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Applied Research Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Applied Compute

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $320K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

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 ...

Rox

Founding Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

The Applied Research team exists to close that gap permanently. What This Team Works On Four problems we care about right now: Cost-efficient inference for Clever Columns. Distill a Rox-trained model ...

Rox

Founding Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

The Applied Research team exists to close that gap permanently. What This Team Works On Four problems we care about right now: Cost-efficient inference for Clever Columns. Distill a Rox-trained model ...

Hirevouch

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

Role Overview As an Applied Research Engineer, you will be at the forefront of developing cutting-edge systems and methods to create, analyze, and leverage high-quality human-in-the-loop data for ...

Salesforce

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

The Research Engineering team works directly alongside Research Scientists to bring models to life. This position is dedicated to a high-impact systems role, providing the best of both worlds: deep ...

Salesforce, Inc.

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

The Research Engineering team works directly alongside Research Scientists to bring models to life. This position is dedicated to a high-impact systems role, providing the best of both worlds: deep ...

Salesforce, Inc.

Applied Research Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

The Research Engineering team works directly alongside Research Scientists to bring models to life. This position is dedicated to a high-impact systems role, providing the best of both worlds: deep ...

Salesforce, Inc.

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

The Research Engineering team works directly alongside Research Scientists to bring models to life. This position is dedicated to a high-impact systems role, providing the best of both worlds: deep ...

Salesforce, Inc.

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

The Research Engineering team works directly alongside Research Scientists to bring models to life. This position is dedicated to a high-impact systems role, providing the best of both worlds: deep ...

Salesforce, Inc.

Applied Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

The Research Engineering team works directly alongside Research Scientists to bring models to life. This position is dedicated to a high-impact systems role, providing the best of both worlds: deep ...

Hebbia

Applied Research Engineer, Agents

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$241K/yr

The Applied Research Engineer will bridge research and application, focusing on enabling agentic capabilities across the Hebbia product suite and owning experiments to solve high-value customer ...

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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All JobsApplied Research JobsApplied Research Jobs in California

Applied Research information

See California salary details

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How much do applied research jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for applied research in California is $21.93, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.07 and $23.51 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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 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 does an applied researcher do?

An applied researcher conducts practical investigations to solve real-world problems by collecting and analyzing data, often using statistical tools and methodologies. They work across industries such as healthcare, technology, or social sciences, translating research findings into actionable solutions. Strong analytical skills and proficiency with data analysis software are essential for this role.

What is an applied research career?

An applied research career involves conducting practical investigations to solve real-world problems, often in fields like healthcare, engineering, or social sciences. Professionals in this field use scientific methods, data analysis, and technical tools to develop solutions, often working in research institutions, corporations, or government agencies.

What are the most commonly searched types of Applied Research jobs in California?

The most popular types of Applied Research jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Applied Research jobs in California?

For Applied Research jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Applied Research jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Applied Research jobs in California are:

Applied Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various Applied Research job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $45,616 per year, or $21.9 per hour.

Applied Research Engineer

My HR Solutions

San Francisco, CA

Full-time

Re-posted 8 days ago

Job description

Applied Research Engineer - San Francisco

As an applied research engineer at Confidential, you’ll build high performance building blocks and large scale pipelines to understand video with high precision at internet scale. Often this involves working on ambiguous research problems and finding clever techniques to solve them. You will be working in the computer vision, audio processing, and text processing domains. You’re likely a good fit if you’re comfortable working with models + APIs and squeezing every drop of performance out of them through clever pre/post-processing, parallelism, pipelining, inference optimization, and occasionally fine-tuning.

We are seeking an innovative and passionate Applied Research Engineer to join our dynamic team in San Francisco. In this cutting-edge role, you will work at the intersection of engineering and applied research, utilizing advanced methodologies to drive technological advancements. As a crucial member of our organization, you'll contribute to projects that aim to solve real-world problems and enhance product development, shaping the future of our industry.

Your expertise will be vital in exploring new technologies and applying research findings to practical applications. At our company, we foster a collaborative environment that encourages creativity, offers competitive growth opportunities, and values contributions from every team member. If you are driven by curiosity and strive to make a tangible impact in your field, we invite you to apply.

Responsibilities
  • Conduct applied research to develop innovative solutions that meet market needs.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate theoretical concepts into practical engineering applications.
  • Utilize advanced data analysis techniques to interpret research findings and inform decision-making.
  • Develop prototypes and models to validate research results and feasibility of new technologies.
  • Present research findings and progress updates to stakeholders through reports and presentations.
  • Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in applied research.
  • Lead experimental design, testing, and evaluation to ensure product quality and performance.
  • Contribute to the publication of research papers and patent applications when applicable.
  • Mentor junior engineers and interns in research methodologies and project execution.
  • Participate in brainstorming sessions to generate innovative ideas for future projects.
Requirements
  • 2+ years of experience in computer vision or audio processing
  • Strong Python developer with hands-on experience in PyTorch or similar ML frameworks
  • Excellent communication skills with customers and external teams
  • Write clean, maintainable code Deep passion for video domain and media technologies
  • Motivated by building end-to-end products
  • Break down problems from customer level impact to building blocks
  • In-person at SF HQ
  • Creative mindset and a passion for innovation in technology.