Science

An AI drug discovery scientist uses machine learning and computational chemistry to pick disease targets and design the small-molecule compounds that chemists then make and test. The role sits inside pharmaceutical research departments, AI-first biotechs and contract research organizations, working alongside medicinal chemists, biologists and data engineers. Day to day it means curating assay data, training property-prediction and generative models, running virtual screens and deciding which compounds earn a place in the next synthesis round. BLS does not track the title; for the nearest federal occupation in scientific research and development services, May 2025 pay ran from $82,590 to $233,910, with a median of $142,740.

Analytical Chemists develop, validate, and execute methods to identify and quantify chemical substances in samples ranging from drug formulations to environmental matrices to industrial materials. They operate sophisticated instrumentation — HPLC, GC-MS, ICP-MS, NMR — generate defensible data, and translate results into actionable conclusions for product development, quality control, or regulatory submissions.

Analytical Development Scientists build the measurement infrastructure for pharmaceutical drug programs — creating and validating the methods that characterize drug substances and products from early discovery through commercial manufacturing. They work at the intersection of chemistry, instrumentation, and regulatory science, translating complex analytical challenges into validated, transferable procedures that meet FDA and ICH standards.

An Animal Care Technician keeps research animals housed, fed, clean and watched in a vivarium run by a university, a contract research organization, a drug developer or a government lab. The technician changes cages, runs the cage wash, checks every animal for signs of illness or distress, keeps census and room records, and supports the veterinary staff and investigators during procedures. BLS files the work under veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers. In scientific research and development services, that occupation earned $38,450 at the 10th percentile, a $49,230 median and $64,590 at the 90th percentile in May 2025. Certification from AALAS runs from ALAT to LATG.

A biochemist studies the chemistry of living systems: how proteins fold and bind, how enzymes turn over substrates, and how drugs, hormones and nutrients change cells and tissues. The work runs on bench experiments, instrument data and written reports, and it sits in contract and in-house research labs, drug manufacturers and universities. BLS files the job under biochemists and biophysicists, an occupation that held 35,200 jobs in 2025. The May 2025 median wage for that occupation was $127,410, with the lowest 10 percent under $74,290 and the top 10 percent above $201,110. A Ph.D. is the entry ticket for independent research.

A biologist studies living things, from genes and cells up to whole organisms and the habitats they occupy, and turns that study into data, reports and published findings. The title covers university and drug-company labs, field crews at wildlife agencies, and survey teams at environmental consulting firms. Federal statistics place generalist biologists in Biological Scientists, All Other, the same occupation that holds geneticists, bioinformatics scientists and molecular and cellular biologists. In May 2025 that occupation had a median annual wage of $98,920, with the 10th percentile at $60,430 and the 90th percentile at $168,010.

A Biomedical Engineer designs, tests, and documents medical devices, diagnostic instruments, implants, and device software so they work safely on or inside the human body. The role sits where engineering meets clinical medicine, with jobs in device manufacturing, research and development labs, hospital clinical engineering departments, and universities. The work blends hands-on design with heavy documentation, because every requirement, test result, and risk decision has to hold up when FDA investigators review it. BLS puts the median annual wage for bioengineers and biomedical engineers at $109,370 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $71,850 and the 90th percentile at $168,180.

Bioprocess Engineers design, develop, and optimize the biological manufacturing processes used to produce biologics — monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, vaccines, and cell and gene therapy products. They work at the intersection of biology, chemistry, and engineering, scaling processes from bench reactors to commercial bioreactors while maintaining product quality and meeting GMP regulatory requirements.

A biostatistician is a statistician who designs studies and analyzes data in medicine, public health and the life sciences. The work runs from sample size and randomization before a trial starts to the analysis plan, the efficacy and safety results, and the statistical sections of regulatory filings. Biostatisticians work for drug and device sponsors, contract research organizations, hospitals, universities and public agencies such as FDA. BLS files the job under Statisticians, where the May 2025 median annual wage was $105,650, with the 10th percentile at $64,000 and the 90th at $174,050.

Biostatistics Managers lead teams of biostatisticians and statistical programmers supporting clinical development programs, overseeing statistical quality, FDA submission deliverables, and staff development. They balance hands-on statistical work on complex programs with people management, cross-functional leadership, and strategic decisions about statistical methodology and process.

