Research Scientist Jobs in San Diego, CA
Research Scientist jobs in San Diego are in strong demand, concentrated in Torrey Pines, Sorrento Valley, and the UTC corridor across biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, and defense research. Employers hiring right now include ByteDance, UC San Diego, and ASML. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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:
San Diego
Team
:
Technology
Employment Type
:
Regular
Job Code
:
A243265
Responsibilities
Our AVG Team’s mission is to promote cutting-edge research in multimedia (including, but not limited to image/video data processing, compression, and transmission), and to transfer technologies into our products for better serving our hundreds of millions of users. We are looking for exceptional individuals from all areas of multimedia processing/compression/transmission, who have a track record of research excellence, a passion to shape the future of multimedia processing, and the potential to become an outstanding leader in the field.
We are looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth.
Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by the end of the year. Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, implement, and optimize creative algorithms for image/video (including but not limited to 2D video, Multiview video, 360-degree video, point cloud, light filed, etc. al) compression
- Design, develop and implement novel algorithms for file formats, system, transport protocols
- Research and develop image/video processing and objective matrix for subjective quality evaluations
- Actively participate in the related work of standardization forums: MPEG, DASH, 3GPP, JVET, AVS
- Follow up on the state-of-art developed algorithms in standardization work and conference/journal papers
- Draft standard contributions, patent applications and academic papers
Minimum Qualifications
- Individuals who are completing or have recently completed a PhD degree in computer science, engineering, quantitative field or a related discipline.
- Strong Computer Science fundamentals (algorithms, data structures, software design) and problem-solving skills
- Have published papers in top academic conferences or journals in the subject
- Rich experience and interest in multimedia standards (e.g., for image/video compression, file format, system, transport)
- Familiar with C/C++
- Have good team spirit and communication skills
- Good understanding of the state-of-art compression/transmission algorithms
- Experiences on JVET reference software or AVS reference software
- Experience in the development of video coding standards
- Experience in patents applications
- Familiar with Neural Network-based image/video coding and processing
- Familiar with Python, PyTorch
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $153900 - $300960 annually.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
About Us
Founded in 2012, ByteDance's mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. With a suite of more than a dozen products, including TikTok, Lemon8, CapCut and Pico as well as platforms specific to the China market, including Toutiao, Douyin, and Xigua, ByteDance has made it easier and more fun for people to connect with, consume, and create content.
Why Join ByteDance
Inspiring creativity is at the core of ByteDance's mission. Our innovative products are built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and enrich life - a mission we work towards every day.
As ByteDancers, we strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our Company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
ByteDance is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At ByteDance, our mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
Reasonable Accommodation
ByteDance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at
https://tinyurl.com/RA-request
See All 340+ Research Scientist Jobs in San Diego
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Find Research Scientist JobsResearch Scientist Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- ByteDance100

- UC San Diego100

- ASML20

- Intuit20

- Qualcomm20

Top Industries Hiring
- Education40
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals40
- Telecommunications20
- Technology & Software20
- Electronics & Hardware20
Research Scientist Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a research scientist job in San Diego?
Target San Diego's dense biotech and pharma corridor, which runs from Torrey Pines through Sorrento Valley and into the Miramar area, where the highest concentration of research openings sits. Defense contractors in the Kearny Mesa and Chula Vista areas also hire steadily. Candidates who hold domain expertise in oncology, immunology, or materials science, and who have publications or patent contributions, tend to move faster through hiring pipelines in this market.
Which companies hire research scientists in San Diego?
San Diego research scientist roles are posted by ByteDance, UC San Diego, and ASML and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. The local employer mix skews heavily toward publicly traded biotech firms, large pharmaceutical companies with San Diego campuses, and federally funded research institutes concentrated along the North City corridor.
Are there remote research scientist jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though it depends heavily on the role: hands-on lab and wet-science positions are almost always on-site, while computational, bioinformatics, and regulatory research roles are far more likely to offer flexibility. About 40% of research scientist openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of August 2026. Data science and modeling-focused roles within San Diego's biotech sector represent the largest share of those flexible arrangements.
How can I get a research scientist job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Diego is a postdoctoral appointment at one of the area's research institutions, including the Salk Institute, Scripps Research, or UC San Diego, which regularly place early-career scientists into industry roles nearby. Associate scientist and research associate positions at mid-size biotech companies in Sorrento Valley are also common first steps. Hands-on internship experience and a strong research portfolio developed during a graduate program give candidates a concrete edge in local screening processes.
Which industries hire the most research scientists in San Diego?
Most research scientist openings in San Diego sit in Education, Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, and Telecommunications, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Diego's status as one of the country's largest biotech clusters, anchored by decades of investment from institutions like the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and a deep pipeline of early-stage startups, drives that industry concentration.
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