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About This Role
Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi\-national corporation, a small start\-up or a government agency.
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Job Summary
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We are currently seeking an early career Cyber Research Scientist. This position is an onsite, full\-time opportunity located in Columbus, OH.
Battelle's Cyber Mission Assurance (CMA) portfolio is responsible for ideating, developing, and deploying advanced technical solutions to solve complex national security and cyber threat intelligence challenges. Our elite, multidisciplinary team brings together the brightest minds from physics, computer science, electrical engineering, and mathematics to develop unique embedded security solutions for government and industrial customers.
We work in small, agile teams to push the bounds of computing technology, supported by high\-powered labs with specialized software and hardware. We encourage new ideas through our Internal Research and Development (IRAD) program, reward inventors through an industry\-leading IP compensation program and collaborate broadly across Battelle on projects ranging from genomics to robotics.
Responsibilities
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As a Cyber Research Scientist – Entry Level, you will support senior researchers, intelligence analysts, and cybersecurity engineers in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting open\-source information to advance national security missions. Responsibilities may include:
- Conduct open\-source intelligence (OSINT) collection and analysis related to cyber threats, emerging technologies, and adversary activity
- Support technical analysis of cyber vulnerabilities, exploits, malware reporting, and threat activity identified in open\-source environments
- Assist in developing scripts and automation tools to support OSINT data collection, parsing, and analysis
- Support the development of automated tools and scripts that ingest, translate, and analyze foreign\-language OSINT data
- Utilize cybersecurity tools to perform basic network reconnaissance, scanning, and traffic analysis
- Collect and organize information from open\-source environments including technical publications, research databases, code repositories, forums, and social media platforms
- Assist in translating and analyzing foreign\-language open\-source materials related to cyber or technology topics using translation tools or language resources
- Assist senior staff in developing OSINT methodologies, research workflows, and data analysis pipelines
- Produce written summaries, research notes, and analytical reports for internal teams and client deliverables
- Maintain effective communication with team members in fast\-paced research environments
- Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams while developing independent research and analytical skills
Key Qualifications
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- Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Intelligence Studies, Data Science, or a related technical field
- 0–2 years of experience in cybersecurity, OSINT research, cyber threat intelligence, or related analytical or technical roles; internships, research projects, or academic experience are acceptable
- Familiarity with collecting and analyzing open\-source information from technical publications, online platforms, or public datasets
- Basic programming or scripting experience in at least one language, including Python, Bash, PowerShell, C, or C\+\+
- Familiarity with writing simple scripts to automate tasks such as data parsing, log analysis, or OSINT collection
- Basic understanding of Linux and Windows operating system environments
- Familiarity with networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, ports, and protocols
- Exposure to cybersecurity tools such as Wireshark, Nmap, Metasploit, Burp Suite, or similar platforms through coursework, labs, or internships
- Understanding of core cybersecurity principles including the CIA triad (confidentiality, integrity, availability), least privilege, and defense\-in\-depth
- Strong analytical thinking, research skills, and written communication abilities
- Willingness to travel up to 10%
- Must be a sole US citizen with ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret/SCI Clearance
Preferred Qualifications
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- Internship, research experience, or academic projects related to cybersecurity, OSINT, cyber threat intelligence, or data analysis
- Familiarity with network traffic analysis, packet capture tools, or basic intrusion detection concepts
- Foundational knowledge of computer architecture concepts including CPU execution, memory, and process management
- Basic familiarity with cryptographic concepts such as hashing, encryption, TLS/HTTPS, and PKI
- Knowledge of web technologies including HTTP, REST APIs, HTML, and JavaScript basics
- Awareness of common web vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross\-site scripting (XSS), and authentication flaws
- Exposure to digital forensics concepts including disk imaging, log analysis, memory analysis, or timeline reconstruction
- Familiarity with digital forensic tools such as Autopsy, Volatility, or Sleuth Kit through coursework or labs
- Experience with data analysis tools or programming environments used for research and visualization
- Familiarity with developing or integrating automated translation workflows for multilingual OSINT data using scripting languages (e.g., Python) and APIs
- Experience analyzing or translating foreign\-language technical materials such as scientific publications, cyber threat discussions, or technical forums
- Knowledge of basic natural language processing (NLP) or multilingual text processing techniques
- Experience using virtualization tools such as VMware, VirtualBox, or Docker to build cybersecurity lab environments
- Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CIS Critical Security Controls, or ISO 27001
- Relevant certifications such as Security\+, Network\+, CEH (in progress), or other entry\-level cybersecurity certifications
Salary Range
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Battelle is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this role is $75,000\-$105,000 per year, in addition to our comprehensive benefits package. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to education, relevant work experience, skills, and certifications. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and market conditions.