Biotech Business Development Managers support the identification, evaluation, and execution of external partnerships, licensing opportunities, and commercial agreements. Working under senior BD leadership, they build deal pipelines, run due diligence work streams, support contract negotiations, and manage active partnership relationships — gaining the transaction experience and industry network needed to advance to director-level roles.

Biotech Manufacturing Associates perform hands-on manufacturing operations in GMP biopharmaceutical facilities — executing cell culture runs, purification steps, formulation, and fill operations according to master batch records. They are the production workforce of the biologics industry, responsible for executing the procedures that produce clinical trial materials and commercial drug products with the precision that patient safety requires.

Business Development Directors in the science and biopharmaceutical sector identify, evaluate, and execute external growth opportunities — licensing deals, acquisitions, research collaborations, and strategic partnerships. They translate scientific pipeline gaps into commercial opportunities, negotiate deal structures worth tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, and build the relationships that make complex multi-party agreements possible.

A Chemical Engineer designs, scales up and troubleshoots the processes that turn raw materials into products such as fuels, detergents, polymers and medicines. In the science sector the job sits in research labs and pilot plants, where engineers take a chemist's route and make it work at production scale before handing it to manufacturing. BLS reported a May 2025 median annual wage of $125,040 for the occupation, with the 10th percentile at $79,420 and the 90th at $182,880. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education, and a Professional Engineer license matters for engineers who sign off on designs or offer services to the public.

A Clinical Data Analyst cleans and reconciles the patient data collected in clinical trials so that biostatisticians can analyze it and sponsors can submit it to FDA. The role sits in the data management group of a drug or biologics sponsor, a contract research organization, or an academic medical center, and covers edit checks, site queries, medical coding, external data reconciliation and preparation for database lock. BLS has no separate category for the job; O*NET files the title under Clinical Data Managers (15-2051.02), part of Data Scientists, whose May 2025 wages ran from $67,240 at the 10th percentile to $199,130 at the 90th, with a median of $120,230.

A Clinical Data Coordinator abstracts trial participants' data from medical records into a study's electronic data capture system, then answers the queries sponsors and contract research organizations raise until the database is clean enough to lock. The role sits in a site's clinical trials office or in a CRO or sponsor data management team, between the clinical staff who see participants and the data managers who analyze results. BLS does not report the title separately. O*NET files it under Clinical Data Managers, part of the Data Scientists occupation. May 2025 pay for data scientists as a whole ran from $67,240 at the 10th percentile to $199,130 at the 90th, shown here only as context, not as coordinator pay.

Clinical Data Managers lead the data management activities for pharmaceutical clinical trials — overseeing database design, edit check development, data cleaning, external data reconciliation, and database lock — ensuring that trial data meets the quality, completeness, and regulatory standards required for FDA submissions. They translate study protocols into data systems and lead cross-functional teams from first patient enrolled through final data delivery.

Clinical Operations Managers oversee the execution of clinical trials from site activation through database lock — managing CRO relationships, site performance, protocol compliance, and cross-functional teams to deliver studies on time, within budget, and to regulatory quality standards. They are accountable for the operational decisions that determine whether a clinical program succeeds or fails in execution.

Clinical Project Directors lead large or complex pharmaceutical clinical development programs — overseeing multi-functional teams, CRO partnerships, regulatory strategy execution, and program-level budgets from IND through NDA/BLA submission. They are accountable for delivering clinical evidence packages that support regulatory approvals on schedule and at the quality level regulators and patients require.

Clinical Project Managers coordinate and track the execution of pharmaceutical clinical trials, managing timelines, budgets, vendors, and cross-functional teams to deliver studies on schedule and within GCP compliance requirements. They are the operational integrators who translate protocol designs into execution plans and hold all the moving parts of a trial together from first patient enrolled through final data delivery.

Clinical Research Administrators handle the regulatory, financial, and operational administration that keeps clinical research programs running at academic medical centers, research hospitals, and multi-site research offices. They manage IRB submissions, maintain regulatory binders, coordinate budget and contract negotiations, and support investigators and research teams in meeting compliance requirements for federally and industry-funded studies.

