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Virtual Researcher Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Murphy Research is a full-service custom market research firm known for our innovative research ... You are skilled at engaging with colleagues and clients in a virtual environment and you don't shy ...

Research Associate

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$50K - $52K/yr

Murphy Research is a full-service custom market research firm known for our innovative research ... You are skilled at engaging with colleagues and clients in a virtual environment and you don't shy ...

Research Associate

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$50K - $52K/yr

Murphy Research is a full-service custom market research firm known for our innovative research ... You are skilled at engaging with colleagues and clients in a virtual environment and you don't shy ...

Showing results 41-60

Virtual Researcher information

See California salary details

$29.6K

$111.6K

$162.3K

How much do virtual researcher jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for virtual researcher in California is $111,621.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $66,100.00 and $152,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a virtual researcher typically collaborate with remote teams and stakeholders?

As a Virtual Researcher, collaboration is often conducted through digital platforms such as video conferencing, project management tools, and shared documents. You’ll frequently communicate findings, coordinate tasks, and gather input from team members and stakeholders located in different geographical areas. Being proactive in sharing updates and adapting to various communication styles is key to maintaining workflow efficiency and building strong professional relationships in a remote setting.

What does a virtual researcher do?

As a virtual researcher, your primary responsibilities are to conduct online research and produce reports on your findings. Your duties may involve developing research designs, analyzing literature reviews, collecting information through focus groups and interviews, or supporting research projects. You can find virtual researcher positions in various industries, including healthcare, academics, and finance. You might be asked to review market trends and process data to support strategies and action taken by a business. A virtual researcher can work for one employer or provide freelance services. While a freelance researcher can find work in multiple industries, it is common to specialize in a specific field.

What is the difference between Virtual Researcher vs Virtual Assistant?

AspectVirtual ResearcherVirtual Assistant
Primary RoleConducts in-depth research, data analysis, and information gathering for projectsProvides administrative support, manages schedules, and handles correspondence
Required SkillsResearch methods, data analysis, critical thinkingOrganization, communication, basic tech skills
Work EnvironmentRemote, project-based, often specializedRemote, administrative, routine tasks
Common EmployersConsulting firms, academic projects, market research companiesSmall businesses, entrepreneurs, corporate teams

While both roles are remote and require strong organizational skills, Virtual Researchers focus on gathering and analyzing information for specific projects, whereas Virtual Assistants handle administrative tasks and support daily operations. The choice depends on whether the task involves research expertise or administrative support.

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

To thrive as a Virtual Researcher, you need strong analytical and critical thinking skills, excellent written communication, and a background in research methods, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with digital research databases, advanced search engines, data analysis tools, and citation management systems is typically required. Attention to detail, self-motivation, and effective time management are crucial soft skills for excelling in a remote setting. These competencies ensure high-quality, accurate research outcomes and enable efficient, independent work in a virtual environment.

What is a virtual researcher?

Virtual Researchers are professionals who conduct research remotely, often using online databases, digital libraries, and internet resources to gather and analyze information. They may work in various fields, such as academic research, market analysis, or business intelligence, and typically communicate findings through digital reports or presentations. Virtual Researchers collaborate with teams or clients online, making their role flexible and adaptable to different industries and project needs.
What are the most commonly searched types of Researcher jobs in California? The most popular types of Researcher jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Virtual Researcher jobs? Cities in California with the most Virtual Researcher job openings:
Infographic showing various Virtual Researcher job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,621 per year, or $53.7 per hour.

Research Fellow - Virtual Cell

Stealth Startup

Santa Rosa, CA • On-site

Other

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

We are a frontier artificial-intelligence laboratory, still in stealth, established for a single purpose: to build an AI capable of original discovery — a system that does not merely retrieve and recombine what is already known, but reasons toward genuinely new understanding of the problems put to it. We hold that an instrument able to truly discover is among the most consequential technologies humanity will ever build, and we are building it.


Our system has already produced results beyond the reach of any human team. We have demonstrated its power on a small number of problems. The purpose of this fellowship is to establish how far that power extends.


This is an invitation to bring a small number of researchers who will form the inaugural cohort of the Infinity Fellowship who will spend a year aiming this instrument at the hardest unsolved problems in their fields.


You choose the problems — the ones shelved because they demanded a decade. You carry each from formulation to validated result. You publish as lead author.


The terms are plain: a full-time salaried appointment of roughly one year, hybrid in the San Francisco East Bay, with relocation support and visa sponsorship for international Fellows. It pays like a strong postdoc. No background in AI is required; we weigh the ability to learn above experience with any method.


The application takes ten minutes to begin: your CV, and a few sentences on the problem you would start with. The full one-page proposal — why it has resisted solution, what its solution would make possible — can follow.


https://pfa.zto77.com/apply-biology-life-sciences


Proposals received by Aug 5 will be considered first for the inaugural cohort, which convenes in September. Every application receives an answer within a week.

Few are present, in any era, at the founding of a new instrument of discovery.

Bring the problem worth your year.


Other Info

For US Remote/Hybrid: This position requires access to export controlled information. To conform to U.S. export control regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or (B) eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency. The Company may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.


For International Remote: This position requires access to export controlled information. To conform to applicable export control regulations applicable to that information, applicant must be eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization.