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Engineering Scientist Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Scientist/Engineer III

Arlington, VA · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

Everforth ECS is seeking a Scientist/Engineer III to work in our Arlington, Virginia office. Please Note: This position is contingent upon contract award. Salary Range: $150,000 - $180,000 Everforth ...

... D Scientist serves as a technical leader driving polymer chemistry innovation and process ... Partner with plant, engineering, and production teams to: * Improve conversion efficiency ...

... science expertise, and contribute to proposals and strategic initiatives. • Mentor junior data ... engineering practices such as git, CI/CD, code reviews, documentation, and ability to access and ...

Showing results 41-60

Engineering Scientist information

See Virginia salary details

$40.2K

$97.9K

$155.2K

How much do engineering scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for engineering scientist in Virginia is $97,912.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $77,300.00 and $115,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an engineering scientist do?

An Engineering Scientist applies scientific principles and engineering techniques to solve complex problems, conduct research, and develop new technologies. They often work at the intersection of science and engineering, using their expertise to design experiments, analyze data, and improve processes or products. Their work can span a variety of fields, including materials science, biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, and more. Engineering Scientists typically collaborate with other engineers and scientists to innovate and find practical solutions to real-world challenges.

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

To thrive as an Engineering Scientist, you need a strong background in mathematics, physics, and engineering principles, typically supported by at least a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a related field. Familiarity with simulation software, data analysis tools, and laboratory instrumentation is often required, and certifications like Professional Engineer (PE) can be advantageous. Strong problem-solving, analytical thinking, and effective communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These competencies enable Engineering Scientists to develop innovative solutions, collaborate across disciplines, and drive advancements in technology and research.

What are some common challenges engineering scientists face when working on interdisciplinary projects?

Engineering Scientists often collaborate with professionals from diverse backgrounds, such as chemists, physicists, and software engineers. A common challenge is effectively communicating complex technical concepts across disciplines, ensuring everyone is aligned on project goals and methodologies. Adapting to different work styles and integrating varied scientific approaches can also require flexibility and strong problem-solving skills. Successful Engineering Scientists are proactive in fostering teamwork and are open to learning from other fields to drive innovative solutions.

What is the difference between Engineering Scientist vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectEngineering ScientistMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in engineering or science; often advanced degreesBachelor's or higher in mechanical engineering or related field
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, R&D departments, academiaManufacturing, design firms, construction sites
Industry UsageResearch, development, scientific innovationProduct design, manufacturing, systems development

Engineering Scientists focus on research and development, often working in labs to innovate and explore new scientific principles. Mechanical Engineers typically design, analyze, and manufacture mechanical systems in industry settings. While both roles require engineering credentials, Engineering Scientists lean more toward research, whereas Mechanical Engineers focus on practical application and product development.

What are popular job titles related to Engineering Scientist jobs in VA?

For Engineering Scientist jobs in VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Engineering Scientist job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $97,912 per year, or $47.1 per hour.

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST with Security Clearance

Department of the Navy

Dahlgren, VA • On-site

Other

Re-posted 3 days ago


United States Navy rating

6.4

Company rating: 6.4 out of 10

Based on 379 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

42nd of 49 rated military and defense


Job description

Duties * You will serve as a Next Generation Missile Defense Systems Engineer within the Warfare Architecture and Engineering Division, Integrated Combat Sytems Department of Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. * You will conduct engineering analysis that results in the identification and recommendation of warfare systems to satisfy required capabilities for the surface fleet. * You will consult with stakeholders on software system design and maintenance, document work through technical reports and specifications, and coordinate with architects and developers to oversee the development of design solutions. * You will define project scope and objectives, develop architectures and requirements for warfare systems, conduct key systems engineering efforts, and develop integration options for future systems. * You will implement Agile development, DevSecOps, Data Analytics, and Model Base System Enginering (MBSE) best practices for future warfare system development. * You will solve problems, analyze issues, research technologies to meet customer requirements, and contribute expert input to implementation and procedures. Requirements Conditions of employment * Must be a US Citizen. * Must be determined suitable for federal employment. * Must participate in the direct deposit pay program. * New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov * Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326. * Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. * You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal. * This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes. * This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time. Qualifications For the ND-03: Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the ND-02 pay band (GS-05 through GS-08 equivalency) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: as a professional engineer or scientist applying basic systems engineering principles in support of engineering assignments to solve complex technical problems utilizing engineering techniques, procedures and methods. For the ND-04: Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the ND-03 pay band (GS-09 through GS-11 equivalency) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: as a professional engineer or scientist applying systems engineering principles to research, analyze, interpret, evaluate and carry out difficult but conventional assignments. Examples of qualifying experience may include (1) experience with systems engineering analysis and design; (2) experience with agile development, data analytics and Model Base System Engineering (MBSE) tools, (3) knowledge of conventional systems engineering tools, and other available tools to execute assigned tasking. Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled by a General Engineer (0801-series), an Operations Research Analyst (1515-series), a Mathematician (1520-series), or a Computer Scientist (1550-series) depending upon the qualifications of the candidate. Applicants in positions with occupational series other than those listed (0801, 1515, 1520 and 1550) may apply; however, you must apply directly to the series listed in this vacancy that is most applicable to your qualifications. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. Education Applicants must meet at least one of the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual: For the 0801 Professional Engineering Series: Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1 , or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. 3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. 4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.) For the 1515 Professional Operations Research Series: Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus. For the 1520 Professional Mathematics Series: Degree: mathematics; or the equivalent of a major that included at least 24 semester hours in mathematics. OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in mathematics (including at least 24 semester hours in mathematics), as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. For the 1550 Professional Computer Science Series: Degree: computer science; or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. Additional information This position is part of the Warfare Centers Personnel Demonstration Project. The ND-4 pay band encompasses positions equivalent to GS-12 and GS-13. The ND-3 pay band encompasses positions equivalent to GS-09 through GS-11. This announcement uses the STRL Bachelors or Advanced Degree direct hire authority to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to certain positions in the competitive serv

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National security, national security and international affairs, public safety statistics centers and offices, guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing and public administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Washington, DC, US

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