Clinical Research Associates — CRAs, also called clinical monitors — visit clinical trial sites to verify that study protocols are followed correctly, patient rights are protected, and data collected meets the GCP standards required for regulatory submissions. They are the sponsor's eyes at the investigative site, catching problems before they affect data integrity or patient safety.

Clinical Research Coordinators manage the day-to-day operations of clinical trials at hospitals, academic medical centers, and standalone research sites. They recruit and consent participants, collect and submit data to sponsors, maintain regulatory binders, and serve as the primary liaison between the study sponsor, the IRB, and the clinical care team. The principal investigator holds medical and regulatory authority; the coordinator runs the operational side of the study, from screening visits through closeout, and is usually the person a participant actually talks to.

Clinical Research Directors lead the strategic and operational execution of clinical development programs — overseeing trial portfolios, managing CRO relationships, building research teams, and ensuring that studies run on time and within budget while meeting FDA and ICH standards. They sit at the intersection of science, operations, and regulatory strategy.

A Clinical Research Manager runs the daily operations of clinical trials and supervises the clinical research associates, coordinators and vendors who carry them out. The job sits between the clinical operations director and the field team, at drug and device sponsors, contract research organizations and academic or hospital research offices, and it owns the monitoring plan, enrollment tracking, vendor oversight and inspection readiness. BLS counts the role under natural sciences managers, which paid a May 2025 median of $167,220, with a 10th to 90th percentile range of $79,710 to $316,850.

Clinical Research Scientists serve as the medical and scientific experts within clinical development teams, leading protocol design, interpreting safety and efficacy data, writing clinical study reports, and supporting regulatory submissions. The role combines scientific depth with operational awareness, typically requiring a doctoral-level background and experience working within FDA-regulated trials.

A Clinical Trial Associate is the study team's operations and records specialist on the sponsor or contract research organization (CRO) side of a drug or device trial. The job centers on the trial master file: collecting, filing and checking the essential records that show a study was run under Good Clinical Practice, while tracking site activation, routing correspondence and keeping meetings and action items moving for clinical research associates and project managers. BLS does not report this job separately; the nearest federal wage row, administrative assistants in scientific research and development services, ran from $40,020 at the 10th percentile to $82,330 at the 90th in May 2025, with a median of $61,450.

Clinical Trial Managers oversee the operational execution of one or more clinical trials, managing study startup, site networks, CRO performance, enrollment timelines, and data quality from protocol activation through database lock. They lead cross-functional study teams and are the primary accountability point for a trial's schedule, budget, and GCP compliance. As of September 2025, that compliance mandate runs under the finalized ICH E6(R3) risk-based framework rather than the older checklist-driven approach to monitoring, and increasingly spans hybrid site networks that mix conventional clinics with decentralized, remote-visit elements formalized under separate FDA guidance.

A Director of Clinical Operations leads the team and vendors that run a drug, biologic or device sponsor's clinical trials, owning site selection, CRO oversight, study budgets, enrollment and inspection readiness across a portfolio of studies. The role sits between clinical development leadership and the trial managers and monitors who run individual studies, and it also exists at contract research organizations, where it runs delivery for sponsor clients. BLS counts the work under Natural Sciences Managers; in scientific research and development services that occupation paid a May 2025 median of $208,560, with a 10th to 90th percentile range of $102,160 to $328,570.

Directors of Quality Assurance build and run the quality management systems, audit programs, and inspection-readiness infrastructure that keep pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and CRO companies compliant with FDA and EMA requirements. They lead internal and vendor audits, own the CAPA and deviation systems, write and enforce quality SOPs, and act as the primary quality contact when a health authority inspector shows up. The role sits at the intersection of science, regulation, and people management, and carries direct accountability when an inspection goes badly.

Directors of Regulatory Affairs lead the strategy and execution of regulatory submissions, health authority interactions, and compliance programs for pharmaceutical, biologic, and medical device companies. They oversee INDs, NDAs, BLAs, 510(k)s, and post-approval programs, and serve as the primary expert interface with FDA, EMA, and other global health authorities.

Document Control Specialists manage the lifecycle of controlled documents — standard operating procedures, work instructions, forms, and quality records — in regulated industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. They ensure that the right document version is accessible to the right people, that retired versions are archived correctly, and that the document management system remains audit-ready.

