Research Scientist Jobs in California
Research Scientist jobs in California are among the most active in the country, with strong demand from entry-level associates through senior principal scientists concentrated in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and materials research, and academic medicine. The largest hiring hubs are the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where employers such as Genentech, Pfizer, and the University of California system maintain deep, ongoing research workforces. The most in-demand specialties include computational biology, oncology, and AI-driven drug discovery. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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About Tutor
We believe robots are the biggest lever we have to making the physical world a better, more affordable place. But robots are a rounding error in our society: nearly nine out of ten American factories and warehouses don’t even have a single robot, and robots have yet to make their way into our homes or places of business.
Tutor Intelligence is changing that.
Tutor is a robotics research and deployment company, building generally capable robot hardware and artificial intelligence to enable robots to go where no robots have gone before. Sonny is a semi-humanoid robot with frontier dexterity approaching the human form. Cassie does back-breaking work, moving boxes, pallets, and bulk goods for businesses from family-owned manufacturers to some of the largest brands in the world. Tutor robots are manufactured at scale and operate as a network, combining the whole fleet’s learned experience to train ever more capable robot artificial intelligence.
Founded at MIT and headquartered in Watertown, MA, our team is full stack: we design and manufacture robot hardware, train our own models, work directly with the smallest and largest end-customers, and maintain our fleet across the United States. We’re a team of researchers, engineers, technicians, operators, and sellers who love building things and solving hard problems.
Our mission is grand: robots everywhere, for the common good, raising the standard of living across North America, and then the world.
The Role
Are you tired of writing incremental code for massive CRUD web-apps? Do you want to build systems from the ground up that effect change in the physical world, not just the digital one? At Tutor, we are motivated by atoms not electrons: every line of code you write has a real world impact at the foundation of our global economy, solving the core technical problems to evolve humanity and society to the next level.
Tutor Intelligence builds software to enable ordinary robots to achieve extraordinary things. As a research scientist, your work lies at the center of this challenge, building the AI algorithms and systems that drive novel capabilities in the lab and in the field.
At the core, we are looking for motivated and curious individuals who have exceptionally strong programming fundamentals. Experience in specific technical stacks or with robotics/ML are helpful but not requirements: whatever shape your skill set is, Tutor engineers and researchers shape their own roles to best tackle the frontier of robotics development.
Requirements
- Exceptionally strong programming skills and comfort in one or more programming languages
- Natural collaborator, excited to work closely around a whiteboard in a team setting
- Excited by the future full of robots and a reshaped physical economy
- Not afraid to step foot in a factory or a warehouse
Nice to haves (zero or more)
- Advanced proficiency with Python and/or Typescript + React
- Experience with robot arms / manipulation
- Experience with motion planning and robot optimization
- Experience with perception or computer vision (deep or classical)
- Experience with infra and devtools (systemd, Docker, Kubernetes)
- Experience with hardware / software integration
Why Tutor?
Whether you’re designing robots, closing deals, running deployments, or creating the processes that help us scale, your work doesn’t sit on a shelf. It shows up on real production floors, making physical work safer and more affordable.
Our team of 160+ is driven by curiosity and a genuine love of building. Everyone here takes real ownership, learns fast, and holds a high bar while having each other’s backs. If you love hard problems and creating things that didn’t exist before, you’ll fit right in.
Benefits
We take care of our team so they can do their best work. At Tutor, you’ll get:
- Fully employer-covered health insurance, so you’re protected without the premium.
- A managed 401(k) to help you plan for the future.
- Generous time off: unlimited PTO and all federal holidays off for full-time salaried employees, and 16+ days of accrued paid time off plus 1.5x pay on federal holidays for hourly employees.
- Regular in-office meals and team social events throughout the year.
As Tutor grows, so will our benefits. We’re continuing to invest in ways to support our team at work and beyond.
Tutor Intelligence is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.
About Tutor
We believe robots are the biggest lever we have to making the physical world a better, more affordable place. But robots are a rounding error in our society: nearly nine out of ten American factories and warehouses don’t even have a single robot, and robots have yet to make their way into our homes or places of business.
Tutor Intelligence is changing that.
Tutor is a robotics research and deployment company, building generally capable robot hardware and artificial intelligence to enable robots to go where no robots have gone before. Sonny is a semi-humanoid robot with frontier dexterity approaching the human form. Cassie does back-breaking work, moving boxes, pallets, and bulk goods for businesses from family-owned manufacturers to some of the largest brands in the world. Tutor robots are manufactured at scale and operate as a network, combining the whole fleet’s learned experience to train ever more capable robot artificial intelligence.
Founded at MIT and headquartered in Watertown, MA, our team is full stack: we design and manufacture robot hardware, train our own models, work directly with the smallest and largest end-customers, and maintain our fleet across the United States. We’re a team of researchers, engineers, technicians, operators, and sellers who love building things and solving hard problems.
Our mission is grand: robots everywhere, for the common good, raising the standard of living across North America, and then the world.
