19 OPEN
SALARIES · RESEARCH SCIENTIST
Research Scientist [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for research scientist roles in space. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$235,000 – $305,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$170K
[ SENIOR ]
$235K
[ STAFF ]
$305K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$385K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01MSenior Instrument Scientist, Calibration TestingMuon Space·Mountain View, CA$197K–$218K
- 02MSenior Remote Sensing Data Scientist, Cal/ValMuon Space·Denver, CO$192K–$213K
- 03MSenior Instrument Scientist, Calibration DesignMuon Space·Remote$158K–$207K
- 04MSenior Instrument Scientist, SimulationMuon Space·Remote$158K–$207K
- 05VRadiation Effects ScientistVoyager Technologies·San Diego, CA; Long Beach, CA$165K–$205K
- 06
Data Scientist (Starlink)SpaceX·Redmond, WA$125K–$200K - 07MRemote Sensing Data ScientistMuon Space·Denver, CO$171K–$191K
- 08MSenior Applied Scientist, GeospatialMuon Space·Remote$134K–$187K
- 09VSenior Scientist, Analytical SciencesVarda Space·El Segundo, California, United States$140K–$180K
- 10RAI/ML Scientist, Planetary ScienceRelativity Space·Long Beach, California$115K–$173K
§ 03Top employers hiring research scientists
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Muon Space | 6 | $183K |
| Planet Labs | 3 | — |
| SpaceX | 2 | $163K |
| True Anomaly | 2 | — |
| Varda Space | 2 | $140K |
| Voyager Technologies | 1 | $185K |
| Ursa Major | 1 | $95K |
| Rocket Lab | 1 | — |
§ 04Top cities hiring research scientists
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Denver | 4 | $192K |
| Remote | 3 | $183K |
| El Segundo | 2 | $140K |
| Haarlem | 1 | — |
| Ljubljana | 1 | — |
| Long Beach | 1 | $144K |
| Mountain View | 1 | $208K |
| Redmond | 1 | $163K |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do research scientists make in the space industry?
- Senior research scientists in the space industry typically earn $235K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $305K and principal-level reach $385K. Numbers are median base salary across 64 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private space companies.
- Who is hiring the most research scientists right now?
- Muon Space (6 open roles), Planet Labs (3 open roles), and SpaceX (2 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 19 open research scientist roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most research scientist jobs located?
- The top space industry hubs for research scientist roles right now are Denver, Remote, and El Segundo. Defense space tends to concentrate in DC/Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs (clearance-required roles), while commercial launch is heaviest in LA basin and Florida's Space Coast.
- Do research scientist roles in space require security clearance?
- Many do. Defense space programs at Anduril, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, and the US Space Force require Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Commercial-space roles at SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Vast, and Astranis generally do not, though some specific government contracts may. ITAR registration is more common than clearance — most rocket roles require it.
§ 06See all open roles
Browse every research scientist role