Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania

Senior Researcher jobs in Pennsylvania are in strong demand, concentrated in academic research, pharmaceutical and biotech development, healthcare systems, and public policy, with openings at every level from junior analyst through principal investigator. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Route 202 corridor anchoring Delaware County and Montgomery County account for the heaviest hiring, where employers like Penn Medicine, UPMC, and GlaxoSmithKline maintain lasting research operations. The most in-demand specialties are clinical and translational research, health policy and outcomes research, and computational social science. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles30
Top employerCarnegie Mellon University
Top cityPittsburgh, PA
Cities hiring8
Work type47% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 30+ Senior Researcher jobs

Drexel University
Senior Research Technologist
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Drexel University
Added 3d ago
Senior Research Technologist
Drexel University
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Project & Program Management
Technical Product & Program Management
$69k - $104k/yr
Bachelor's degree in Physics
1,001-5,000

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ICON plc
Senior Clinical Research Associate
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ICON plc
Added 3d ago
Senior Clinical Research Associate
ICON plc
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials
Healthcare Administration
Research & Academia
$111k - $138k/yr
Remote (US)
10,000+

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University of Pittsburgh
Senior Research Technician
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University of Pittsburgh
Added 3d ago
Senior Research Technician
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Biotech & Life Sciences
Environmental & Physical Sciences
Laboratory Research
Research & Academia
Bachelor's degree in biology
5,001-10,000

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Independence Blue Cross
Senior Healthcare Research Analyst - Hybrid (PA/NJ/DE)
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Independence Blue Cross
Added 4d ago
Senior Healthcare Research Analyst - Hybrid (PA/NJ/DE)
Independence Blue Cross
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Business Operations
Customer Service
Customer Success
Hybrid
Master's degree in business administration
1,001-5,000

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cabaletta bio
Senior In-House Clinical Research Associate
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cabaletta bio
Added 5d ago
Senior In-House Clinical Research Associate
cabaletta bio
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Biotech & Life Sciences
Laboratory Research
Research & Academia
Master's degree in nursing

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See All 30 Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania

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

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Senior Researcher Jobs by City in Pennsylvania

Where Pennsylvania roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Pittsburgh
12 jobs
Collegeville
2 jobs
York
1 job
Hanover
1 job
Blue Bell
1 job
Elkins Park
1 job
University Park
1 job

Senior Researcher Job Market in Pennsylvania

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

Who's Hiring

Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University7 open roles
cabaletta bio
cabaletta bio2 open roles
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Healthcare & Medical Services
  • Education
  • Science & Research
  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional Services

What Pennsylvania Employers Look For

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

  • Master's or doctoral degree in a research-relevant field such as public health, life sciences, or social science
  • Minimum five years of research experience, including project leadership or principal investigator responsibilities
  • Proficiency in quantitative or qualitative analysis tools such as R, STATA, SPSS, NVivo, or Python
  • Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publication, technical reports, or grant-funded project outcomes
  • Experience managing IRB protocols, regulatory submissions, or compliance documentation for federally funded research
  • Strong written communication skills for grant writing, policy briefs, or scientific manuscript preparation

Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a senior researcher in Pennsylvania?

Most senior researcher roles in Pennsylvania require at least a master's degree, and many positions at universities, hospital systems, and think tanks prefer a doctorate. Pennsylvania does not issue a general state license for researchers, so advancement depends on building a portfolio of published work, grant funding, and project leadership. Institutions like Penn State, Drexel, and Temple are common training grounds, and many researchers move into senior roles after several years in coordinator or associate researcher positions.

Which companies hire senior researchers in Pennsylvania?

Employers hiring senior researchers in Pennsylvania right now include Carnegie Mellon University, cabaletta bio, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Pennsylvania's concentration of academic medical centers, pharmaceutical headquarters, and federally funded research institutes makes it one of the more active states for sustained senior researcher hiring.

Which Pennsylvania cities have the most senior researcher jobs?

Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Collegeville have the most senior researcher openings in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia dominates due to its dense cluster of research universities, hospital systems, and biopharma firms, while Pittsburgh draws heavily from Carnegie Mellon and UPMC's research enterprise, and suburban counties along the Route 202 corridor contribute openings tied to pharmaceutical and health technology companies headquartered there.

Are there remote senior researcher jobs in Pennsylvania?

Yes, and more than many fields. Senior researcher work is often desk-based and analytical, making it well suited to remote arrangements. About 53% of senior researcher openings tied to Pennsylvania are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the nature of the role rather than unusual employer flexibility. Literature review, data analysis, report writing, and grant preparation are the functions most commonly performed fully remote.

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

The most realistic entry path is a research coordinator or research assistant role, which large Pennsylvania employers like Penn Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and UPMC routinely post as new-graduate positions. From there, coordinating IRB submissions, managing data collection, and co-authoring publications builds the record needed to advance. A strong graduate thesis, a completed internship with a Pennsylvania policy organization or clinical trial site, or a relevant certification in clinical research strengthens an early application considerably.

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

You can find and apply to senior researcher jobs in Pennsylvania on Migrate Mate, which lists current Pennsylvania openings across industries and experience levels. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to each employer through the listings.

See All 30 Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania

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

Find Senior Researcher Jobs