How to hire a neuroscientist

How to hire a neuroscientist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step neuroscientist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a neuroscientist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new neuroscientist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the neuroscientist you need to hire. Certain neuroscientist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A neuroscientist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, neuroscientists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents neuroscientist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Neuroscientist	Description	Hourly rate
   Neuroscientist	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$20-63
   Doctoral Fellow	A doctoral fellow is a physician that has completed studies and receives a fellowship to cover his/her or her expenses while completing his/her or her medical dissertation. A doctor fellow undergoes this fellowship to get additional training for their chosen sub-specialty... Show more	$18-34
   Fellow	A fellow's responsibility will depend on the organization or industry where one belongs. However, most of the time, a fellow's duty will revolve around conducting research and analysis, presiding discussions and attending dialogues, handle lectures while complying with the guidelines or tasks set by supervisors, and assist in various projects and activities... Show more	$22-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Literature Reviews
   • Animal Models
   • Experimental Design
   • R
   • Scientific Data

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
   • Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.
   • Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the neuroscientist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A neuroscientist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a neuroscientist in Kansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level neuroscientist. Additionally, a neuroscientist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average neuroscientist salary

   $76,267yearly

   $36.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level neuroscientist salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average neuroscientist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$112,644	$54
   2	California	$112,386	$54
   3	California	$112,296	$54
   4	California	$104,549	$50
   5	California	$101,855	$49
   6	California	$101,764	$49
   7	California	$101,415	$49
   8	California	$101,251	$49
   9	California	$101,214	$49
   10	California	$101,179	$49
   11	Maryland	$79,899	$38
   12	Maryland	$79,469	$38
   13	Maryland	$78,957	$38
   14	New York	$76,536	$37
   15	Massachusetts	$74,293	$36
   16	Massachusetts	$74,195	$36
   17	Massachusetts	$74,168	$36
   18	Washington	$65,864	$32
   19	West Virginia	$58,235	$28

   Average neuroscientist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$148,280	$71.29	163
   2	Novartis	$120,017	$57.70	3
   3	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$116,698	$56.10	40
   4	McLean Hospital	$108,327	$52.08	4
   5	Massachusetts General Hospital	$106,376	$51.14	3
   6	Stanford University	$91,622	$44.05	30
   7	University of California-Berkeley	$88,031	$42.32
   8	DAQRI	$85,051	$40.89
   9	DCS	$82,528	$39.68
   10	Sonera	$78,512	$37.75
   11	Leidos	$72,192	$34.71	40
   12	West Virginia University	$54,310	$26.11	16
   13	Kelly Services	$54,023	$25.97	9

4. Writing a neuroscientist job description

   A neuroscientist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a neuroscientist job description:

   Neuroscientist job description example

   The Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University seeks an MD/DO, PhD or similarly prepared neuroscientist to join our faculty. Individuals whose programs focus on topics related to anesthesia, analgesia, arousal, cognition or the impact of surgery or critical illness on the nervous system are of special interest. Programmatic emphasis may be on laboratory, human or translational studies.
   
   The Department has an active and diverse research portfolio including an array of basic, translational, clinical and data-driven projects. The ideal candidate would be highly collaborative and leverage our existing strengths as well as other Stanford resources to develop a field-leading program. It is expected that this program will create training opportunities for students, residents, fellows and junior faculty.
   
   Academic rank, appointment line and assigned clinical responsibilities, if any, will be determined by the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. It is desirable, however, that candidates have significant track records of external research funding.
   
   + The major criteria for appointment for faculty in the University Medical Line shall be excellence in the overall mix of clinical care, clinical teaching, and scholarly activity that advances clinical medicine and institutional service appropriate to the programmatic need the individual is expected to fulfill.
   
   + The predominant criteria for appointment in the University Tenure Line is a major commitment to research and teaching.
   
   Clinical responsibilities, if assigned, will require MD/DO, PhD or international equivalent, board certified or equivalent anesthesiologist and eligible for a California license or exemption
   
   The Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine Department, School of Medicine, and Stanford University value faculty who are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates may optionally include as part of their research or teaching statement a brief discussion of how their work will further these ideals.
   
   Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Stanford welcomes applications from all who would bring additional dimensions to the University's research, teaching and clinical missions.
   Submit CV and a one page statement of interest and qualifications

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find neuroscientists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any neuroscientists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level neuroscientists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your neuroscientist job on Zippia to find and recruit neuroscientist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with neuroscientist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new neuroscientist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the neuroscientist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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