The Role
Are you tired of writing incremental code for massive CRUD web-apps? Do you want to build systems from the ground up that effect change in the physical world, not just the digital one? At Tutor, we are motivated by atoms not electrons: every line of code you write has a real world impact at the foundation of our global economy, solving the core technical problems to evolve humanity and society to the next level.
Tutor Intelligence builds software to enable ordinary robots to achieve extraordinary things. As a research scientist, your work lies at the center of this challenge, building the AI algorithms and systems that drive novel capabilities in the lab and in the field.
At the core, we are looking for motivated and curious individuals who have exceptionally strong programming fundamentals. Experience in specific technical stacks or with robotics/ML are helpful but not requirements: whatever shape your skill set is, Tutor engineers and researchers shape their own roles to best tackle the frontier of robotics development.
Requirements
- Exceptionally strong programming skills and comfort in one or more programming languages
- Natural collaborator, excited to work closely around a whiteboard in a team setting
- Excited by the future full of robots and a reshaped physical economy
- Not afraid to step foot in a factory or a warehouse
Nice to haves (zero or more)
- Advanced proficiency with Python and/or Typescript + React
- Experience with robot arms / manipulation
- Experience with motion planning and robot optimization
- Experience with perception or computer vision (deep or classical)
- Experience with infra and devtools (systemd, Docker, Kubernetes)
- Experience with hardware / software integration
Why Tutor?
Whether you’re designing robots, closing deals, running deployments, or creating the processes that help us scale, your work doesn’t sit on a shelf. It shows up on real production floors, making physical work safer and more affordable.
Our team of 160+ is driven by curiosity and a genuine love of building. Everyone here takes real ownership, learns fast, and holds a high bar while having each other’s backs. If you love hard problems and creating things that didn’t exist before, you’ll fit right in.
Benefits
We take care of our team so they can do their best work. At Tutor, you’ll get:
- Fully employer-covered health insurance, so you’re protected without the premium.
- A managed 401(k) to help you plan for the future.
- Generous time off: unlimited PTO and all federal holidays off for full-time salaried employees, and 16+ days of accrued paid time off plus 1.5x pay on federal holidays for hourly employees.
- Regular in-office meals and team social events throughout the year.
As Tutor grows, so will our benefits. We’re continuing to invest in ways to support our team at work and beyond.
Tutor Intelligence is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.
See All 448+ Research Scientist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Scientist JobsResearch Scientist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Scientist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Meta83
- TikTok39
- ByteDance32
- Google20
- Anthropic15
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software58
- Science & Research20
- Artificial Intelligence14
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals9
- Electronics & Hardware8
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research scientist jobs across California.
- Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline such as biology, chemistry, or biomedical engineering
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publication in a field aligned with the research program
- Hands-on experience with laboratory techniques specific to the role such as CRISPR, proteomics, or cell culture
- Proficiency with statistical or computational tools including Python, R, or specialized bioinformatics pipelines
- Experience presenting research findings to cross-functional teams or at scientific conferences
- Ability to design and independently execute multi-stage experimental protocols with minimal supervision
Research Scientist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research scientist in California?
Most research scientist roles in California require a Ph.D. in a relevant field such as biochemistry, chemistry, or a life science, though some industry positions accept a master's degree combined with substantial laboratory experience. California does not issue a state license specifically for research scientists, but roles in clinical research may require IRB familiarity, and those supporting medical devices or diagnostics must understand FDA regulatory frameworks. Postdoctoral training is a common bridge into permanent positions at California biotech and pharma employers.
Which companies hire research scientists in California?
Employers hiring research scientists in California right now include Meta, TikTok, and ByteDance, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's density of biotechnology headquarters, major research universities, and national laboratories makes it one of the few states where research scientist openings appear consistently across both large corporations and well-funded startups.
Which California cities have the most research scientist jobs?
The cities with the most research scientist openings in California are San Francisco, San Jose, and Menlo Park. The San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego lead because of their deep concentrations of biotechnology and pharmaceutical headquarters, while Los Angeles draws demand from its academic medical centers, aerospace research institutions, and growing life sciences corridor anchored by the University of California Los Angeles and nearby industry campuses.
Are there remote research scientist jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Most research scientist work requires access to laboratory equipment, specialized instrumentation, or physical samples that cannot be replicated at home. About 44% of research scientist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those that are tend to be computational, bioinformatics, or data-analysis-focused roles that do not depend on bench work.
How can I get hired as a research scientist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a postdoctoral fellowship, and California institutions such as UC San Francisco, UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory run structured postdoc programs that feed directly into industry roles. Candidates without a Ph.D. can target associate scientist or research associate titles, which are common at Bay Area and San Diego biotechs. A strong publication record or a computational skill such as bioinformatics or machine learning modeling can substitute for years of bench experience in certain hiring cycles.
Where can I find and apply to research scientist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to research scientist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers actively hiring in the state. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 448+ Research Scientist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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