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Applied Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Drata Inc

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Drata is seeking an Applied Research Engineer to drive the quality and effectiveness of our AI systems through rigorous experimentation, evaluation, and applied research. This is a research-focused ...

Prosperity Now

Director of Applied Research & Policy

$112K - $163K/yr

Position Summary The Director of Applied Research & Policy leads Prosperity Now's enterprise research agenda, ensuring the organization produces rigorous, nonpartisan, evidence-informed research that ...

Kenda Tires

Applied Research Engineer

North Canton, OH · On-site

The Applied Research Engineer will use innovative applications like computer simulation, digital twin technology and advanced mathematical modeling to solve complex problems in today's transportation ...

Zep AI

Applied Research Engineer

They are seeking a Senior Applied Research Engineer to explore and implement novel approaches to memory and context generation, taking ideas from research to production. Responsibilities : • ...

Steelcase Inc

Applied Research Consultant

Grand Rapids, MI · On-site

$118K - $184K/yr

Description Remote Applied Research Consultant The Applied Research Consultant partners with senior leaders to solve complex workplace and organizational challenges through strategy and consulting.

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How much do applied research jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for applied research in the United States is $22.22, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.31 and $23.80 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Applied Researcher, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Applied Researcher, you need strong analytical abilities, a solid background in scientific methodology, and typically an advanced degree in a relevant field such as engineering, computer science, or social sciences. Proficiency with statistical analysis software, programming languages (like Python or R), and data visualization tools is often required. Creative problem-solving, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines are essential soft skills. These competencies enable Applied Researchers to design impactful studies, extract actionable insights from data, and drive innovations that address real-world challenges.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in the US?

In applied research, high-paying roles such as senior research scientists, research directors, or chief scientific officers can reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially in industries like pharmaceuticals, technology, or defense. These positions typically require advanced degrees, extensive experience, and leadership skills, often involving managing large teams or strategic projects.

What is applied research?

Applied research is a type of research focused on solving practical problems and developing new technologies, products, or processes. Unlike basic research, which aims to expand fundamental knowledge, applied research is driven by real-world needs and aims to find solutions that can be directly implemented. Professionals in this field often work in industries such as healthcare, engineering, education, and technology to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Their work frequently results in innovations that improve efficiency, effectiveness, and overall quality of life.

How does an Applied Researcher typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive project outcomes?

Applied Researchers often work closely with product managers, engineers, and data analysts to ensure that research findings are effectively integrated into product development or business strategies. Collaboration usually involves regular meetings to align on project goals, sharing interim results, and iterating on experimental designs based on team feedback. Open communication and the ability to translate complex research insights into actionable recommendations are key to success in this role. This collaborative approach helps ensure that research has a tangible impact and supports organizational objectives.

What does an applied researcher do?

An applied researcher conducts practical investigations to solve real-world problems by collecting and analyzing data, often using scientific methods. They develop solutions, evaluate their effectiveness, and communicate findings to stakeholders, frequently working with tools like statistical software and requiring strong analytical skills.

What is the difference between Applied Research vs Data Analyst?

AspectApplied ResearchData Analyst
Required CredentialsMaster's or PhD in relevant fields (e.g., science, engineering)Bachelor's or Master's in data science, statistics, or related fields
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, universities, R&D departmentsBusiness, finance, healthcare, tech companies
Employer & Industry UsageAcademic, government, private research firmsCorporate sectors, consulting firms, tech companies
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding research roles, academic careersData analysis, business insights, reporting

Applied Research involves developing new knowledge or solutions through scientific methods, often in academic or research settings. Data Analysts focus on interpreting existing data to inform business decisions, typically within corporate environments. While both roles require analytical skills, Applied Research emphasizes experimental design and innovation, whereas Data Analysts concentrate on data interpretation and reporting.

What careers can I do with applied science?

Applied science careers include roles such as research scientist, data analyst, product developer, and quality assurance specialist. These positions often require skills in laboratory work, data analysis, and technical problem-solving, and may involve working in industries like healthcare, engineering, or technology.

