How to hire a staff research scientist

How to hire a staff research scientist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step staff research 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 staff research scientist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new staff research scientist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a staff research scientist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the staff research scientist you need to hire. Certain staff research scientist 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a staff research scientist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a staff research scientist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of staff research scientists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Staff Research Scientist	Description	Hourly rate
   Staff Research Scientist	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$34-76
   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:

   • QC
   • HPLC
   • Product Development
   • Cell Biology
   • CRISPR
   • LCMS
   • C
   • C++
   • Next-Generation Sequencing
   • Software Development
   • Experimental Results
   • Prototyping
   • RNA
   • Technical Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the development of innovative visualization and concept mapping of contest environment analysis challenges and analyst skill sets.
   • Establish critical metrics for HPLC and GC analysis of raw materials, intermediates and process products.
   • Perform QC of final products by analytical chromatography, LC/MS and MALDI-MS before being deliver to final users.
   • Suggest modifications to the procedures that would help them to solve their HPLC instrument or method relate issues.
   • Develop, validate and implement robust methods for pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity (ADA) and immunodepletion ELISAs, and cell based-bioassays.
   • Optimize sample prep/clean-up by precipitation, SPE, liquid-liquid extractions.

   More staff research scientist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average staff research scientist salary

   $106,793yearly

   $51.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level staff research scientist salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated February 1, 2026

   Average staff research scientist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$131,636	$63
   2	Nevada	$107,546	$52
   3	Connecticut	$106,723	$51
   4	Massachusetts	$91,018	$44
   5	Oregon	$90,876	$44
   6	New York	$89,803	$43
   7	Tennessee	$87,619	$42
   8	Maryland	$85,864	$41
   9	Washington	$81,395	$39
   10	Wisconsin	$76,409	$37
   11	Virginia	$72,367	$35
   12	Ohio	$72,190	$35
   13	Texas	$71,679	$34
   14	Georgia	$71,179	$34
   15	Nebraska	$66,642	$32
   16	South Dakota	$65,468	$31
   17	South Carolina	$60,616	$29
   18	Missouri	$52,128	$25

   Average staff research scientist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Upstart Network	$174,019	$83.66
   2	Flexport	$172,748	$83.05
   3	eBay	$169,165	$81.33	4
   4	Instacart	$155,353	$74.69	9
   5	Cruise Automation	$151,949	$73.05
   6	Fitbit	$142,250	$68.39
   7	Chevron	$138,699	$66.68	3
   8	Chan Zuckerberg Initiative	$132,297	$63.60
   9	FireEye	$128,527	$61.79
   10	Oak Ridge National Laboratory	$127,672	$61.38	32
   11	Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display)	$116,940	$56.22	20
   12	Visa	$114,972	$55.27	34
   13	Ecolab	$114,285	$54.94	3
   14	Boston Dynamics	$112,025	$53.86	14
   15	Sage Fly Fishing	$111,200	$53.46
   16	Nautilus Biotechnology	$105,382	$50.66	3
   17	The Sage Group	$104,620	$50.30
   18	Lintec of America	$104,216	$50.10
   19	Freenome	$104,216	$50.10	7
   20	Auris Health	$104,167	$50.08

4. Writing a staff research scientist job description

   A job description for a staff research scientist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a staff research scientist job description:

   Staff research scientist job description example

   Introduction
   
   At IBM, work is more than a job - it's a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you've never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world's most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.
   
   Your Role and Responsibilities
   
   You will be part of the core IBM Research Sky Computing team. As a Senior Research Scientist in this team, you will be responsible for directly engaging in our collaboration with UC Berkeley's Sky Computing Lab. The job entails: (1) contributing to and influencing the direction of key projects in the Sky Computing Lab, including but not limited to skypilot; (2) contributing to IBM Research's cloud strategy as it relates to Sky Computing; and (3) helping the IBM Research Sky Computing team in its mission of establishing IBM's mindshare and leadership in the Sky Computing community and successfully connecting our internal cloud buisness priorities with our Sky Lab activities in alignment with our cloud strategy.
   
   Required Technical and Professional Expertise
   
   + Cloud computing: 3+ yrs
   
   + Distributed computing: 3+yrs
   
   + Computer Systems: 3+ yrs
   
   Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise
   
   + AI/ML pipelines
   
   + Computer Networking
   
   About Business UnitIBM Research is the organic growth engine of IBM and an innovation engine for our customers and partners. As part of this mission, IBM Research anticipates and examines 'What's Next in Computing' to ultimately create and integrate the technologies the world relies upon to solve big challenges and unlock new opportunities. We create and pioneer new markets for IBM, our partners and customers as exemplified in our ongoing quest to reach practical and large-scale quantum computing. Across IBM Research, we realize the power and potential to accelerate discovery with our partners and clients by combining the power of high performance computing, AI, and Quantum, all integrated through the hybrid cloud.
   
   This job requires you to provide your COVID-19 vaccination status with supporting documentation, where legally permissible.
   
   Your Life @ IBMAre you craving to learn more? Prepared to solve some of the world's most unique challenges? And ready to shape the future for millions of people? If so, then it's time to join us, express your individuality, unleash your curiosity and discover new possibilities.
   
   Every IBMer, and potential ones like yourself, has a voice, carves their own path, and uses their expertise to help co-create and add to our story. Together, we have the power to make meaningful change - to alter the fabric of our clients, of society and IBM itself, to create a truly positive impact and make the world work better for everyone.
   
   It's time to define your career.
   
   About IBMIBM's greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we're also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 50 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business. At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it's time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.
   
   Location StatementIBM offers a competitive benefits program which may include medical, dental, vision, paid holidays, paid sick time, paid vacation, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), life insurance, IBM 401(k) Program and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
   
   We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.
   
   Being You @ IBMIBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with staff research scientist 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 staff research scientist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the staff research scientist 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.

   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.

   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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