Research Scientist Engineer Jobs
Research Scientist Engineer jobs are open from new-grad to principal across biotech, semiconductors, aerospace, and national laboratories, with specializations in machine learning research, materials science, and computational modeling. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 1,500+ Research Scientist Engineer jobs
- 538528
- Arlington, Virginia, United States
- VTNSI
- Data Analytics / Security
- Research / Scientific
- Faculty (Salaried)
- Virginia Tech
Job Description
With a presence in both Blacksburg and Washington D.C. metro areas, the Virginia Tech National Security Institute (VNTSI) serves dual missions of (1) performing cutting edge research and development for externally sponsored Department of War and Intelligence Community programs and (2) cultivating the next generation of national security workforce and thought leaders by engaging students in curricular, extracurricular, and research and development opportunities. As one of the fastest growing thematic research institutes at Virginia Tech, sponsors and collaborators benefit from VTNSI through both highly experienced student talent pipelines and senior technical leadership that addresses some of our nation’s greatest national security challenges and threats.
The Intelligent Systems Division (ISD), one of the three research divisions of VTNSI, is seeking a Research Associate or Research Scientist in Cyber Security to conduct research in cyber security and artificial intelligence. This is a research and development position based in Arlington, Virginia. ISD brings together researchers from computer science, systems engineering, statistics, mathematics, operations research and other related fields to develop interdisciplinary solutions to cutting-edge technological challenges. Successful candidates for this position will have relevant experience in cyber security and ideally artificial intelligence.
Specific responsibilities include the following:
1. Contributes to research conducted in ISD focused on cyber security, cyber operations, cyber analytics, and the intersection of those areas with other ISD research interests - including but not limited to data science, artificial intelligence, and systems engineering
2. Contributes to technical documents/presentations and peer-reviewed academic papers
3. At the Research Associate I and II levels, executes responsibilities that may include background research, coding protection mechanisms or attacks, data collection, analysis, documentation, and supporting project logistics
4. At the Research Scientist I and II levels, contributes to research design and execution, supervise and/or mentor technical staff in key technical areas, and participate in proposal development; opportunity to serve as either Co-PI or PI on small to moderate programs.
Required Qualifications
- US citizenship
- Active and ability to maintain a security clearance
- Education in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, or related discipline
o For Research Associate II, Master’s degree, Bachelor’s with 3 years post-degree experience
o Research Scientist I, Master’s degree, Bachelor’s with five years of post-degree experience
o Research Scientist II, Master’s degree with three years experience, Bachelor’s with five years post-degree experience, or doctoral degree.
- Experience with cyber security and cyber operations (including software, AI/ML, or autonomy)
- Demonstrated knowledge of networking fundamentals, network logs and telemetry, common cyber-attack types including malware, security concepts including access control and cryptography.
- Experience with artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, C++, C, etc.
- Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team in executing research and/or development projects
- Evidence of high potential for excellence in research and development as demonstrated through academic study or experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.
- Experience in cyber test, including network and penetration testing, malware analysis, or red teaming
- Experience in testing AI-enabled systems (including benchmarking, prompting, narratives, AI use in human workflows) and agentic AI (including assessing behavior and security, autonomous use of AI)
- Experience serving as PI/Co-PI on funding programs (preference for Research Scientist I and II)
- Experience with software development, cryptography, or software reverse engineering
- Experience with common machine learning software packages such as Tensor Flow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, etc.
- Experience working in an academic environment
- Experience executing on research and/or development programs supporting the federal government
- Interest and/or experience working effectively with a diverse faculty, staff and student population
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Restricted
Salary Information
- Research Associate I starting at $100,000; commensurate with experience
- Research Associate II starting at $125,000; commensurate with experience
- Research Scientist I starting at $150,000; commensurate with experience
- Research Scientist II starting at $175,000; commensurate with experience
Hours per week
40
Review Date
November 30, 2026
Additional Information
Due to the nature of our work, the successful candidates must be US citizens with an active security clearance.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Alex Tuuri at alext3@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
- 538528
- Arlington, Virginia, United States
- VTNSI
- Data Analytics / Security
- Research / Scientific
- Faculty (Salaried)
- Virginia Tech
Job Description
With a presence in both Blacksburg and Washington D.C. metro areas, the Virginia Tech National Security Institute (VNTSI) serves dual missions of (1) performing cutting edge research and development for externally sponsored Department of War and Intelligence Community programs and (2) cultivating the next generation of national security workforce and thought leaders by engaging students in curricular, extracurricular, and research and development opportunities. As one of the fastest growing thematic research institutes at Virginia Tech, sponsors and collaborators benefit from VTNSI through both highly experienced student talent pipelines and senior technical leadership that addresses some of our nation’s greatest national security challenges and threats.
The Intelligent Systems Division (ISD), one of the three research divisions of VTNSI, is seeking a Research Associate or Research Scientist in Cyber Security to conduct research in cyber security and artificial intelligence. This is a research and development position based in Arlington, Virginia. ISD brings together researchers from computer science, systems engineering, statistics, mathematics, operations research and other related fields to develop interdisciplinary solutions to cutting-edge technological challenges. Successful candidates for this position will have relevant experience in cyber security and ideally artificial intelligence.
