How to hire a senior research investigator

How to hire a senior research investigator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior research investigator hiring guide:

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

What does a senior research investigator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior research investigator 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 senior research investigator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior research investigators 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 shows salaries for various types of senior research investigators.

   Type of Senior Research Investigator	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Research Investigator	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$27-66
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Analysis
   • Drug Discovery
   • Chemistry
   • Visualization
   • BMS
   • RNA
   • Sops
   • CRISPR
   • Research Findings
   • Next-Generation Sequencing
   • Cell Culture
   • Biomarkers
   • Experimental Design
   • MATLAB

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Process, analyze and upload HTS data that lead to the discovery of new structural classes of small molecules.
   • Develop molecular analysis methods and cell-base assays for RNA interference (RNAi) and oligonucleotide decoy projects.
   • Provide scientific support for CA125, a monoclonal antibody cancer immunotherapy program.
   • Probe compound/receptor-ligand complexes by establishing mammalian reporter cell lines and biochemical competition assays with FACS and ELISA endpoints.
   • Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.
   • Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.

   More senior research investigator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the senior research investigator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior research investigator 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 senior research investigator in Missouri may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior research investigator. Additionally, a senior research investigator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average senior research investigator salary

   $90,336yearly

   $43.43 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior research investigator salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average senior research investigator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$169,006	$81
   2	Connecticut	$155,154	$75
   3	New Jersey	$146,046	$70
   4	Delaware	$127,713	$61
   5	Massachusetts	$124,102	$60
   6	Tennessee	$117,321	$56
   7	Washington	$116,596	$56
   8	New York	$115,574	$56
   9	Oregon	$111,491	$54
   10	Michigan	$103,848	$50
   11	Ohio	$99,420	$48
   12	District of Columbia	$98,036	$47
   13	Pennsylvania	$97,197	$47
   14	Illinois	$95,257	$46
   15	Minnesota	$93,566	$45
   16	Virginia	$91,724	$44
   17	North Carolina	$83,012	$40
   18	Colorado	$79,560	$38
   19	Texas	$73,042	$35
   20	Alabama	$71,759	$35

   Average senior research investigator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Crunchbase	$197,931	$95.16
   2	Twitter	$179,128	$86.12	1
   3	Apple	$176,084	$84.66	64
   4	Microsoft	$175,645	$84.44	335
   5	VMware	$171,481	$82.44
   6	Palo Alto Networks	$159,021	$76.45	17
   7	Adobe	$157,036	$75.50	30
   8	Amazon	$148,988	$71.63	442
   9	Salesforce	$146,009	$70.20	8
   10	Nokia	$143,791	$69.13	27
   11	Warner Bros.	$143,699	$69.09	3
   12	Statoil	$142,463	$68.49
   13	Citrix	$141,210	$67.89
   14	Kaiser Permanente	$140,482	$67.54	37
   15	SHRM	$139,850	$67.24
   16	Genentech	$130,168	$62.58	91
   17	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$126,632	$60.88	42
   18	State Street	$125,675	$60.42	1
   19	Incyte	$125,502	$60.34	4
   20	Novartis	$124,771	$59.99	4

4. Writing a senior research investigator job description

   A senior research investigator 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 senior research investigator job description:

   Senior research investigator job description example

   Introduction
   
   As a Sr. Researcher, you will leverage a variety of research methods to understand our users in context of developing digital experiences to support consumer needs, experiences, and pain points. You will be involved in all stages of product development, from discovery research and early concept testing, to validation and Go To Market research.
   
   The Sr. Researcher, Digital Experiences thrives in building connections across digital and physical experiences and is adept at crafting strong narratives and recommendations grounded in actionable insights. Efficacy in this role is the ability to see ‘what might be' and develop research around that goal to validate hypotheses, draw connections to the iRobot product roadmap, and act as the Voice of the Consumer to surface meaningful digital experiences in a cohesive, compelling manner.
   
   Join our talented team of researchers, designers (i.e. industrial design, UX, UI/visual), product managers, and engineers, as we develop new and innovative robotic experiences for the home.
   
   iRobot Corporation, with a mission of “empowering people to do more” is at the forefront of the development of robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. iRobot has become one of the world's preeminent specialist designers and builders of consumer robots. iRobot invests in the development and growth of its people, in a culture of empowerment, innovation and fun. Come work with some of the most talented and influential people in the robotics field utilizing cutting edge technologies, in an exciting, fast-growing industry!
   
   iRobot employs a user-centered design approach in order to optimize business strategies, build our brand, develop rich experiences, and ensure user satisfaction.
   
   Please include Cover Letter as part of application!
   What You Will Do:
   Collaborate as part of a multidisciplinary team to design products and further our understanding of users Lead identification of business questions and research needs throughout the product development process, from concept phase to post-launch Design and conduct user research using qualitative and quantitative methods, including, but not limited to, discovery research, rapid and iterative concept and usability testing, participatory design, ethnography, contextual inquiry, surveys, and card sorts Generate clear and engaging research reports that include data-driven design recommendations Influence leaders, peers, and partners through compelling storytelling and recommendations grounded in facts and context
   Collaborate with the design team to generate tangible design solutions and inform prototype development Act as Voice of the Consumer to champion and lead the development of the digital research roadmap, with unwavering attention to the needs of the consumer at the forefront of all design efforts.
   
   To Be Successful You Will Have:
   A Bachelor's degree in UX, Social Science, Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors, or similar 5-7 years experience designing, executing, and reporting UX research OR a Master's degree in Human Factors or Human-Computer Interaction + 1-2 years experience
   Experience utilizing a variety of qualitative research methods, including usability studies, heuristic and expert reviews, ethnography and participatory design Experience researching and designing digital products and mobile-first solutions Experience leveraging design thinking practices to fuel the research and design process Ability to analyze and interpret data Strong oral, written, and visual communication skills; can present findings concisely and effectively Ability to work as part of a cross-functional team Ability to manage ambiguity, work autonomously, and multi-task in an agile environment
   English proficiency (written and spoken) required
   Desired Qualifications
   Experience with quantitative research Experience with QualtricsExperience working in retail oriented businesses
   Please add a Cover Letter to the application!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find senior research investigators 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 senior research investigators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior research investigators 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 senior research investigator job on Zippia to find and recruit senior research investigator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting senior research investigators 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 senior research investigator

   Once you've selected the best senior research investigator 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior research investigator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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