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Applied Research Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Moffitt

$91K - $146K/yr

Summary APPLIED RESEARCH SCIENTIST II Coghill Lab | Cancer Epidemiology | Moffitt Cancer Center The Applied Research Scientist II will join Dr. Anna Coghill's research team in the Department of ...

Prosperity Now

Director of Applied Research & Policy

$112K - $163K/yr

Supervise, coach, and develop the Applied Research & Policy Associate and future Research Scientist. * Establish research standards and review work products. Organizational Culture * Model ...

Nvidia

Senior Applied Research Scientist

Santa Clara, CA

$115K - $147K/yr

We are seeking senior research scientists and engineers to push the frontier of large-scale ... as applied to drug discovery, genomics, proteomics, or medical chemistry. This is a hands-on role ...

Nvidia

Senior Applied Research Scientist

Santa Clara, CA

$115K - $147K/yr

We are seeking senior research scientists and engineers to push the frontier of large-scale ... as applied to drug discovery, genomics, proteomics, or medical chemistry. This is a hands-on role ...

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Applied Research Scientist information

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$50.5K

$130.1K

$174K

How much do applied research scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for applied research scientist in the United States is $130,117.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an applied research scientist?

Applied Research Scientists are professionals who use scientific methods and research techniques to solve real-world problems, often focusing on practical applications rather than theoretical understanding. They typically work in industries like technology, healthcare, or engineering, where they develop new products, improve processes, or innovate solutions. Their work involves designing experiments, analyzing data, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to bring research findings into practical use. Applied Research Scientists often bridge the gap between fundamental research and product development, ensuring that scientific advancements translate into tangible benefits.

What are some common challenges faced by applied research scientists when transitioning projects from research to practical application?

Applied Research Scientists often encounter challenges in bridging the gap between theoretical research and real-world implementation. Translating complex findings into scalable, user-friendly solutions requires close collaboration with engineering, product, and business teams. Balancing rigorous scientific standards with practical constraints like timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations is crucial. Effective communication and adaptability are key, as projects may need to be iteratively refined based on feedback from diverse teams.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an applied research scientist, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Applied Research Scientist, you typically need an advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant scientific field, strong analytical skills, and experience with experimental design and data analysis. Familiarity with programming languages (such as Python or R), statistical software, and machine learning frameworks is essential, and certifications in data science or specialized research methodologies can be advantageous. Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills set outstanding candidates apart, enabling them to translate research findings into practical solutions. These competencies are crucial for driving innovation, effectively communicating results, and advancing organizational goals through impactful scientific research.

What is the difference between Applied Research Scientist vs Data Scientist?

AspectApplied Research ScientistData Scientist
CredentialsTypically requires a PhD or master's in a related fieldUsually holds a bachelor's or master's in data science, statistics, or related fields
Work EnvironmentFocuses on developing new algorithms, models, and scientific researchAnalyzes data to extract insights, build predictive models, and support decision-making
Industry UsageCommon in tech, academia, and R&D divisions of companiesWidely used across industries like finance, healthcare, and marketing

Applied Research Scientists focus on creating innovative algorithms and scientific advancements, often in research settings, while Data Scientists analyze data to solve business problems. Both roles require strong technical skills, but their primary goals and work environments differ.

Are applied research scientists paid well?

Applied research scientists typically earn competitive salaries that vary by industry, experience, and location. They often hold advanced degrees and possess specialized skills in data analysis, machine learning, or engineering, which can contribute to higher compensation levels compared to other research roles.
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Applied Research Scientist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Applied Research Scientist job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 76% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 20% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $130,117 per year, or $62.6 per hour.

Internship - Applied Research Scientist

Salt Lake City, UT • Remote

Smule
11 - 50 employees
Learn more about Smuleexternal

Other

Re-posted 14 days ago

Job description

Smule has been on a mission to bring the world together through music since 2008. Music is much more than listening… it's about creating, sharing, discovering, participating, and connecting with people. With dozens of millions of monthly active users creating over 20 million songs every day, Smule is connecting people all over the world through the joy of making music and transforming the music landscape from one of passive listening to collaborative creative expression and active engagement.


About the Role:

We are seeking a Research Scientist for Smule's Applied Research team who thrives at the intersection of cutting-edge ML research and real-world product impact. You will take ideas from the research frontier, or originate your own, and develop them into practical solutions that improve Smule's products, pipelines, and user experience for a community of millions. The ideal candidate combines research depth with strong engineering instincts, a bias toward measurable outcomes, and genuine curiosity about how people make music.


We strongly encourage candidates with non-traditional ML backgrounds to apply. If your path into applied machine learning came through audio engineering, music production, signal processing, data science, or another field, we want to hear from you.


What You'll Be Doing:

  • Develop and adapt state-of-the-art ML techniques to solve concrete product challenges in areas such as audio processing, content understanding, recommendation, and generative music, delivering measurable improvements in quality, latency, or user experience.
  • Design and run rigorous offline and online experiments (A/B tests, ablation studies) to validate model improvements before production deployment.
  • Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and engineers to translate user needs into well-scoped research problems.
  • Build prototype models and proof-of-concept systems that demonstrate feasibility and inform production architecture decisions.
  • Publish applied research findings at relevant venues and contribute to internal knowledge-sharing through tech talks and documentation.
  • Monitor deployed models for drift, fairness, and performance, implementing continuous improvement loops.


What We're Looking For:

  • Degree (B.S., M.S., or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or currently pursuing one.
  • Demonstrated ability to take research ideas from paper to production, with experience shipping ML-powered features or systems.
  • Strong skills in experiment design, statistical analysis, and iterative model development.
  • Proficiency in Python, PyTorch or TensorFlow, and standard ML infrastructure (data pipelines, model serving, monitoring).
  • Effective communicator who can translate between research concepts and product requirements.
  • Track record of identifying high-impact problems and delivering solutions with measurable outcomes.


Bonus Points For:

  • Experience with audio, speech, music, or multimedia ML applications.
  • Familiarity with on-device or edge deployment constraints (model compression, quantization, latency optimization).
  • Published work at conferences or journals, such as KDD, RecSys, EMNLP, Interspeech, ISMIR, or similar.


Smule is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.


We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know.