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Materials Research Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Solcoa Industries

Research Engineer

Alameda, CA · On-site

Nuclear engineering research: molten-salt chemistries, materials compatibility, graphite/refractory behavior, high-T gas-cooled systems. * Metal processing engineering: molten metal handling/casting ...

ALLIED MINERAL PRODUCTS

Research Engineer

Columbus, OH · On-site

Research Engineer Allied Mineral Products is a leading manufacturer of monolithic refractories ... Evaluate and qualify new raw materials, establishing test methods, specifications, and quality ...

The Pennsylvania State University

As part of a technical team engaged in engineering and technology needsyou will support the research and development of new materials, innovative material system designs, and novel fabrication and ...

SpaceX

Materials R&D Technician

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$35 - $44/hr

MATERIALS R&D TECHNICIAN This individual will be a key team member focusing on daily lab operations ... Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills to work closely with engineering group

TEES

Research Engineer IV

College Station, TX

Job Title Research Engineer IV Agency Texas A&M Engineering Department Materials Science & Engineering Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate Job Location College Station, Texas Job Type Staff Why work ...

Tamus

Research Engineer IV

College Station, TX

Job Title Research Engineer IV Agency Texas A&M Engineering Department Materials Science & Engineering Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate Job Location College Station, Texas Job Type Staff Why work ...

The Pennsylvania State University

$25/hr

AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is seeking applicants for part-time job of part-time research support. Job duties to include: * synthesizing polymer ...

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Materials Research Engineer information

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$29.5K

$95.3K

$155K

How much do materials research engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for materials research engineer in the United States is $95,315.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $79,000.00 and $109,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Materials Research Engineer do?

A Materials Research Engineer studies, develops, and tests materials to create new products or improve existing ones. They analyze the structure and properties of metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and other materials to determine how they can be used in engineering applications. Their work often involves collaborating with scientists and other engineers to develop materials that meet specific mechanical, electrical, or chemical requirements for industries like aerospace, automotive, electronics, and manufacturing. Materials Research Engineers also play a key role in quality control and in ensuring materials are safe, durable, and cost-effective.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Materials Research Engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as a Materials Research Engineer, you need a solid background in materials science, chemistry, and engineering principles, often supported by at least a bachelor's or master's degree in a related field. Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation, materials characterization techniques (such as SEM, XRD, TEM), and modeling software like MATLAB or ANSYS is typically required. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication are vital soft skills for collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and presenting research findings. These skills and qualifications are crucial for developing innovative materials solutions and advancing technology across various industries.

What engineers make $500,000 a year?

Highly experienced materials research engineers working in specialized industries such as aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing, or defense may reach or exceed a $500,000 annual salary, especially with advanced skills, leadership roles, or in high-cost regions. Such salaries often include bonuses, stock options, or other incentives and typically require extensive expertise and a strong track record in research and development.

What are some common challenges Materials Research Engineers face when working on new product development?

Materials Research Engineers often encounter challenges such as balancing innovative material properties with manufacturability and cost constraints. They must collaborate closely with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to ensure that new materials meet performance requirements while remaining practical for large-scale production. Additionally, keeping up with rapid advancements in material science and integrating emerging technologies into existing processes can require continuous learning and adaptability. Effective communication and project management skills are key to overcoming these challenges and driving successful product development.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior materials research engineers with extensive experience, advanced degrees, and specialized skills in areas like nanotechnology or semiconductor materials can earn $200,000 or more annually. High salaries are often associated with leadership roles, working in high-tech industries, or in organizations with competitive compensation packages.

What is the difference between Materials Research Engineer vs Materials Scientist?

AspectMaterials Research EngineerMaterials Scientist
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Materials Science, Engineering, or related fieldBachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Materials Science or related discipline
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, manufacturing facilities, R&D departmentsLaboratories, academic institutions, industry research centers
Industry UsageApplied research, product development, process improvementFundamental research, material characterization, scientific analysis

Materials Research Engineers focus on applying scientific principles to develop new materials and improve manufacturing processes, often working in industry settings. Materials Scientists typically conduct fundamental research to understand material properties, often within academic or research institutions. Both roles require strong technical skills and knowledge of materials, but their primary focus and work environments differ.