Forensic Science Technicians collect, analyze, and document physical evidence from crime scenes and laboratories, then present findings that hold up in court. Depending on specialization, they examine DNA, toxicology samples, fingerprints, firearms, trace evidence, or digital media, applying validated scientific methods under strict chain-of-custody protocols. Roughly two-thirds work for local police departments and crime labs, with most of the rest employed by state government labs. The field pairs laboratory science with courtroom accountability: a technician's methods, records, and conclusions are routinely tested under cross-examination, so precision and documentation matter as much as the analysis itself.

A lab technician runs the tests, instruments and sample preparation that keep a scientific laboratory producing usable data. The role works under chemists, biologists and lab managers in pharmaceutical and chemical quality control, contract testing, university research and industrial R&D. O*NET, the Labor Department's occupational database, lists laboratory technician among the reported job titles for Chemical Technicians. BLS put that occupation's May 2025 median wage at $60,390, with the 10th and 90th percentiles at $41,740 and $92,040. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education, with on-the-job training from experienced technicians filling in the rest.

A Laboratory Manager runs the daily operation of a research or testing laboratory: the staff, purchasing, instruments, safety program and records that keep the lab productive and ready for inspection. The job sits between the scientists who set the research agenda, such as a principal investigator or R&D director, and the technicians and students doing bench work. O*NET files the title under Natural Sciences Managers. For that occupation in colleges and universities, BLS May 2025 data put pay at $53,320 at the 10th percentile, $82,060 at the median and $141,190 at the 90th percentile. Commercial labs report under the same federal occupation at their own industry pay levels.

Laboratory Research Assistants support scientific investigations by preparing samples, running experiments, collecting and organizing data, and maintaining laboratory equipment and supplies. They work under the direction of principal investigators, research scientists, or laboratory managers in academic, government, or industry research settings.

Laboratory Technical Support Specialists in scientific settings diagnose and resolve hardware, software, and instrumentation problems for research labs, universities, and scientific equipment manufacturers. They serve as the primary contact when an analyst's mass spectrometer won't calibrate, a LIMS crashes mid-run, or a sequencing instrument throws an error code nobody recognizes — translating technical problems into working solutions under real time pressure.

Life Science Product Managers in science and life science industries define, develop, and drive the commercial success of diagnostics, laboratory instruments, research reagents, or scientific software. They translate scientific user needs and market requirements into product strategy, work with engineering and R&D to build solutions, and partner with commercial teams to bring them to market successfully.

Life Sciences Project Engineers coordinate and execute engineering projects within scientific and industrial organizations — managing scope, schedule, budget, and technical execution for equipment installations, facility upgrades, process improvements, and capital projects. They bridge technical engineering work and project management, ensuring that complex initiatives are delivered on time and meet technical and quality requirements.

Life Sciences Project Managers in pharmaceutical, biotech, and life science organizations plan, coordinate, and drive complex initiatives — clinical trials, regulatory submissions, manufacturing projects, product launches, or digital transformation programs — across cross-functional teams with strict timelines and quality requirements. They own project governance and ensure that work gets completed on scope, on schedule, and within budget.

Life Sciences Technical Writers in science and technology settings translate complex research findings, engineering specifications, and regulatory requirements into clear documentation that users, regulators, and decision-makers can actually act on. They write everything from laboratory procedures and instrument manuals to FDA submission documents and patent applications — working closely with scientists, engineers, and compliance teams to make technical knowledge accessible without sacrificing accuracy.

Managers of Quality Control oversee the laboratory and operational functions that test raw materials, in-process samples, and finished products to ensure they meet specifications before release. They lead QC lab staff, manage testing workflows, maintain instrument qualification programs, and ensure compliance with GMP regulations in pharmaceutical, biotech, food, and manufacturing environments.

Manufacturing Operations Managers oversee the integrated production functions of a manufacturing facility or division — production, maintenance, quality operations, materials handling, and safety. They hold P&L accountability for site operational performance, lead cross-functional teams, drive operational efficiency programs, and represent operations leadership to plant leadership, corporate, and regulatory stakeholders.

Manufacturing Quality Control Inspectors examine products, components, and materials at key points in the manufacturing process to verify they meet dimensional, visual, and functional specifications. They use measurement tools, inspection gauges, and documented checklists to identify nonconforming parts before they move downstream or reach customers.

