teams
Demonstrated ability to influence product strategy, prioritization, and senior stakeholders through clear, actionable insights
Experience working across Product, Design, Engineering, and business teams with competing priorities
Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate insights into decisions and action
Experience leveraging modern research tools and emerging technologies to improve efficiency and scale (e.g., participant management platforms, AI-assisted synthesis, or similar capabilities)
Ability to balance hands-on research, team leadership, and organizational enablement
Compensation Range:
$215,000.00-$260,000.00
Placement in the salary range will be decided upon completion of the interview process. Salary determination will be determined based on factors including but not limited to relevant experience, demonstrated skills related to the requirements of the role, education, certifications, and geographic location.
Equal Opportunity
Bloomberg Industry Group maintains a continuing policy of non-discrimination in employment. It is Bloomberg Industry Group’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access for all persons, and the Company is committed to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified individuals without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender identity or expression, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, parental or caring status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy or maternity/parental leave, protected veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other classification protected by applicable law (“Protected Characteristic”). Bloomberg prohibits treating applicants or employees less favorably in connection with the terms and conditions of employment, in all phases of the employment process, because of one or more Protected Characteristics (“Discrimination”).
See All 126+ Research Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research JobsResearch Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- University of Virginia18
- Virginia Commonwealth University9
- Virginia Tech7
- ICF4
- Inova Health4
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Education
- Science & Research
- Investment & Asset Management
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research jobs across Virginia.
- Active security clearance or eligibility for federal clearance required for many Virginia research positions
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field such as biology, public policy, or engineering
- Experience designing and executing research studies, literature reviews, or program evaluations
- Proficiency with data analysis tools such as R, Python, SAS, SPSS, or STATA
- Strong written communication skills including technical reports and peer-reviewed publication experience
- Familiarity with federal research compliance standards including IRB protocols and grant reporting requirements
Research Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research in Virginia?
Most research positions in Virginia require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, with master's or doctoral credentials expected for senior or independent roles. No single state-issued research license governs the field, but many specialized areas carry their own requirements: clinical researchers may need IRB certification, defense researchers typically need a federal security clearance processed through the appropriate agency, and policy analysts in state government may need credentials aligned with specific program areas. Building a record of published work, funded projects, or technical reports strengthens candidates significantly in Virginia's competitive market.
Which companies hire researchs in Virginia?
Companies currently hiring researchs in Virginia include University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Tech, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's heavy concentration of federal agencies and prime contractors means many research roles involve government-sponsored programs in defense, intelligence, health, and technology policy.
Which Virginia cities have the most research jobs?
Charlottesville, Arlington, and Fairfax have the most research openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia leads because of its density of federal agencies, defense contractors, and federally funded research organizations, while Richmond draws biomedical, policy, and university-affiliated researchers, and Hampton Roads supports a substantial naval and defense research presence anchored by major military installations in the region.
Are there remote research jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 52% of research openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how much analytical and writing-intensive research translates well to distributed work. The roles most likely to be fully remote are literature reviews, policy analysis, data research, and secondary data studies, while hands-on laboratory or classified facility research requires in-person presence.
How can I get hired as a research in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through research assistant or junior analyst positions at Virginia's federally funded research centers and universities. Organizations like MITRE, George Mason University, and Virginia Commonwealth University regularly hire early-career candidates into structured research programs or graduate research assistant roles. Lateral entry from adjacent roles such as data analyst, program coordinator, or laboratory technician is common. Earning an IRB human subjects research certification or completing a graduate certificate in a quantitative method gives candidates a concrete credential that addresses the experience gap hiring managers consistently flag.
Where can I find and apply to research jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to research jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across industries and experience levels. Search the listings to find roles that match your background, then apply directly to the ones that fit. No signup is required to see open positions.
See All 126+ Research Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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