Are materials engineers in high demand?

Materials research engineers are in high demand due to ongoing advancements in technology, manufacturing, and sustainable materials. They often work in industries such as aerospace, electronics, and energy, with employment prospects driven by innovation and research needs.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior materials research engineers working in advanced industries such as aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing, or defense can earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves working in high-demand fields, holding advanced degrees, and possessing expertise in areas like nanomaterials or process development.
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Materials Research Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Materials Research Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $95,315 per year, or $45.8 per hour.

Research Engineer, Machine Learning

Basis Research

New York, NY • On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 2 days ago

Job description

About Basis
Basis is a nonprofit applied AI research organization with two mutually reinforcing goals.
The first is to understand and build intelligence. This means to establish the mathematical principles of what it means to reason, to learn, to make decisions, to understand, and to explain; and to construct software that implements these principles.
The second is to advance society's ability to solve intractable problems. This means expanding the scale, complexity, and breadth of problems that we can solve today, and even more importantly, accelerating our ability to solve problems in the future.
To achieve these goals, we're building both a new technological foundation that draws inspiration from how humans reason, and a new kind of collaborative organization that puts human values first.
About the Role
Research engineers support Basis' mission by translating research ideas into correct, robust, and scalable high-quality code.
We seek individuals who excel technically and value probing concepts at their foundations. Our research engineers aspire to conduct rigorous, high-quality, robust science, unafraid to tinker, make mistakes, and explore radically different ideas to achieve this.
Basis is a collaborative endeavor, both internally and with our external partners; we seek individuals who relish working with others on challenges larger than those they can tackle alone.
Machine Learning Research Engineers
This role targets experts in machine learning engineering. The core areas of ML research engineering include:
  • Probabilistic programming and statistical inference
  • Deep learning
  • Causal inference
  • Program synthesis and analysis
  • ML Ops and systems engineering

These areas are honed within the context of building reasoning systems. Consequently, research engineers will also engage with topics such as programming language design and implementation, automatic differentiation, and SAT/SMT solvers, among others.
We expect you to:
  • Possess excellent programming and software engineering skills, especially in Julia, Python, C++, ML-family languages.
  • Have demonstrated the ability to drive software projects from start to finish. This could be evidenced by open-source projects, technical reports, and publications.
  • Be comfortable digesting research from PL and/or ML venues, such as PLDI, POPL, NeurIPS, or ICML.
  • Progress with a high degree of autonomy and under uncertainty.
  • Be enthusiastic about solving real-world problems and making a positive societal impact.
  • Have demonstrated significant technical achievements within ML engineering. Examples include:
    • You've implemented variants of newly published techniques from scratch.
    • You built systems and workflows for training large models distributed across many machines.
    • You've built systems that span all levels of the programming stack from high-level API infrastructure to close-to-the-metal code.

In addition, the following would be an advantage:
  • A PhD (or equivalent experience) in technical areas including: statistics, programming languages, machine learning, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, physics, mathematics.

Responsibilities:
  • Translate research ideas into correct, robust, and scalable high-quality code.
  • Engage in programming language design/implementation.
  • Performance engineering, scaling research code.
  • Algorithm development.
  • Contribute to the culture and direction of Basis.
  • (Optionally) Publish and present findings in journals and conferences.
Role Details
Exceptional candidates who may not meet all of the following criteria are still encouraged to apply.
  • FT/PT: This is a full-time position
  • Hours: While we prioritize in-person collaboration for its benefits to creative work, there is a degree of flexibility in your working hours. Be prepared to attend multi-day Basis-wide in-person events.
  • Location: This role is in-person in either New York City or Boston.
  • Salary range: Competitive salary and bonuses

Non-Discrimination Notice
Basis Research Institute provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics and prohibits discrimination based on all protected characteristics.
Privacy Notice
By submitting your application, you grant Basis permission to use your materials for both hiring evaluation and recruitment-related research and development purposes. Your information may be processed in different countries, including the US. You retain copyright while providing Basis a license to use these materials for the stated purposes.
Read our full Global Data Privacy Notice here.

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