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Chemical Engineer R&D Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Sr R&D Engineer

Garland, TX

$101.40K - $139.30K/yr

... Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or related field, with a minimum of 5-7 years of prior related experience. * 3-5 years in R amp;D, product development, or process engineering in a ...

Bachelor's degree in food science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, or related field YEARS OF RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE: 6-12 years YEARS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE: 5+ years CERTIFICATIONS ...

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Showing results 1-20

Chemical Engineer R D information

See Texas salary details

$37.3K

$81.5K

$130.4K

How much do chemical engineer r&d jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for chemical engineer r&d in Texas is $81,507.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $62,900.00 and $99,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Chemical Engineer R&D, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Chemical Engineer R&D, you need a solid background in chemical engineering principles, problem-solving abilities, and typically at least a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, process simulation software (such as Aspen Plus or MATLAB), and safety regulations, along with certifications like Six Sigma, are often required. Strong analytical thinking, creativity, and effective communication help distinguish top performers in research and development environments. These skills are crucial for developing innovative solutions, ensuring process efficiency, and facilitating collaboration in multi-disciplinary teams.

What are the typical challenges faced by Chemical Engineer R&D professionals during the development of new products or processes?

Chemical Engineer R&D professionals often encounter challenges such as scaling up laboratory results to pilot or production scale, ensuring safety and compliance with environmental regulations, and optimizing processes for cost-efficiency and sustainability. Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams—including chemists, process engineers, and quality assurance specialists—is essential to address technical hurdles and integrate feedback throughout development. Managing tight project timelines while balancing innovation with practical feasibility is also a common aspect of the role.

What does a Chemical Engineer R&D do?

A Chemical Engineer in Research and Development (R&D) works on designing, developing, and improving processes and products that involve chemical transformations. Their responsibilities may include conducting experiments, analyzing data, and scaling up processes from the laboratory to production. They collaborate with scientists and engineers from other disciplines to innovate new materials or improve existing ones, often with a focus on sustainability, safety, and efficiency. Chemical Engineers in R&D are essential in industries such as pharmaceuticals, energy, food, and materials science.

What is the difference between Chemical Engineer R&D vs Chemical Process Engineer?

AspectChemical Engineer R&DChemical Process Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Chemical EngineeringBachelor's or Master's in Chemical Engineering
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, development centersManufacturing plants, production facilities
Industry UsageProduct development, innovationProcess optimization, plant operations
Primary FocusDeveloping new materials and processesScaling up processes, improving efficiency

While both roles require a chemical engineering background, Chemical Engineer R&D focuses on research and development of new products and processes in labs, whereas Chemical Process Engineers work on implementing, optimizing, and maintaining manufacturing processes in industrial settings.

What cities in Texas are hiring for Chemical Engineer R&D jobs? Cities in Texas with the most Chemical Engineer R&D job openings:
Infographic showing various Chemical Engineer R&D job openings in Texas as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,507 per year, or $39.2 per hour.

PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - SR. PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - Physical AI - Robotics

SWRI

San Antonio, TX • On-site

$104.60K - $105.10K/yr

Full-time

Posted 14 days ago


Job description

  • Join the Robotics Department to contribute to building advanced capabilities, technologies and solutions in the field of industrial robotics and automation that solve real-world challenges faced by our customers.
  • Lead novel Physical AI and Robotic application development with vision-language-action (VLA) 3D perception and complex surface reconstruction.
  • Business development for new applications, industries, and clients for novel robotic capabilities; more specifically fabrication robotics (heavy industry, foundries, assembly, shipbuilding, etc).
  • Technical leadership and project management of cutting edge robotics applications.
  • Visit https://robotics.swri.org to learn about some of the work we do.

  • Communicate effectively with internal team, external clients, and industry partners.
  • Design, build, debug and implement robotic and automation solutions primarily using software skills.
  • Lead technical role, project management, and customer engagement.
  • Coordinate individual performance goals and objectives set by the organization as well as lead project teams to realize organizational objectives.
  • Prepare proposals and cost estimates.
  • Interact with customers to promote new business and develop technical requirements.
  • Has a special focus on software design for industrial robotic manipulators and high degree-of-freedom mobile manipulators.

  • Requires a Bachelors, Masters or a PhD in Robotics, Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, or other robotics-related engineering degree. Fewer years of experience may be considered for those with graduate degrees.
  • 10-20 years: Relevant industry experience in robotic systems research and development in organizations to include a manufacturer, robotics company, robotics integrator, etc.
  • 10-20 years: Strong software skills; C++ or Python required.
  • 2-5 years: Robot Operating System (ROS) experience required.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • A valid/clear driver's license is required.