How to hire a research and development scientist

How to hire a research and development scientist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step research and development scientist hiring guide:

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

What does a research and development scientist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The research and development scientist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A research and development scientist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, research and development scientists 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 research and development scientist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Research And Development Scientist	Description	Hourly rate
   Research And Development Scientist	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$30-60
   Chemist	Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter... Show more	$22-43
   Quality Control Analyst	Quality assurance representatives are professionals who are responsible for ensuring the quality of units produced or manufactured is following the standards set by the industry. These representatives supervise the entire production process to identify erroneous methods or tools being used by workers and observing produced for visible defects... Show more	$19-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • R
   • Patients
   • Data Analysis
   • Python
   • Technical Support
   • C++
   • HPLC
   • Product Development
   • Analytical Methods
   • PowerPoint
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Method Development
   • GMP
   • FDA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead technology evaluation, scale-up & commercialization (milling, extraction, distillation, clarification, ultra-filtration & concentration).
   • Manage security configurations of multiple GMP equipment to ensure sensitive data is backed up and secure via active directory.
   • Perform method development and validation of dissolution method by HPLC.
   • Execute and evaluate test protocols utilizing chemistry, laboratory equipment and computer software.
   • Prepare and present study results, using PowerPoint slideshows.
   • Perform DNA sequencing on various extract material (DNA/RNA).

   More research and development scientist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your research and development scientist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A research and development scientist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a research and development scientist in Georgia may be lower than in Tennessee, and an entry-level research and development scientist usually earns less than a senior-level research and development scientist. Additionally, a research and development scientist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average research and development scientist salary

   $90,278yearly

   $43.40 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level research and development scientist salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average research and development scientist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$120,052	$58
   2	Tennessee	$117,621	$57
   3	Delaware	$102,845	$49
   4	Arizona	$96,717	$47
   5	Indiana	$95,293	$46
   6	New Jersey	$95,155	$46
   7	Minnesota	$91,695	$44
   8	Massachusetts	$87,436	$42
   9	Illinois	$83,829	$40
   10	New York	$82,674	$40
   11	Maryland	$82,091	$39
   12	North Carolina	$80,885	$39
   13	Oregon	$78,203	$38
   14	Wisconsin	$76,710	$37
   15	Ohio	$76,167	$37
   16	Colorado	$75,811	$36
   17	Idaho	$74,344	$36
   18	Texas	$73,754	$35
   19	New Mexico	$70,880	$34
   20	Florida	$70,025	$34

   Average research and development scientist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$143,630	$69.05	92
   2	Battelle	$121,046	$58.20	18
   3	Oak Ridge National Laboratory	$119,331	$57.37	42
   4	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$118,822	$57.13	59
   5	Amazon	$117,320	$56.40	929
   6	Sandia National Labs	$117,098	$56.30	75
   7	Gillette	$115,872	$55.71
   8	AbbVie	$114,837	$55.21	107
   9	Eli Lilly and Company	$113,605	$54.62	95
   10	SAP	$112,111	$53.90	42
   11	Bayer	$110,895	$53.31	65
   12	SAS Institute	$110,750	$53.25	17
   13	GCP Applied Technologies	$108,204	$52.02
   14	Synaptics	$106,195	$51.06
   15	Precigen	$106,081	$51.00	1
   16	Kraton	$105,413	$50.68
   17	Natera	$104,779	$50.37	29
   18	VMware	$104,682	$50.33
   19	AstraZeneca	$104,530	$50.25	23
   20	Entegris	$104,095	$50.05	13

4. Writing a research and development scientist job description

   A good research and development scientist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a research and development scientist job description:

