10 of the Most Popular Types of R&D Scientist Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to R&D Scientist jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of R&D 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.

• Crystallization Scientist

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

  Crystallization Scientist is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Crystallization Scientist jobs pay between $107,500 (25th percentile) and $173,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Crystallization Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Fda Scientist

  Salary range: $94,500 - $137,000

  Fda Scientist is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Fda Scientist jobs pay between $94,500 (25th percentile) and $137,000 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Fda Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Phd Drug Development Scientist

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

  Phd Drug Development Scientist is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Phd Drug Development Scientist jobs pay between $59,000 (25th percentile) and $96,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Phd Drug 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.

• Downstream Scientist

  Salary range: $58,500 - $103,000

  Downstream Scientist is a typical job search query Most salaries for Downstream Scientist jobs pay between $58,500 (25th percentile) and $103,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Downstream Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist

  Salary range: $101,500 - $150,000

  Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist jobs pay between $101,500 (25th percentile) and $150,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Senior Pharmaceutical Scientist job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Phd Scientist Salary

  Salary range: $98,500 - $136,000

  Phd Scientist Salary is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Phd Scientist Salary jobs pay between $98,500 (25th percentile) and $136,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Phd Scientist Salary job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Biocatalysis

  Salary range: $38,000 - $50,500

  Biocatalysis is a typical job search query Most salaries for Biocatalysis jobs pay between $38,000 (25th percentile) and $50,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Biocatalysis job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Analytical Scientist

  Salary range: $65,500 - $101,000

  An analytical scientist is a chemist who performs a number of different laboratory testing procedures to analyze and better understand the chemical composition of substances or materials. Depending on what industry you work in, your duties can differ slightly, but your primary responsibilities are always similar. For example, some analytical scientists study soil, water, and air, and they collect field samples for testing. Others may work in industries such as pharmaceutical or chemical manufacturing. In this field, you do not work in the field. You instead test medical supplies.

• Polymer Scientist

  Salary range: $75,500 - $100,000

  A polymer scientist designs new materials, such as cellulose, rubber, Kevlar, and Teflon, which are then used to make products. They work in a lab setting with a team of researchers, trying different formulations to create new polymers. As a polymer scientist, your career responsibilities and duties include understanding how materials will react with one another, whether they are safe for use by humans, and any risks they might pose to the environment. To become a polymer scientist, you need a bachelor’s degree in polymer science, organic chemistry, or a related field. Many higher-level jobs require a master’s degree or doctorate and several years of experience in the field.