Senior Researcher Jobs in Colorado

Senior Researcher jobs in Colorado are concentrated in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, where institutions like the University of Colorado, Lockheed Martin, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory maintain deep research programs across environmental science, aerospace systems, and biomedical fields. Demand is strongest for researchers with expertise in energy transition, defense technology, and public health, reflecting Colorado's role as a hub for federally funded labs and advanced industry. The market draws candidates from new senior-level appointments to principal researcher roles with staff oversight responsibilities. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.

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Overview

Open roles26
Top employerUniversity of Colorado
Top cityAurora, CO
Cities hiring8
Work type67% On-site
Top industryBiotechnology

Showing 5 of 26+ Senior Researcher jobs

True Anomaly
Autonomy Engineer, Ops Research (Senior - Principal)
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True Anomaly
Added 1d ago
Autonomy Engineer, Ops Research (Senior - Principal)
True Anomaly
Denver, Colorado
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Research & Academia
$180k - $360k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
11-50

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Denver Health
Assistant Senior, Research
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Denver Health
Added 3d ago
Assistant Senior, Research
Denver Health
Denver, Colorado
Clinical Trials
Laboratory Research
Research & Academia
$21.83 - $30.56/hr
High school diploma or GED
1,001-5,000

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University of Colorado
Senior Research Scientist
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University of Colorado
Added 3d ago
Senior Research Scientist
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
Compliance & Legal
Compliance & Risk
Human Resources
$105k - $110k/yr
On-Site
Military encouraged
10,000+

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University of Colorado
Research Services Information Sciences Professional (Open Rank – Intermediate to Senior Qualitative Analyst)
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University of Colorado
Added 4d ago
Research Services Information Sciences Professional (Open Rank – Intermediate to Senior Qualitative Analyst)
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
Data Analytics
Data Science
$58k - $85k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree in social science
10,000+

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University of Colorado
Research Services Senior Professional
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University of Colorado
Added 5d ago
Research Services Senior Professional
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
Business Operations
Program Management
Project Management
$56k - $75k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in genetics
10,000+

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Senior Researcher Jobs by City in Colorado

Where Colorado roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Aurora
13 jobs
Denver
6 jobs
Fort Collins
2 jobs
Cork
1 job
Boulder
1 job
Lone Tree
1 job
Louisville
1 job
Colorado Springs
1 job

Senior Researcher Job Market in Colorado

A snapshot from current Colorado openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • University of Colorado
    University of Colorado12
  • Anduril
    Anduril2
  • Denver Health
    Denver Health2
  • Danone
    Danone1
  • Google
    Google1

Top Industries Hiring

  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
  • Healthcare & Medical Services

What Colorado Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in senior researcher jobs across Colorado.

  • Doctoral degree in a relevant scientific or technical discipline required by most Colorado employers
  • Five or more years of research experience with demonstrated project leadership in a specialized domain
  • Record of peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, or funded grants in the field
  • Proficiency with statistical analysis software such as R, Python, SAS, or MATLAB
  • Experience collaborating with federal agencies, national laboratories, or government-funded research programs
  • Strong written and oral communication skills for presenting findings to technical and non-technical audiences

Senior Researcher Jobs in Colorado: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a senior researcher in Colorado?

Most senior researcher roles in Colorado require a doctoral degree in a relevant field, though some positions accept a master's degree combined with extensive research experience. Colorado does not issue a state license specifically for researchers, so advancement depends on building a record of independent research, publications, and grant-funded work. Roles at federally affiliated institutions such as national laboratories often require security clearance eligibility and demonstrated expertise in a recognized specialty area.

Which companies hire senior researchers in Colorado?

Employers hiring senior researchers in Colorado right now include University of Colorado, Anduril, and Denver Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Colorado's concentration of national laboratories, aerospace contractors, and research universities means hiring activity tends to cluster around long-standing institutional partners with ongoing federal funding.

Which Colorado cities have the most senior researcher jobs?

Aurora, Denver, and Fort Collins hold the most senior researcher openings in Colorado. Denver anchors the market through its mix of federal agencies, health systems, and private sector research firms, while Boulder draws significant activity from the University of Colorado and nearby national laboratory campuses, and Colorado Springs reflects steady demand from defense and aerospace contractors concentrated on the Front Range.

Are there remote senior researcher jobs in Colorado?

Yes, and more than many fields, since much of the work involves data analysis, writing, and computational modeling that translates well to distributed settings. About 33% of senior researcher openings tied to Colorado are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the analytical nature of many positions. Literature review, qualitative coding, and grant writing roles tend to be the most consistently available in fully remote formats.

How can I get hired as a senior researcher in Colorado with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is through a postdoctoral fellowship or research associate position at one of Colorado's major institutions, including the University of Colorado system campuses or federally sponsored labs on the Front Range. Many candidates move into senior roles from adjacent positions such as research analyst, data scientist, or program evaluator. Building a portfolio of published work, even from graduate research, and securing at least one first-author publication substantially improves competitiveness for Colorado hiring panels that weight independent scholarly contribution heavily.

Where can I find and apply to senior researcher jobs in Colorado?

You can find and apply to senior researcher jobs in Colorado on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the listings to identify roles that fit your background, experience level, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that match.

See All 26 Senior Researcher Jobs in Colorado

Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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