Research Scientist job description: what real postings ask for (2026)

Responsibilities employers list

These bullets are phrased from the function the postings assign to the title and the skills their text names most often. Reuse them as they are or trim them to the work your role actually owns.

• Own the day-to-day science & research work the role exists for, including Python and machine learning.
• Keep data structures and pytorch current and apply them to the recurring tasks that research scientist postings describe.
• Work with the people who rely on the role, since employers name communication and creativity alongside the technical requirements.
• Meet the quality, safety and documentation standards the employer sets for science & research work.
• Document the work and hand it over cleanly so the rest of the science & research team can pick it up.
• Learn the tools and routines of the role on the job, since postings most often label it entry level.
• Be present on site, since few research scientists are hired for remote work in the postings.

Requirements and skills

Each posting counts once per skill its text names, so the shares overlap. The API filter skills_or returns the postings behind any bar, and the bar labels are the exact values it accepts.

• Python: named in 42.3% of research scientist postings.
• Communication: named in 41.3% of research scientist postings.
• Machine learning: named in 39.2% of research scientist postings.
• Also frequently named: data structures (26.0%), pytorch (25.4%), artificial intelligence (25.1%).
• Seniority: postings most often label the role entry level (12.2%), with senior next at 11.3%. Postings with no label are not counted in either.
• Remote: 3.3% of research scientist postings carry a remote flag. Say explicitly whether this role is remote, hybrid or on site.
• Pay: 35.2% of research scientist postings state a salary or range. Include one to stand out from the rest.
• Employment type: full-time in 88.3% of postings that state a type.

Seniority

Seniority is read from the posting’s own label where one exists. Postings without a label stay in the denominator, so these shares describe how often each level is stated, not the full mix.

Industries hiring research scientists

Industry is the employer’s ISIC division where it is known. The filter isic_division_or reproduces each row.

Where the roles are

Country is read from the posting’s location. The filter job_country_code_or reproduces each row.

Company size

Employee count comes from the employer record where it is known; postings from companies without a known size are excluded from this cut.

Employment type

A job description template for a Research Scientist

Every share in the template is measured from the postings above, not invented. Replace the bracketed judgement calls with your own and keep the numbers if you want candidates to see how the role compares.

Title: Research Scientist

Summary
We are hiring a research scientist to own the science & research work described below. The responsibilities and requirements follow what active research scientist postings ask for, so candidates who have done this job will recognise it.

Responsibilities
- Own the day-to-day science & research work the role exists for, including Python and machine learning.
- Keep data structures and pytorch current and apply them to the recurring tasks that research scientist postings describe.
- Work with the people who rely on the role, since employers name communication and creativity alongside the technical requirements.
- Meet the quality, safety and documentation standards the employer sets for science & research work.
- Document the work and hand it over cleanly so the rest of the science & research team can pick it up.
- Learn the tools and routines of the role on the job, since postings most often label it entry level.
- Be present on site, since few research scientists are hired for remote work in the postings.

Requirements
- Python (named in 42.3% of research scientist postings)
- Communication (named in 41.3% of research scientist postings)
- Machine learning (named in 39.2% of research scientist postings)
- Data structures (named in 26.0% of research scientist postings)
- Pytorch (named in 25.4% of research scientist postings)
- Artificial intelligence (named in 25.1% of research scientist postings)
- Level: entry level, the label 12.2% of postings use

Work arrangement
- Location: state remote, hybrid or on site. 3.3% of research scientist postings are marked remote.
- Employment type: full-time, which 88.3% of postings with a stated type use.

Pay
- State a salary or range. 35.2% of research scientist postings already do.
- Name the benefits that matter for this role rather than a generic list.

How to write a research scientist job description

1. Use the title candidates search for. Pick the canonical title that appears on this page, not an internal level name or a creative variant. Candidates search by the common title, and so do the boards that index it. Read the general method for writing a job description.
2. Lead with the work, not the company. Open with two or three sentences on what the person will own and who they work with. Save the company history for the end.
3. List the responsibilities that recur. Five to seven bullets, each starting with a verb, each describing work the role does most weeks. The responsibilities above are phrased from the skills that recur in real postings for this title.
4. Separate must-have from nice-to-have. Put the skills most postings name in the must-have list and everything else in a shorter nice-to-have list. The skill shares on this page show which is which.
5. State remote, employment type and pay up front. Say whether the role is remote, hybrid or on site, name the employment type, and give a salary range. Then revisit the posting as the market moves. Read how often job descriptions should be updated.