A Materials Informatics Scientist applies data science, machine learning and statistics to discover and optimize materials such as alloys, polymers, battery compounds and semiconductors. The role sits inside R&D groups at national labs, manufacturers and research firms, between the experimental lab and the computing cluster: it curates materials data, trains models that predict properties, and chooses which experiments to run next. BLS does not track the title separately. For Materials Scientists, the closest occupation, BLS reported a May 2025 median of $117,790, with the 10th percentile at $66,820 and the 90th percentile at $197,290.

Medical Affairs Managers serve as the scientific bridge between pharmaceutical or biotech companies and the medical community — physicians, payers, and key opinion leaders. They communicate clinical and scientific data, support medical education, and ensure that promotional activities stay within regulatory boundaries.

A Medical Device Engineer designs, tests and documents medical devices such as implants, surgical instruments, patient monitors and diagnostic systems, working inside a regulated design process that FDA can inspect. The role sits on research and development, design-transfer and sustaining teams at device manufacturers and at the contract design and test firms that serve them. BLS does not report the title separately. For the Engineers, All Other group employed in medical equipment and supplies manufacturing, May 2025 pay ran from $77,690 at the 10th percentile to $160,610 at the 90th, with a median of $108,590.

A medical device sales representative sells implants, surgical instruments, diagnostic systems and capital equipment for a manufacturer or distributor, calling on surgeons, hospital supply chain teams and ambulatory surgery centers. Much of the job happens on site: advising the surgical team during cases, managing consigned inventory and steering new products through hospital value analysis. BLS counts these reps in Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products, an occupation with a May 2025 median wage of $104,920; the 10th percentile was $52,600 and the 90th percentile was $200,440. OEWS counts commissions as wages, so those figures include commission pay, not just base salary.

Medical Directors provide clinical and scientific leadership across healthcare systems, insurance organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions. They are accountable for clinical quality, physician oversight, regulatory compliance, and the medical integrity of the programs or products under their authority — bridging clinical judgment and organizational management.

A Medical Science Liaison is a field-based scientist who works for a pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics or device company and holds non-promotional scientific conversations with physicians and researchers about a product's data and disease area. The role sits in medical affairs, separate from sales, and also feeds expert insight back to the company. US respondents in MSL, Sr. MSL and Medical Advisor roles in the Medical Science Liaison Society's 2025 survey reported a median salary of $203,000, with the middle half between $185,000 and $225,000.

Medical Science Liaison Directors lead field MSL teams, setting scientific strategy for external engagement with key opinion leaders, coordinating territory coverage, and developing their team's capabilities. They operate at the intersection of field medical intelligence, KOL strategy, and organizational leadership, reporting to senior medical affairs or field medical leadership.

Medical Science Liaison Managers oversee a territory-based team of MSLs, coaching field scientific engagement, managing KOL strategy, and ensuring that team activities align with medical affairs objectives. The role bridges individual field work and director-level strategy, carrying direct accountability for team performance and scientific quality in the region.

A Medical Technologist is a bachelor's-level laboratory professional who performs and releases the complex tests behind diagnosis and treatment, in hematology, chemistry, microbiology, blood banking and molecular sections. The job sits in hospital core labs, reference laboratories, universities, research organizations and public health laboratories, and O*NET files it under Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists. The national certificate that replaced MT(ASCP) is MLS(ASCP). BLS reports pay only for technologists and technicians combined: a May 2025 median of $62,930, with the 10th to 90th percentile running from $38,910 to $100,990.

A Microbiologist studies bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms and turns that science into practical answers: whether a drug lot is sterile, which organism is behind an infection, how a strain behaves in a fermenter. The work sits in research and development firms, government laboratories, pharmaceutical plants, testing labs and universities, and it rests on culture, identification and careful documentation. Entry typically takes a bachelor's degree in microbiology or a related field. BLS puts the May 2025 median wage for microbiologists at $87,990, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $54,670 and the top 10 percent above $150,000.

