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Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA

Pocket FM

Senior Research Scientist

Santa Rosa, CA · On-site

$107K - $137K/yr

Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, NLP, Computer Vision, or a related field ... Comfortable moving fluidly between research and production translating advances in AI into ...

Pocket FM

Senior Research Scientist

Sonoma, CA · On-site

$110K - $140K/yr

Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, NLP, Computer Vision, or a related field ... Comfortable moving fluidly between research and production translating advances in AI into ...

Apple

Machine Learning FEA Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA

$142K - $263K/yr

D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Mechanical Engineering, or a similar discipline Publications in top journals or conferences Minimum Qualifications Strong Expertise in Machine Learning, Deep ...

Apple

Machine Learning FEA Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA

$142K - $263K/yr

D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Mechanical Engineering, or a similar discipline Publications in top journals or conferences Minimum Qualifications Strong Expertise in Machine Learning, Deep ...

KenkoTech Futures

AI Scientist

Sonoma, CA · On-site

Outstanding research background in modern machine learning * Strong publication record at leading ... Research with genuine scientific and clinical impact rather than purely academic objectives * Join ...

KenkoTech Futures

AI Scientist

Santa Rosa, CA · On-site

Outstanding research background in modern machine learning * Strong publication record at leading ... Research with genuine scientific and clinical impact rather than purely academic objectives * Join ...

Ema

Software Engineer, Machine Learning

Bodega Bay, CA · On-site

$160K - $220K/yr

D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related quantitative field. * At least 2 years of industry experience in building and deploying production-level machine learning models. * Deep ...

Acceler8 Talent

Research Engineer

Santa Rosa, CA · On-site

$300K/yr

Founding Research Engineer - AI & Defence 📍 San Francisco | Onsite I'm working with a highly ... Machine learning and sequential modelling • Computational social science • Intelligence or ...

Acceler8 Talent

Research Engineer

Sonoma, CA · On-site

$300K/yr

Founding Research Engineer - AI & Defence 📍 San Francisco | Onsite I'm working with a highly ... Machine learning and sequential modelling • Computational social science • Intelligence or ...

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All JobsContract Machine Learning Research Scientist JobsContract Machine Learning Research Scientist Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA

Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist information

See Santa Rosa, CA salary details

$55.2K

$142.3K

$190.2K

How much do contract machine learning research scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 25, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract machine learning research scientist in Santa Rosa, CA is $142,261.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,500.00 and $189,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a contract machine learning research scientist do?

A Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist is a professional hired on a temporary or project basis to design, develop, and implement machine learning models and algorithms. They collaborate with teams to analyze data, conduct experiments, and improve AI systems, often in academic, industrial, or commercial settings. Their work typically involves researching new techniques, publishing findings, and translating research into practical applications. Since they work on a contract basis, their roles may vary depending on the project's needs and duration.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contract machine learning research scientist?

To thrive as a Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist, you need advanced knowledge of machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, and a graduate degree in computer science, mathematics, or a related field. Expertise with programming languages such as Python or R, familiarity with ML frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch, and experience using version control systems are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills set standout candidates apart in collaborative and fast-paced research environments. These skills are crucial for developing innovative solutions, interpreting complex data, and delivering high-quality research outcomes within contractual timelines.

What are some common challenges faced by contract machine learning research scientists when working on short-term projects?

Contract machine learning research scientists often encounter challenges such as limited timeframes to achieve research milestones, quickly adapting to new domains or datasets, and efficiently integrating with existing teams. As short-term contributors, they must rapidly understand the project's context and deliver impactful results within strict deadlines. Clear communication and proactive collaboration with permanent staff are essential to ensure alignment with project goals and to maximize the value delivered during the contract period.

What is the difference between Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist vs Data Scientist?

AspectContract Machine Learning Research ScientistData Scientist
CredentialsMaster's or PhD in CS, ML, or related fieldsBachelor's or Master's in CS, Statistics, or related fields
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, R&D teams, academic collaborationsBusiness analytics, product teams, data-driven decision making
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, research institutions, startupsFinance, healthcare, e-commerce, tech firms

Contract Machine Learning Research Scientists focus on developing new algorithms and conducting research, often in academic or R&D settings. Data Scientists analyze data to generate insights and support business decisions. While both roles require strong ML knowledge, the research scientist role emphasizes innovation and experimentation, whereas data scientists focus on applying existing models to real-world problems.

What job categories do people searching Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist jobs in Santa Rosa, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist jobs in Santa Rosa, CA are:

What cities near Santa Rosa, CA are hiring for Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist jobs?

Cities near Santa Rosa, CA with the most Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist job openings:

Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist jobs near you

Machine Learning Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA • Remote

Kanak Elite Services Inc
See more jobs at Kanak Elite Services Incexternal

Contractor

Re-posted 11 days ago

Job description

Hello There,

My name is Himanshu Sharma, and I serve as the Recruitment Lead at Kanak-IT INC. I am reaching out to share an excellent career opportunity for the role of Machine Learning Engineer with our esteemed client. If you are interested then please share your updated resume at Himanshu01@kanakits.com .

Job Description

Title:  Machine Learning Engineer
Location:  South San Francisco, CA  - hybrid role in Bay Arear
Position Type:  Contract 
 

Note: DO NOT SEND WITHOUT MOLECULAR EXPERIENCE, 

Work on ML workflows for molecular property prediction & generative modeling to accelerate drug discovery. 3–5 yrs esp. or PhD with publications in molecular design.

Must have Masters or PH.D. Must have experience in working environment or while getting Master’s or no to very little work exp with PH.D  in Molecular design. Need to have portfolio of their work or be published. Find me Machine Learning with Molecular experience in Bay Area or someone who will relocate as last resort. 
MindSource is looking for a Machine Learning Engineer to join our client's team in South San Francisco, CA.  They will be developing and deploying advanced computational methods for molecular design.  This is a 12-month hybrid contract.  

About the Role

  • Build pipelines for probabilistic molecular property prediction and Bayesian acquisition to power active learning–driven drug discovery.
  • Engineer workflows for molecular generative modeling and other innovative design approaches.
  • Collaborate with machine learning scientists, engineers, computational chemists, and biologists.
  • Partner with therapeutic development teams to analyze existing molecules and design new candidates.
  • Contribute to ongoing initiatives while driving new research directions.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Computer Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Computational Biology, Physics, or related quantitative field — OR MS + 3+ years of relevant industry experience.
  • Demonstrated expertise in production-ready ML workflows (e.g., PyTorch + Lightning + Weights & Biases).
  • Strong track record of achievement (e.g., high-impact first-author publication or equivalent).
  • Excellent written, visual, and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Experience

  • Knowledge of physical modeling (e.g., molecular dynamics) and cheminformatics (e.g., RDKit).
  • Background in molecular property prediction, computational chemistry, de novo drug design, medicinal chemistry, small molecule design, self-supervised learning, geometric deep learning, Bayesian optimization, probabilistic modeling, or statistical methods.
  • Hands-on experience with Python, PyTorch, Torch Geometric, PyTorch Lightning, RDKit, and BoTorch.
  • Public portfolio of computational projects (e.g., GitHub).