   Research and development scientist job description example

   R&D Scientist, Products Research-PetORRVILLE, OH
   
   Your Opportunity
   In this role you will be responsible for understanding consumers' needs and translating them into technical requirements and consumer models to drive business impact. You will leverage critical thinking skills to bring together consumer needs and product possibilities into winning innovation. You will have Products Research leadership responsibility for projects or related programs within the Upstream Innovation Department and Base Business, including defining and executing the consumer methods used for insight understanding, product development, and qualification of projects. You will lead product focused consumer understanding for cross-functional teams, train/coach others in their area of expertise, and may be called upon to review the technical work of others.
   You will also be responsible for initiating and leading process capability advances in Product Research. A key focus will be to continue advancing our capability to translate consumer-based needs into design actionability.
   The scope of this role covers Pet food, snacks, and other adjacencies and includes multiple brands within the JM Smucker Pet portfolio. Your primary responsibilities will include:
   Lead both qualitative and quantitative consumer research to understand consumers' needs and inform product development. This involves study design, fielding, data analysis, translation into technical requirements (design criteria, specifications, consumer models, etc.), and internal sharing of results Advance capability to translate consumer-based needs into design actionability through working with the Product Development, Process Development, and Analytical teams Lead foundational category product learning for fundamental R&D product understanding Define and influence the Products Research methods and activities used for consumer understanding, product development, and qualification of projects Initiate and lead Products Research methods and activities that guide current and future product innovation and technology platforms Accountable for all Products Research deliverables in Technical Readiness reviews for projects that they are involved Integrate internal and external innovation capabilities to deliver key initiatives and drive Products Research capability Leverage Products Research understanding and knowledge to train peers within the R&D organization Actively collaborate and leverage relationships on cross-functional teams to achieve established shared goals or objectives Works independently, guided by functional processes and seeks input or guidance on complex matters Identify and implement Pet R&D work process improvements As appropriate, lead cross-discipline project teams Remote work flexibility (expectation to work in Orrville office following Core Week Schedules and project needs) and travel required by project needs Become a subject matter expert (SME) on the consumers and products related to their specific projects
   
   Is this the Role for You?
   Are you a driven professional with a passion for delivering results while expanding your skillset and enhancing your expertise? Are you eager to share your opinions (and have them heard) and make a positive impact through your work? Do you share in our dedication to continuous improvement and growth? If so, you are the type of professional we want to add to our Company!
   What we are looking for:
   A Bachelor's Degree in Science or Engineering is required; an advanced technical degree is preferred At least 6 years of experience in the Consumer Products Industry is required Experience in Consumer/Products Research is required Experience in Manufacturing is strongly desired Pet Food/Snack and/or regulated business experience is a plus Strong experience in Products Research within the Consumer Product Industry and track record of leveraging this experience to develop, qualify, and launch innovation Demonstrated practitioner of large quantitative category learning and modeling Experience designing, moderating, and interpreting qualitative interviews is desired Passionate and driven team player, who is also able to independently manage projects and reach out for support when needed Strong collaboration skills and experience partnering with other functions to deliver results Ability to effectively communicate complex ideas to a variety of stakeholders across functions Ability to thrive in a fast-pace environment, managing multiple projects simultaneously Must be passionate and driven, yet flexible and willing to embrace changing business priorities and ambiguity Products Research experience in both Upstream/Front End and Product Development/Qualification/Launch is desired Experience designing and placing research for demonstration of product benefit or support claims is desired Expected to have strong experience in statistical analysis of large data sets utilizing software such as JMP or SPSS
   
   Why Smucker is the Place for You
   You deserve a positive and encouraging work environment. One that allows you to deliver your best work and become your best professional self. That is exactly what you will find at Smucker.
   Inspired by our unique culture, we are determined to support every employee holistically by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs through:
   Our Total Reward benefits program - includes competitive health and financial benefits that reflect your needs at different life stages, and a continued commitment to empower flexible work schedules and remote work opportunities to help you thrive. Continuous opportunities to learn, grow and develop - beyond functional job-based education, we promote well-rounded development and encourage a spirit of continuous learning as part of our commitment to help you realize your professional goals.Our continued progress on the journey to become the inclusive and diverse organization we expect to be supporting equity across our communities. We firmly believe that an inclusive environment and diverse organization strengthens our Company and enables every employee to reach their full potential.
   Learn More About Working at Smucker
   Our Total Rewards Benefits ProgramOur Thriving Together Philosophy Supporting All Impacted by Our BusinessOur Continued Progress on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
   Follow us on LinkedIn
   #LI-MR1
   #INDSA

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find research and development scientists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting research and development scientists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 research and development scientist

   Once you've selected the best research and development scientist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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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