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Scientific Software Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

OpenEye Scientific

The Affinity Group at OpenEye seeks to hire a scientific software developer to join a growing team delivering Molecular Dynamics (MD) based solutions for predicting protein-ligand binding affinities.

Viridien

Scientific Software Developer

Houston, TX · On-site

... science (especially parallel programming and code optimization), a strong mathematics/physics/engineering background, in-depth knowledge of computer software/hardware architecture, and excellent ...

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Scientific Software Engineer information

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How much do scientific software engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 25, 2026, the average hourly pay for scientific software engineer in the United States is $39.36, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.83 and $57.45 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Scientific Software Engineer typically collaborate with researchers and domain experts on projects?

Scientific Software Engineers frequently work closely with researchers, scientists, and domain experts to translate complex scientific requirements into robust and efficient software solutions. Collaboration often involves participating in project meetings, understanding specific scientific models or data workflows, and iteratively refining software based on user feedback. This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to bridge the gap between technical software development and domain-specific needs, ensuring that the resulting tools are both scientifically accurate and user-friendly.

What are Scientific Software Engineers?

Scientific Software Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain software applications tailored for scientific research and data analysis. They collaborate with scientists and researchers to create computational tools, simulations, or data processing pipelines that enable complex experiments and facilitate discovery. Their role often requires expertise in both domain-specific science and advanced programming, ensuring that software solutions are robust, efficient, and reproducible. Scientific Software Engineers typically work in academic institutions, research labs, or industries such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and climate science.

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

To thrive as a Scientific Software Engineer, you need a strong background in computer science, mathematics, and scientific domains, often with an advanced degree in a STEM field. Familiarity with programming languages like Python, C++, and MATLAB, as well as experience with scientific computing libraries and version control systems, is typically required. Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective collaboration are essential soft skills for this role. These competencies enable the development of robust and efficient scientific software, facilitating research and innovation in scientific projects.

What is the difference between Scientific Software Engineer vs Data Scientist?

AspectScientific Software EngineerData Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Engineering, or related fields; programming skillsBachelor's or Master's in Data Science, Statistics, or related fields; programming and analytical skills
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, scientific organizations, tech companies focusing on simulation and modelingBusiness, tech companies, research institutions analyzing large datasets
Industry UsageScientific research, engineering, simulation developmentData analysis, predictive modeling, machine learning applications

While both roles require programming skills and a strong technical background, Scientific Software Engineers focus on developing software for scientific research and simulations, whereas Data Scientists analyze data to extract insights and build models. The roles often overlap in skills but differ in their primary objectives and work environments.

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Scientific Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Scientific Software Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,860 per year, or $39.4 per hour.
Scientific Software Engineer

Scientific Software Engineer

Riverside Research

Champaign, IL • On-site

$95K - $200K/yr

Other

Posted 2 days ago

Job description


Scientific Software Engineer
Location
US-IL-Champaign
ID
2026-4239
Category
Research & Development
Position Type
Full Time Salary
Riverside Overview
Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country's most challenging technical problems.
All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship.
Position Overview

Riverside Research's Applied Mathematics and Physics Solutions Division is seeking an experienced Scientific Software Engineer to join our team in developing our high-performance computing (HPC) electromagnetic analysis simulation toolset. The candidate will add new features to our codebase and modernize some of the legacy sections. Our developers are involved in all phases of the software development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, debugging, documenting and peer-reviewing other team members' code. Our software product is a state-of-the-art computational electromagnetic (CEM) tool for the defense industry, where efficiency and high-performance really matter. You will collaborate closely with our diverse team of physicists, engineers, mathematicians and developers. We expect our developers to be knowledgeable in algorithm design, code efficiency, compiler optimization, high-performance computation, parallel programming and be able to follow software development best practices.

Responsibilities
    Design, implement, optimize, and maintain HPC CEM applications written in C++, Fortran, and Python by collaborating with physicists, RF engineers, and applied mathematicians.
  • Implement new features and correct known issues while participating in all stages of the software development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, software architecture definition, design reviews, code reviews, and continuous integration testing.
  • Produce robust and scalable software designs that balance today's requirements with expectations of future needs.
  • Optimize code performance with your knowledge of parallelization, vectorization, compilers, code profilers, scalability testing, algorithm efficiency, and design patterns.
  • Develop new and port existing code to execute on graphics processing units (GPUs).
  • Perform analysis of alternatives when multiple solutions exist and present them to users.
  • Create and maintain user and developer documentation.
  • Keep up to date with state-of-the-art software engineering practices.
  • Follow the organization's established code development standards and practices.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.
  • Experience programming and debugging non-trivial projects in low-level languages such as C, C++, or Fortran.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain complex production-quality software.
  • Experience working with one or more of the following:
    • HPC/supercomputing;
    • Code optimization;
    • Computer simulation;
    • Physics-based modeling and simulation; or
    • Scientific computing.
  • Excellent communication skills and ability to work in and with a team.
  • Education and Experience:
    • Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field with software development experience.
    • Bachelor's with 5+ years of experience, or
    • Master's with 2+ years of experience, or
    • PhD with 0 years of experience
    • Relevant years of experience may be substituted in lieu of a degree.
  • A willingness to learn and perform other duties as assigned.
  • Ability to travel (less than 10%).

Desired Qualifications:

  • Expertise in C++11 and newer.
  • Familiarity with HPC/supercomputing: MPI, OpenMP, multi-threading, and GPUs.
  • Familiarity with developing cross-platform (Windows and Linux) software.
  • Familiarity with Python or other similar high-level languages.
  • Familiarity with CMake and CTest.
  • Familiarity with 3D data visualization.
  • Familiarity with radiofrequency (RF) and radar system concepts such as fields, antenna patterns, radar cross section (RCS), range profiles, and similar.
  • Experience with numerical algorithms and techniques for scientific software applications.
  • Experience with Atlassian tools (Jira, Bitbucket, Bamboo, and Confluence) and git.
Global Comp
$95,000 - $200,000 This represents the typical compensation range for this position based on experience, location and other factors.
Closing Statement
Riverside Research Institute is a not-for-profit, technology-oriented defense company, where service to our customers and support of our staff is our overall mission. Riverside is an affirmative action-equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding recruitment and hiring. Riverside offers comprehensive compensation and benefit packages to our employees.
Riverside bases its employment decisions solely on technical experience, qualifications and other job-related criteria related to our organizational purpose as a not-for-profit company, and without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran's status or any other status legally protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.

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