A Molecular Biologist studies how DNA, RNA and proteins carry out and control the work of a cell, then uses that knowledge to find drug targets, build gene therapies and design diagnostic tests. The role sits in university labs, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and clinical or reference laboratories, and it mixes bench techniques such as CRISPR editing, cloning and qPCR with sequencing analysis. BLS counts these scientists within Biological Scientists, All Other, where May 2025 pay ran from $60,430 at the 10th percentile to $168,010 at the 90th, with a median of $98,920.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Engineers design, implement, and optimize the processes, equipment, and systems used to produce goods at scale. Working in industries from aerospace and automotive to medical devices and pharmaceuticals, they solve production problems, reduce costs, improve yield, and ensure that manufacturing operations meet quality and safety standards.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Managers lead the daily operations of production facilities, managing people, processes, output targets, quality standards, and safety compliance. They are accountable for the production floor performing as planned — meeting schedules, staying within budget, keeping injury rates low, and producing product that meets specifications.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technicians operate, monitor, and maintain production equipment and processes in industrial, pharmaceutical, biotech, or electronic manufacturing environments. They follow standard operating procedures to produce components or products that meet quality specifications, complete required documentation, and escalate equipment or process issues to engineers and supervisors.

Pharmaceutical Medical Writers produce the scientific documents that move drugs and devices through regulatory review, clinical trials, and peer-reviewed publication. They translate complex clinical data into structured, accurate, and audience-appropriate documents — from FDA submissions to journal manuscripts to patient consent forms — within tight timelines and exacting accuracy standards.

Pharmaceutical Process Engineers design, optimize, and troubleshoot the manufacturing processes that convert raw materials into finished products. Working in pharmaceutical, semiconductor, chemical, food, and materials manufacturing, they analyze process flows, identify inefficiencies, improve yield, and ensure that production systems meet safety, quality, and output requirements.

Pharmaceutical Product Managers develop and execute the commercial strategy for prescription drug brands — integrating market research, clinical data, payer dynamics, and competitive intelligence into positioning that drives physician adoption and patient access. They lead cross-functional teams and manage brand budgets, with accountability for revenue performance.

Pharmaceutical Production Supervisors manage manufacturing teams and ensure that production runs are executed safely, on schedule, within specification, and in compliance with applicable quality and regulatory requirements. They are the direct people managers of production operators and technicians, serving as the operational link between production management and the front-line workforce.

Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of quality systems in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturing environments — managing batch record review, deviation investigations, CAPA tracking, change control, and audit programs. They lead QA teams and serve as the site's quality authority for compliance decisions below the director level.

Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Specialists prepare and submit filings to FDA, EMA, and other health authorities that win market approval for drugs, medical devices, and biologics. They work within defined regulatory strategies set by senior RA staff, executing submission documents, managing product registrations, and tracking compliance requirements across an assigned product portfolio.

A Pharmacovigilance Specialist collects, codes, assesses and reports adverse events for drugs and biologics, from clinical trials through years of postmarketing use. The role sits in the drug safety department of a manufacturer or in a firm that runs safety work for sponsors under contract, and it answers to FDA reporting rules with fixed calendar-day deadlines. BLS does not count the job separately; its nearest occupation, compliance officers, pays a median of $96,520 in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing (May 2025), with the 10th to 90th percentile running from $60,160 to $164,510.

Process Development Scientists design, optimize, and scale the manufacturing processes that produce pharmaceutical drug substances — whether small molecule chemicals, recombinant proteins, viral vectors, or cell therapies. They bridge laboratory-scale synthesis and analytical chemistry with the engineering realities of commercial manufacturing, working to create processes that are consistent, scalable, and suitable for regulatory submission.

Process Technicians operate and monitor manufacturing equipment and processes in production facilities, executing procedures, collecting process data, and ensuring that production runs within specified parameters. They are the hands-on operators who translate process engineering designs into actual manufactured product, following documented procedures in regulated or industrial manufacturing environments. Their work spans pharmaceutical bioreactors, semiconductor deposition chambers, and chemical distillation columns, where they serve as the critical link between process engineering and daily production output, with entry-level positions requiring a high school diploma and offering on-the-job training.

A Protein Design Scientist creates new proteins by computer, then proves them at the bench. The job pairs generative models for backbone and sequence design with expression, binding assays and structural work, inside a biotechnology company, a protein design startup or a university institute. Designers specify a target, generate and filter candidates, order synthetic genes and test what comes back. The Bureau of Labor Statistics files the work under biochemists and biophysicists, SOC 19-1021, which had a median wage of $127,410 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $74,290 and the 90th at $201,110.

