8 of the Most Popular Types of Development Scientist Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to Development Scientist jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of Development Scientist Jobs

• Product Development Scientist

  Salary range: $69,000 - $94,500

  A product development scientist assists a company with the entire process of new product development, from inception to production. As a product development scientist, your primary responsibilities are to research customer demand, develop concepts, and work on the formulation and completion of a product. You also document the development process, test new products to ensure adherence to safety standards and regulations, and assist with production. Your duties involve handling experimental design and execution, reviewing and analyzing data, and creating reports and preparing presentations. A product development scientist can work in a variety of industries, such as food, cosmetics, or pharmaceutical, and may benefit from a diverse professional background.

• Assay Development Scientist

  Salary range: $59,000 - $96,000

  Assay Development Scientist is a typical job search query Most salaries for Assay Development Scientist jobs pay between $59,000 (25th percentile) and $96,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Assay Development Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Associate Scientist

  Salary range: $58,000 - $85,000

  An associate scientist takes on more responsibilities than an assistant scientist, supporting research and each experiment under the lead scientist, often in a laboratory environment. As an associate scientist, there are many industries you can work in, including the research field where the lead scientist oversees your project, and you help author papers. Many pharmaceutical companies hire associate scientists to analyze samples to develop drugs and assist with preclinical and clinical studies. Private companies need you to produce specialty chemicals for their clients. Materials scientists at the associate level conduct research and test the properties of metals, plastics, and other materials for their use in new products and packaging. Some positions have duties that include training other team members and overseeing students and fellows.

• Research Development

  Salary range: $77,500 - $116,500

  Research Development is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Research Development jobs pay between $77,500 (25th percentile) and $116,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Research Development job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Analytical Development Scientist

  Salary range: $59,000 - $96,000

  Analytical Development Scientist is a typical job search query Most salaries for Analytical Development Scientist jobs pay between $59,000 (25th percentile) and $96,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Analytical Development Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Clinical Development Scientist

  Salary range: $83,500 - $142,000

  Clinical Development Scientist is a typical job search query Most salaries for Clinical Development Scientist jobs pay between $83,500 (25th percentile) and $142,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Clinical Development Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Process Development Scientist

  Salary range: $59,000 - $96,000

  Process Development Scientist is a typical job search query Most salaries for Process Development Scientist jobs pay between $59,000 (25th percentile) and $96,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Process Development Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Research Scientist

  Salary range: $107,500 - $173,000

  Research scientists study the natural world. Their work helps advance medicine, biology, and technology. Research scientists can work in a variety of industries and organizations, such as private companies, government agencies, and universities. Their responsibilities include performing experiments and analyzing results. Research scientists specialize in many different areas, which may have particular job duties. For example, if you work in academia, you may supervise graduate student research. If your field is in nuclear technology or nuclear medicine, then you are responsible for safely maintaining and using radioactive substances in research studies.