Specific responsibilities include the following:
1. Contributes to research conducted in ISD focused on cyber security, cyber operations, cyber analytics, and the intersection of those areas with other ISD research interests - including but not limited to data science, artificial intelligence, and systems engineering
2. Contributes to technical documents/presentations and peer-reviewed academic papers
3. At the Research Associate I and II levels, executes responsibilities that may include background research, coding protection mechanisms or attacks, data collection, analysis, documentation, and supporting project logistics
4. At the Research Scientist I and II levels, contributes to research design and execution, supervise and/or mentor technical staff in key technical areas, and participate in proposal development; opportunity to serve as either Co-PI or PI on small to moderate programs.
Required Qualifications
- US citizenship
- Active and ability to maintain a security clearance
- Education in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, or related discipline
o For Research Associate II, Master’s degree, Bachelor’s with 3 years post-degree experience
o Research Scientist I, Master’s degree, Bachelor’s with five years of post-degree experience
o Research Scientist II, Master’s degree with three years experience, Bachelor’s with five years post-degree experience, or doctoral degree.
- Experience with cyber security and cyber operations (including software, AI/ML, or autonomy)
- Demonstrated knowledge of networking fundamentals, network logs and telemetry, common cyber-attack types including malware, security concepts including access control and cryptography.
- Experience with artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, C++, C, etc.
- Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team in executing research and/or development projects
- Evidence of high potential for excellence in research and development as demonstrated through academic study or experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.
- Experience in cyber test, including network and penetration testing, malware analysis, or red teaming
- Experience in testing AI-enabled systems (including benchmarking, prompting, narratives, AI use in human workflows) and agentic AI (including assessing behavior and security, autonomous use of AI)
- Experience serving as PI/Co-PI on funding programs (preference for Research Scientist I and II)
- Experience with software development, cryptography, or software reverse engineering
- Experience with common machine learning software packages such as Tensor Flow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, etc.
- Experience working in an academic environment
- Experience executing on research and/or development programs supporting the federal government
- Interest and/or experience working effectively with a diverse faculty, staff and student population
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Restricted
Salary Information
- Research Associate I starting at $100,000; commensurate with experience
- Research Associate II starting at $125,000; commensurate with experience
- Research Scientist I starting at $150,000; commensurate with experience
- Research Scientist II starting at $175,000; commensurate with experience
Hours per week
40
Review Date
November 30, 2026
Additional Information
Due to the nature of our work, the successful candidates must be US citizens with an active security clearance.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Alex Tuuri at alext3@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Research Scientist Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
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Find JobsResearch Scientist Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Meta170
- TikTok86
- NVIDIA42
- Google33
- ByteDance33
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software177
- Education74
- Science & Research48
- Artificial Intelligence33
- Healthcare & Medical Services29
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research scientist engineer jobs.
- PhD in a relevant engineering or applied science discipline
- Demonstrated research experience through publications, patents, or dissertations
- Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or domain-specific simulation software
- Experience designing and executing independent research projects end to end
- Familiarity with statistical modeling, experimental design, and data analysis methods
- Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with product, engineering, and clinical teams
Tips for Your Research Scientist Engineer Job Search
Align your resume to publication impact
Hiring panels for research scientist engineer roles weigh publication record and citation impact heavily. List first-author papers, conference proceedings, and any patents near the top of your resume, not buried in a separate section at the bottom.
Distinguish applied from fundamental research experience
Job listings split sharply between roles that push scientific boundaries and roles that translate findings into product. Read each posting carefully and frame your resume language to match whichever side the employer sits on.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists research scientist engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a research talk for technical screens
Most research scientist engineer interviews include a seminar-style presentation on your past work. Practice distilling a complex project to a 20-minute talk that non-specialists can follow, because cross-functional panels are common at product-driven labs.
Target postings by methodology, not just domain
Searching by technique, such as reinforcement learning, finite element analysis, or CRISPR screening, surfaces roles where your methods are a direct fit rather than roles where your broad field overlaps loosely with the team's actual work.
Negotiate start date around publication deadlines
If you have a paper under review or a thesis defense pending, raise it during the offer conversation. Many employers in this role build in flexible start dates to avoid losing candidates over a timing conflict with a pending academic milestone.
Research Scientist Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most research scientist engineers?
Meta, TikTok, and NVIDIA are hiring the most research scientist engineers right now, with openings concentrated in California, Washington, and New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially strong at technology companies with dedicated research divisions and federally funded national laboratories.
How many research scientist engineer jobs are remote?
About 35% of research scientist engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with remote work most common in computational, machine learning, and data-intensive research roles. Positions that require wet-lab work, physical prototyping, or access to specialized equipment are almost always on-site.
How do you become a research scientist engineer?
Most research scientist engineers complete a PhD in an engineering or applied science field, contributing original research through their dissertation. After graduating, candidates typically pursue a postdoctoral appointment or move directly into an industry research role. Building a publication record, presenting at conferences, and developing proficiency in domain-specific tools strengthens your candidacy at every stage.
How do you get hired as a research scientist engineer with little experience?
Candidates early in their careers can strengthen their profile by contributing to open-source research projects, publishing thesis work in peer-reviewed venues, or pursuing a research internship at a national lab or corporate R&D team. Applying to associate or junior research scientist engineer roles, which explicitly expect limited industry experience, is a more direct path than targeting senior positions.
What does the research scientist engineer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen followed by a technical phone interview covering your research background and methodology. A research presentation or seminar on past work is standard in later rounds, often delivered to a cross-functional panel. Final-stage interviews usually include deep technical discussions, a problem-solving session, and conversations with leadership about research direction and team fit.
Where can I find and apply to research scientist engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to research scientist engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your specialization and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
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