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Principal Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

As a Principal Research Scientist you will apply your skills to a wide variety of problems and datasets, primarily focused on remote sensing (SAR/RF, acoustic, EO/ IR, and LIDAR) applications. You ...

As a Principal Research Scientist you will apply your skills to a wide variety of problems and datasets, primarily focused on remote sensing (SAR/RF, acoustic, EO/ IR, and LIDAR) applications. You ...

Qorvo is seeking a Principal Research Scientist to serve as a principal investigator and key individual contributor leading the development of next-generation wafer-level interconnects (BEOL), wafer ...

Qorvo is seeking a Principal Research Scientist to serve as a principal investigator and key individual contributor leading the development of next-generation wafer-level interconnects (BEOL), wafer ...

The Principal Research Engineer executes a variety of highly specialized/technical, business development and leadership activities. This individual provides advanced expertise in the areas of ...

Principal Research Scientist

Bedford, NH · On-site

$176K - $282K/yr

Responsibilities Peraton Labs is seeking a self-motivated Principal Research Scientist with a passion for developing solutions for problems in the field of cybersecurity across a variety of domains.

Principal Research Scientist

Boston, MA · On-site

$113K - $165K/yr

Northeastern University has established a Principal Research Scientist position dealing with cutting-edge research in the theoretical and applied aspects of resilient artificial intelligence (AI)

Principal Research Scientist

Bedford, NH · On-site

$176K - $282K/yr

Responsibilities Peraton Labs is seeking a self-motivated Principal Research Scientist with a passion for developing solutions for problems in the field of cybersecurity across a variety of domains.

Principal Research Scientist

Bedford, NH · On-site

$176K - $282K/yr

Responsibilities Peraton Labs is seeking a self-motivated Principal Research Scientist with a passion for developing solutions for problems in the field of cybersecurity across a variety of domains.

About The Role Peraton Labs is seeking a self‑motivated Principal Research Scientist with a passion for developing solutions for problems in the field of cybersecurity across a variety of domains.

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How much do principal research jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal research in the United States is $109,393.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $85,000.00 and $125,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Principal Research vs Research Scientist?

AspectPrincipal ResearchResearch Scientist
Required CredentialsAdvanced degrees (PhD), extensive experienceMaster's or PhD, relevant research experience
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles, strategic planning, overseeing projectsHands-on research, experimentation, data analysis
Employer & Industry UsageResearch institutions, corporate R&D, academiaUniversities, corporate labs, government agencies

Principal Research roles typically involve leading research initiatives, managing teams, and setting strategic directions. Research Scientists focus on conducting experiments, analyzing data, and contributing to research projects. While both roles require advanced degrees and research expertise, Principal Researchers often have more leadership responsibilities and a broader scope of work.

What types of projects and collaborations can I expect as a Principal Researcher, and how do these shape my day-to-day work?

As a Principal Researcher, you will typically lead complex research projects that require cross-functional collaboration with product managers, engineers, designers, and sometimes external partners or academic institutions. Your day-to-day work involves designing research studies, mentoring junior researchers, and ensuring that findings are aligned with organizational goals. You may also be expected to present insights to senior leadership, contribute to strategic planning, and help set research agendas. This role offers a dynamic environment where influencing product direction and fostering innovation are key responsibilities.

What are Principal Researchers?

Principal Researchers are senior-level professionals who lead and oversee research projects within organizations, often in academic, scientific, or corporate environments. They are responsible for designing experiments, securing funding, managing research teams, and publishing findings. Principal Researchers typically have advanced degrees and significant experience in their field, allowing them to guide the strategic direction of research initiatives. Their work contributes to innovation and the advancement of knowledge in their area of expertise.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Researcher, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Researcher, you typically need an advanced degree (PhD or equivalent) in your field, extensive research experience, and a solid track record of published work. Familiarity with specialized research tools, statistical software (such as SPSS, R, or Python), and project management systems is often expected. Excellent communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills help you drive innovation, mentor teams, and collaborate across disciplines. These competencies are crucial for guiding impactful research projects, securing funding, and maintaining leadership in your area of expertise.
More about Principal Research jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Principal Research jobs? The most popular types of Principal Research jobs are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Research jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Research jobs are:
Infographic showing various Principal Research job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $109,393 per year, or $52.6 per hour.
Principal Research Scientist