Are research jobs high paying?

Research jobs, including applied research roles, can offer competitive salaries, especially in industries like technology, pharmaceuticals, and government agencies. Compensation varies based on experience, education, location, and the specific field, with advanced degrees and specialized skills often leading to higher pay.
More about Applied Research jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Applied Research jobs? The most popular types of Applied Research jobs are:
What states have the most Applied Research jobs? States with the most job openings for Applied Research jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Applied Research jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Applied Research jobs are:
Applied Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various Applied Research job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $46,222 per year, or $22.2 per hour.

Applied Research Engineer

Applied Compute

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$200K - $320K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 days ago

Job description

The role
As an applied research engineer, you'll own customer engagements end-to-end: understanding their data, their workflows, and their problems, then building and deploying agents that deliver real value. For our largest customers, you'll train custom models tailored to their specific needs. For others, you'll take what you learn and bring it back to improve our general agents.
What you'll do
  • Train and post-train models for enterprises, from environment design through deployment
  • Own engagements end-to-end, working directly with technical and business stakeholders
  • Navigate new customer architectures, data systems, and requirements quickly
  • Surface learnings from customers and contribute them back to our platform
  • Collaborate across research, product, and infrastructure to define architectures, evaluation frameworks, and best practices

What we're looking for
  • Meaningful AI research experience, either in industry or academic work
  • Comfort diving into unfamiliar codebases and training models on real-world, messy data
  • Strong problem-solving skills, especially in ambiguous, fast-changing environments
  • Ability to work directly with customers: listening, empathizing, and understanding how their organizations operate
  • Desire to own problems end-to-end and deliver outcomes

Strong candidates also have
  • Experience training or fine-tuning language models in production settings
  • Background building RL environments, evaluation frameworks, or agent systems
  • Previous experience as a founder or early engineer at a zero-to-one company
  • Technical creativity through side projects, open source contributions, or published work
  • Experience at companies with forward-deployed or customer-facing engineering cultures

The U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $200,000-$320,000. Total compensation for this role also includes meaningful equity in a fast-growing startup, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you both personally and professionally. Base salary is determined by a range of factors including individual qualifications, experience, skills, interview performance, market data, and work location. The listed salary range is intended as a guideline and may be adjusted.
About us
Applied Compute builds Specific Intelligence for the enterprise. We provide the continual learning infrastructure for companies to build agent workforces trained on proprietary data and institutional expertise. Our researchers and platform embed directly within customer environments to build custom evals, train models, and deploy agents that get better with use.
  • Why we're excited: We get to work at a rare intersection. Our product team builds the platform powering a new generation of digital coworkers. Our research team pushes the frontier of post-training and reinforcement learning. Our applied AI team sits side-by-side with customers as they ship agents into production. This combination of strong product, deep research, and boots on the ground is what we believe it takes to bring AI to the enterprise. We are product-led, research-enabled, and forward-deployed.
  • Who we are: We're a team of engineers, researchers, and operators. Many of us are former founders. We've built RL infrastructure at OpenAI, data foundations at Scale AI, and systems at Together, Two Sigma, Watershed, and others. We work with F50 customers and are fortunate to be backed by partners like Kleiner Perkins, Benchmark, Sequoia, Lux, and Greenoaks.
  • Who Thrives Here: We're looking for people who are excited about applying novel research and complex systems to real-world problems. Our team genuinely enjoys working with customers: listening, empathizing, and understanding how work actually gets done in their organizations. Former founders, people who've built a lot of side projects, or anyone who's shown they can own something end-to-end, tend to do well here.

Benefits & Logistics
This role is based in San Francisco. We work from our office in the Mission. We offer:
  • Competitive compensation and equity
  • 100% employer-paid health insurance coverage
  • Unlimited PTO
  • Paid parental leave
  • Daily lunches and dinners
  • Transportation and relocation support
  • Retirement plans

We sponsor visas. While we can't guarantee success for every candidate or role, if you're the right fit, we're committed to working through the process with you. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every single qualification. As set forth in Applied Compute's Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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