Benefits: Live an Extraordinary Life
We care about your well\-being, not just on the job. Battelle offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to help you live your best life.
- Balance life through a compressed work schedule: Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off—giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
- Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in\-office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in\-office days, dependent on team and position needs.
- Take time to recharge: You get paid time off to support work\-life balance and keep motivated.
- Prioritize wellness: Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
- Better together: Coverage for partners, gender\-affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
- Build your financial future: Build financial stability with an industry\-leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and match your contributions on top of that.
- Advance your education: Tuition assistance is available to pursue higher education.
A Work Environment Where You Succeed
For brilliant minds in science, technology, engineering and business operations, Battelle is the place to do the greatest good by solving humanity’s most pressing challenges and creating a safer, healthier and more secure world.
You will have the opportunity to thrive in a culture that inspires you to:
- Apply your talent to challenging and meaningful projects
- Receive select funding to pursue ideas in scientific and technological discovery
- Partner with world\-class experts in a collaborative environment
- Nurture and develop the next generation of scientific leaders
- Give back to and improve our communities
Vaccinations \& Safety Protocols
*Battelle may require employees, based on job duties, work location, and/or its clients’ requirements to follow certain safety protocols and to be vaccinated against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and diseases as a condition of employment and continued employment and to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated. If applicable, Battelle will provide reasonable accommodations based on a qualified disability or medical condition through the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act or for a sincerely held religious belief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and related state laws).*
*Battelle is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran\-status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within Battelle.*
The above statements are intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, activities and skills required of staff members. No statement herein is intended to imply any authorities to commit Battelle unless special written permission is granted by Battelle's Legal Department.
For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers
Salary Context
This $75K-$105K range is in the lower quartile for Research Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $183K across 83 roles with salary data).
Role Details
About This Role
Research Scientists push the boundaries of what AI can do. They design experiments, develop novel architectures, publish papers, and translate research breakthroughs into production capabilities. This is where the fundamental advances happen, from attention mechanisms to diffusion models to reasoning chains.
The work is intellectually demanding and often ambiguous. You might spend months on an approach that doesn't pan out. The best research scientists combine deep mathematical intuition with engineering pragmatism. They know when to go deep on theory and when to run experiments. They read papers voraciously and can spot incremental contributions from genuine breakthroughs.
Across the 3,708 AI roles we're tracking, Research Scientist positions make up 3% of the market. At Battelle, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.
Research Scientist roles are concentrated at major AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta FAIR) and well-funded AI startups. The competition is intense. PhD is effectively required for most positions, and publication track record matters. Compensation is among the highest in AI, reflecting both the scarcity of talent and the strategic importance of research breakthroughs.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes: reading and discussing recent papers with your team, designing and running experiments on multi-GPU clusters, analyzing results and iterating on hypotheses, writing up findings for internal review or publication, and collaborating with engineering teams to productionize promising results. The ratio of thinking to coding is higher than in engineering roles.
Research Scientist roles are concentrated at major AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta FAIR) and well-funded AI startups. The competition is intense. PhD is effectively required for most positions, and publication track record matters. Compensation is among the highest in AI, reflecting both the scarcity of talent and the strategic importance of research breakthroughs.