Principal Research Scientist

Leidos

Beavercreek, OH • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 25 days ago


Leidos rating

8.4

Company rating: 8.4 out of 10

Based on 149 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

56th of 449 rated business services


Job description

As a result of program growth, the Electronic Warfare Division is looking for a Principal Research Scientist to support remote sensing programs in Beavercreek, OH. As a Principal Research Scientist you will apply your skills to a wide variety of problems and datasets, primarily focused on remote sensing (SAR/RF, acoustic, EO/ IR, and LIDAR) applications.

You will work with a multi-disciplined design team (Electrical Engineers, Physicists, Computer Scientists, etc.) to design, develop, simulate, and integrate components into sensor systems and data fusion solutions based on given project requirements. Current projects include, but are not limited to, detection, tracking, data fusion, and classification. This is an exciting opportunity to use your experience to help the Combat Identification (CID) team perform advanced research and development for target recognition solutions using principally synthetic data AI/ML training techniques for multiple sensor modalities. We are looking for a qualified candidate to bring technical excellence, leadership, entrepreneurship, and creativity to our programs. You will lead technical project areas and have the opportunity to pursue growth in new technology areas or with new customers.

This position requires about three quarters of the job duties to be performed onsite due to the sensitive nature of this work and the desire for in-person collaboration. However, we offer flexible in-office hours and the ability to perform some job duties remotely.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Provide technical leadership for tasks and multiple technical area programs.

  • Work with teams to research, design, and develop sensor exploitation systems including signal processing, automatic target recognition (ATR), and target signature modeling.

  • Develop ATR algorithms using Python, MATLAB, C++, and other languages for real world applications. Leverage state-of-the-art AI/ML tools and methods to improve performance of ATR systems.

  • Rapidly and iteratively implement new algorithms to address new challenges.

  • Collaborate with our customers to address challenging mission requirements by researching and developing new capabilities as well as making improvements to existing systems.

  • Develop performance models and algorithms for new and/or existing target recognition solutions.

  • Perform high-level software development functions using Python, PyTorch, C++, MATLAB, Java or similar languages including design, development, troubleshooting, and debugging software programs.

  • Collaborate with other experts within the program and in the user community to design, develop, and debug existing software, and to design and develop enhancements that incorporate new capabilities into various components of the existing systems.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree with 12-15 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 10-13 years of prior relevant experience. May possess a Doctorate in technical domain.

  • Ability to effectively communicate technical solutions to coworkers, teammates, and customers.

  • Familiarity with common machine and deep learning packages such as Scikit-Learn, PyTorch, etc.

  • Experience developing computer vision applications

  • Strong programming ability in Python and/or C/C++ for Linux and windows environments

  • Significant experience with Python and MATLAB

  • Familiarity with Linux and Windows operating systems

  • Strong background in machine learning, artificial intelligence, or data science

  • Experience presenting technical/scientific literature and presentations to customer stakeholders, conferences and/or community workgroup meetings.

  • Experience contributing to business development activities including proposal writing and capture management support.

  • Possess an active SECRET clearance or higher, with an ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance

  • US citizenship required

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with Automatic Target Recognition algorithm development

  • Experience working with monostatic or bi-static Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and/or Synthetic Aperture Lidar (SAL) data and sensor systems

  • Experience with multi-sensor data fusion

  • Background with multi-static radar research and development

  • Familiarity with GitLab and/or Jira - issue tracking and agile project management, or similar tools

  • Experience using AFSIM and successful completion of AFSIM training

  • Experience performing model verification and validation

  • Previous experience developing sensor exploitation algorithms such as Combat Identification (CID), tracking, detection, fusion, or pattern of life algorithms and/or models

  • Strong understanding of statistics

NKE

ElectronicWarfare

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:January 29, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.


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About Leidos

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers' success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable practices. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Reston, VA, US

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