Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Fall 2026
2Chapman University
1 University Dr, Orange, CA 92866, USA
$70,304 - $75,000
Research positions in United States higher education represent dynamic career paths dedicated to advancing knowledge through systematic investigation. These roles, often housed in universities like Stanford, MIT, or public institutions such as the University of California system, emphasize discovery in fields ranging from biomedical sciences to social sciences. Unlike teaching-focused faculty jobs, research jobs prioritize experimentation, data collection, and publication, frequently supported by competitive grants.
The meaning of a research position centers on contributing to scholarly output. For instance, at research-intensive universities classified as R1 by the Carnegie Classification, these positions drive innovation, with over 4,000 institutions engaging in federally funded projects annually. Aspiring researchers enter via graduate programs, where hands-on lab or fieldwork experience builds foundational skills.
Research careers in US academia trace back to the 19th century with the Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862 and 1890, establishing public universities focused on practical research in agriculture and engineering. The post-World War II era marked explosive growth, fueled by the GI Bill and creation of the National Science Foundation in 1950. Today, research jobs adapt to challenges like funding constraints from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF), which awarded $40 billion in 2023.
This evolution has diversified roles, from soft-money positions reliant on grants to hybrid research-teaching tracks, reflecting a competitive landscape where only 15-20% of PhDs secure tenure-track roles.
Research positions vary by level. Research assistants, often graduate students, handle routine tasks like literature reviews and statistical analysis. Research associates, post-PhD, design experiments and co-author papers. Postdoctoral researchers bridge to independence, managing projects under a principal investigator (PI). Senior roles like research professors lead labs and secure multimillion-dollar grants.
Principal Investigator (PI): The lead researcher responsible for a project's direction, budget, and compliance with funding agency rules.
Peer-Reviewed Publication: Scholarly article vetted by experts before journal acceptance, a cornerstone metric for research jobs.
Grant Proposal: Detailed application to funders outlining project aims, methods, budget, and expected impact.
Required academic qualifications for research jobs typically include a PhD in a relevant field, such as biology for NIH-funded biomedical research or economics for NSF social science grants. Research focus or expertise needed aligns with institutional priorities, like climate modeling at NOAA-partnered universities or AI ethics at Carnegie Mellon.
Preferred experience encompasses 3-5 peer-reviewed publications, prior grant involvement, and postdoctoral training. For example, successful candidates often list h-index scores above 10 and collaborations with established PIs.
Essential skills and competencies include:
To excel, build a portfolio early: volunteer in labs during undergrad, pursue REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) programs, and network at events. Tailor your academic CV to highlight quantifiable impacts, like 'Led team analyzing 10,000 datasets, resulting in Nature publication.'
Navigate the US research job market by monitoring sites like research assistant jobs and postdoc opportunities. Apply broadly, as positions at top-tier schools like Ivy League institutions fill quickly. Learn from resources like postdoctoral success strategies.
In summary, research jobs offer intellectual freedom amid challenges like job instability. Explore higher ed jobs, higher ed career advice, university jobs, or post a job at AcademicJobs.com to advance your path.
If you are searching for research jobs in America, you need more than a keyword dump of “scientist” ads. You need openings that match how universities actually hire: postdoctoral fellowships, research assistant and associate roles, research fellows, lab technicians, research coordinators, and faculty researcher lines. Academic Jobs (AJ) is built for that search. Every listing on this page is already filtered to university and institute research roles, so you spend time on fit — lab, method, contract length, and location — instead of wading through unrelated industry postings.
Job seekers come here with a clear intent: find a funded research post they can apply to this week. Use the filters above to narrow by city, institution, employment type, or a keyword such as CRISPR, ethnography, or clinical trials. On a country page the region is pre-set, so the count in the heading is the live number of research openings in America, not a global total. That is the number you should trust when you are deciding whether to relocate, stay local, or keep a worldwide search open.
AJ aggregates research jobs from universities, medical schools, national labs, and research institutes in one board. That matters because most research hiring is still posted on a single employer career site and easy to miss if you only check two or three campuses. A postdoc in public health, a research technician in a core facility, and a research professor line will not sit on the same faculty page — they will sit on AJ if the employer posted or syndicated the role. You can also save a job alert with the same research filters so new fellowships hit your inbox instead of disappearing after a short closing window.
Compared with general job boards, AJ’s research collection is scoped to higher education. You will still see staff research and faculty research together, which is useful when your next step could be either a fellowship or a research-track faculty post. Pair this page with Science Jobs if you want scientist titles, or Professor Jobs if you are targeting a teaching-and-research chair. For most candidates asking “where do I find research jobs in America that I can actually apply for?”, the short answer is this listing: live count, research-only filters, and a board that employers in higher education already use.
Reach qualified research professionals across any industry. List your vacancy on AcademicJobs.com.
Get notified when new research vacancies are posted on Academic Jobs.
Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)
Human Frontier Science Program
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Australian Research Council
National Science Foundation