Skills Required
PhD strongly preferred for most roles. Deep expertise in a specific area (NLP, computer vision, reinforcement learning, multimodal) is expected. PyTorch is the standard. Publication track record matters. Strong mathematical foundations in linear algebra, probability, optimization, and information theory are assumed.
Beyond the fundamentals, companies value experience with large-scale distributed training, novel architecture design, and the ability to bridge theory and practice. Understanding of current frontier topics (reasoning, multimodal, long-context, alignment) is essential. Code quality matters more than many researchers expect. Labs want researchers who can implement their ideas cleanly.
Strong research postings specify the research area, mention the team you'd join, and describe the problems they're working on. They often list recent publications from the team. Vague 'AI research' postings without specifics usually mean the company wants to sound impressive but doesn't have a real research agenda.
Compensation Benchmarks
Research Scientist roles pay a median of $222,200 based on 197 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $200,000. This role's midpoint ($90K) sits 59% below the category median. Disclosed range: $75K to $105K.
Across all AI roles, the market median is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($300,000) and Research Engineer ($280,000). By seniority level: Entry: $120,000; Mid: $200,000; Senior: $230,000; Director: $272,150; VP: $250,000.
Battelle AI Hiring
Battelle has 2 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across Research Scientist, AI/ML Engineer. Based in Columbus, OH, US. Compensation range: $83K - $105K.
Location Context
Across all AI roles, 14% (508 positions) offer remote work, while 3,180 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,045 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (810 roles, $277,088 median); Los Angeles (397 roles, $215,000 median).
Career Path
Common paths into Research Scientist roles include PhD Student, Research Engineer, Postdoc.
From here, career progression typically leads toward Research Lead, Distinguished Scientist, VP of Research.
The PhD is the entry point for most paths. Choose your advisor and research area carefully since they'll define your first industry position. Publish consistently, contribute to open-source projects in your area, and build relationships at conferences. Industry research offers better compensation and compute resources than academia, but the pressure to show product impact is real.
What to Expect in Interviews
Research interviews are multi-stage: a research talk (present your best paper), technical deep-dives on your methodology, and often a 'research proposal' exercise where you design an experiment to test a hypothesis. Coding rounds test implementation ability alongside theoretical knowledge. Be prepared to implement a paper from scratch and discuss the design choices the authors made. Strong candidates can critique papers constructively and identify gaps in experimental methodology.
When evaluating opportunities: Strong research postings specify the research area, mention the team you'd join, and describe the problems they're working on. They often list recent publications from the team. Vague 'AI research' postings without specifics usually mean the company wants to sound impressive but doesn't have a real research agenda.
AI Hiring Overview
The AI job market has 3,708 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 102 entry-level, 1,705 mid-level, 1,469 senior, and 432 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 14% of the market (508 positions). The remaining 3,180 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.
The market median for AI roles is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($300,000 median, 21 roles); Research Engineer ($280,000 median, 147 roles); AI Architect ($254,798 median, 67 roles).
Research Scientist roles are concentrated at major AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta FAIR) and well-funded AI startups. The competition is intense. PhD is effectively required for most positions, and publication track record matters. Compensation is among the highest in AI, reflecting both the scarcity of talent and the strategic importance of research breakthroughs.
The AI Job Market Today
The AI job market spans 3,708 open positions across 16 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,605), Data Scientist (310), AI Software Engineer (259). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.
The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (102) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,705) and senior (1,469) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 432 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.
Remote work availability sits at 14% of all AI roles (508 positions), with 3,180 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.
AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $217,500. Top-quartile roles start at $272,100, and the 90th percentile reaches $325,000. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.
Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $300,000 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $140,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.
The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,890 postings), Aws (1,103 postings), Azure (877 postings), Rag (855 postings), Gcp (631 postings), Prompt Engineering (560 postings), Pytorch (545 postings), Claude (498 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
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