Quality Assurance Auditors assess whether pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturing and laboratory operations conform to applicable GMP regulations, ISO standards, and internal quality system requirements. They conduct internal, supplier, and regulatory inspection readiness audits, document findings, track corrective actions, and help organizations maintain the compliance posture that protects product quality and patient safety. Device-side auditors now work under FDA's Quality Management System Regulation, which folded 21 CFR Part 820 into ISO 13485:2016 as of February 2026, and increasingly must confirm documented human review of any AI-assisted analysis or record before it counts as audit evidence.

Quality Assurance Specialists execute the day-to-day quality system activities that keep pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturing in GMP compliance — reviewing batch records, initiating and tracking deviations, processing change controls, supporting audits, and ensuring that quality documentation meets regulatory standards. They are the operational backbone of the QA function.

Quality Control Analysts test raw materials, in-process samples, and finished products to verify they meet specifications and regulatory requirements. They work in pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and manufacturing environments, using analytical instruments and documented procedures to catch defects before they reach customers or regulators.

Quality Control Scientists develop, validate, and execute analytical methods to test pharmaceutical, biotech, or chemical products for identity, purity, potency, and safety. They operate at the intersection of advanced analytical chemistry, regulatory compliance, and scientific judgment — translating specifications into defensible data that supports batch release and regulatory submissions.

Quality Control Specialists plan and execute quality testing programs, manage nonconformance systems, and serve as the technical link between production and quality management. The role typically sits between an analyst or inspector and a QC manager, requiring both hands-on testing competence and the system-level thinking to prevent defects rather than just detect them.

Regulatory Affairs Managers lead the development and submission of regulatory filings that win and maintain product approvals from FDA, EMA, and other health authorities. They advise product development teams on regulatory strategy, manage submission timelines, and serve as the primary contact with regulatory agencies for their product portfolio.

A Research and Development Engineer turns a concept into a working, testable product: framing the technical question, designing experiments, building prototypes and handing a proven design to manufacturing. The role sits in corporate R&D groups, contract research firms and laboratories, between the scientists who find an effect and the production engineers who build it at volume. O*NET files the title under several engineering occupations, with mechanical engineering the closest fit. In the Scientific Research and Development Services industry, BLS reports a median of $132,040 for mechanical engineers in May 2025, with a 10th to 90th percentile range of $85,270 to $182,620.

A Research and Development Manager directs a group of scientists and technicians working on new products, processes or technologies, deciding which projects get funded, staffed and stopped. The role sits between the bench and the business: above principal scientists and below an R&D director or chief scientific officer, at pharmaceutical makers, contract research organizations, federal laboratories and industrial firms. O*NET lists the title under Natural Sciences Managers, whose BLS May 2025 national wages ran from $79,710 at the 10th percentile to $316,850 at the 90th, with a median of $167,220. The work blends experimental judgment with budgets, hiring, intellectual property and handoffs to manufacturing.

A Research Associate is a bench scientist in a biotech, pharmaceutical, university or materials lab who designs and runs experiments within a project, analyzes the results and documents the work so others can build on it. The role sits above entry-level technician work and below the PhD scientist who sets the research direction, and it is one path for science graduates who want to stay at the bench. Federal data file the title under biological technicians. In scientific research and development services, BLS reported May 2025 pay of $45,420 at the 10th percentile, a $62,060 median and $94,790 at the 90th percentile.

Research Data Analysts collect, clean, analyze, and visualize data to help organizations make informed decisions. Working across industries from healthcare and biotech to finance and tech, they write queries, build dashboards, run statistical analyses, and communicate findings to both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.

A Research Scientist is the person who decides what a lab investigates and how: framing the question, designing the experiments or models, judging what the data show, and writing it up as papers, patents or internal reports. The title appears in drug and biotech companies, universities, independent research institutes, national laboratories and technology firms. Because the federal wage survey has no single category for it, this page uses the closest one, medical scientists, whose May 2025 national wages ran from $64,800 at the 10th percentile to $177,780 at the 90th, with a median of $103,410. Pay for chemists, physicists and computer research scientists is reported separately.

A Research Technician runs the day-to-day bench work in a science research lab: preparing samples, running experiments from written protocols, maintaining instruments and keeping the records that make results reproducible. The job sits under a principal investigator or staff scientist in a university lab, research institute, biotech company, hospital research program or government lab. BLS counts the work under biological technicians and does not report research technicians separately. In May 2025 that occupation's median wage was $57,510, with the 10th percentile at $40,330 and the 90th at $84,940.

Senior Analytical Chemists lead method development and validation projects, provide technical leadership on complex analytical problems, and serve as the resident experts on analytical techniques within their group. They combine deep instrument proficiency with the regulatory and scientific judgment to ensure that analytical data is reliable, defensible, and appropriate for its intended purpose.

Senior Biostatisticians lead the statistical design and analysis of clinical trials and biomedical research studies. They own the statistical analysis plans for pivotal trials, oversee the integrity of trial data, contribute to regulatory submissions, and provide the quantitative expertise that connects clinical evidence to regulatory approval and medical practice.

Senior Business Development Managers identify, negotiate, and close strategic partnerships, licensing agreements, and alliances that expand a company's commercial reach, technology portfolio, or market position. In science-intensive industries like pharmaceuticals, biotech, and scientific instruments, they combine deal-making skill with technical literacy to evaluate opportunities and negotiate terms that reflect the real value of assets being transacted.

Senior Chemical Process Engineers design, optimize, and troubleshoot industrial manufacturing and chemical processes — ensuring that production runs efficiently, safely, and within quality and regulatory specifications. They lead process improvement initiatives, provide technical expertise to operations teams, and guide capital projects from conceptual design through startup and commissioning.

Senior Clinical Research Associates monitor clinical trial sites to ensure study protocols are followed, patient data is accurate, and regulatory requirements are met. They operate independently across a site portfolio, mentor junior CRAs, and serve as the primary sponsor or CRO contact for the sites they oversee — carrying accountability for data quality and regulatory compliance at those sites.

A Senior Clinical Research Coordinator runs the daily conduct of clinical trials at a research site, carrying a portfolio of studies from start-up to close-out with little supervision. The role sits between the principal investigator, the sponsor or contract research organization, the IRB and the participants, and the senior title adds training newer coordinators. Employers include academic medical centers, health systems and community research sites. BLS does not price the title on its own, so this page gives an estimated band of $53,000 to $94,980 built from the University of Florida and Penn State staff pay tables.

Senior Medical Writers produce complex regulatory documents — clinical study reports, integrated summaries, briefing documents, and IND/NDA/BLA sections — that support drug and device approval. They manage document timelines, coordinate input from cross-functional contributors, and apply scientific judgment to ensure that documents accurately represent clinical data and meet regulatory expectations.

Senior Quality Control Analysts lead complex analytical testing, manage OOS investigations, and provide the technical guidance that QC labs depend on when routine methods fail or produce unexpected results. They operate independently on the most demanding tests, mentor junior analysts, and are routinely called on to review data and draft sections of regulatory submissions.

Senior Research Scientists apply deep technical expertise to lead research programs, solve the hardest scientific problems their organization faces, and guide the scientific development of more junior staff. The title spans industries but carries a consistent implication: this person knows their domain at a level that commands genuine deference, and their scientific judgment shapes program outcomes.

Technical Sales Representatives sell scientific instruments, reagents, laboratory services, or technology solutions to research, clinical, and industrial customers. They combine scientific knowledge with commercial skills to identify customer needs, demonstrate product value, and close deals — serving as both a credible scientific resource and an effective salesperson.

A Validation Engineer writes and executes the protocols that prove manufacturing equipment, utilities, software and processes in drug, biologic and medical device plants work as intended under FDA rules. The role sits between engineering, manufacturing and quality assurance, and its signed reports clear equipment and systems for production use. O*NET files Validation Engineers under Industrial Engineers. BLS reported a May 2025 median wage of $104,110 for industrial engineers in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, with the 10th to 90th percentile running from $78,360 to $155,490.

Validation Managers lead the engineers and specialists responsible for qualifying equipment, validating processes, and maintaining the validated state of systems in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturing. They own the site validation master plan, manage a team of engineers through qualification campaigns, and serve as the primary technical contact when FDA or EMA inspectors review validation documentation.