Research Scientist, Computer Vision job description template
A research scientist in computer vision develops genuinely new methods rather than applying existing ones, usually publishing alongside building. The role suits problems where no published technique fits, and it operates on a longer timescale than engineering roles.
Before you post
State the publication policy explicitly, including approval process and any embargo. Ambiguity here loses candidates late in the process. Name the open problem rather than the field — "self-supervised learning for surgical video with fewer than 500 annotated cases" reaches the right people; "advancing AI in healthcare" does not.
The template
About the role
We are hiring a research scientist to advance the state of the art in [problem area] and bring new capability into [product]. You will define and pursue research directions, publish, and build prototypes that demonstrate what is possible.
What you will do
- Develop novel methods for [specific open problem]
- Design and run rigorous experiments to validate new approaches
- Publish at leading venues and represent the team externally
- Build prototypes that transfer research into engineering
- Track the literature and advise on what is worth adopting
What we are looking for
- PhD in computer vision, machine learning or a closely related field
- Publication record at venues such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS or ICML
- Demonstrated ability to define and pursue independent research
- Strong implementation skills
Keep this list to three to five items. Long mandatory lists disproportionately deter the candidates you most want.
Nice to have
- Experience in [your domain]
- History of transferring research into shipped products
- Experience mentoring junior researchers
- Open-source contributions
Plain text version
Select all and paste into your ATS, then replace everything in brackets.
RESEARCH SCIENTIST, COMPUTER VISION ABOUT THE ROLE We are hiring a research scientist to advance the state of the art in [problem area] and bring new capability into [product]. You will define and pursue research directions, publish, and build prototypes that demonstrate what is possible. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Develop novel methods for [specific open problem] - Design and run rigorous experiments to validate new approaches - Publish at leading venues and represent the team externally - Build prototypes that transfer research into engineering - Track the literature and advise on what is worth adopting WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR - PhD in computer vision, machine learning or a closely related field - Publication record at venues such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS or ICML - Demonstrated ability to define and pursue independent research - Strong implementation skills NICE TO HAVE - Experience in [your domain] - History of transferring research into shipped products - Experience mentoring junior researchers - Open-source contributions ABOUT US [Two or three sentences on the company, the product, and why the problem matters.] DETAILS - Location: [city / hybrid / remote] - Salary: [range] - Apply: [link]
Calibrating the level
Adjust the requirements to match the level you are actually hiring for. Asking for senior capability at a mid-level budget is the most common cause of a stalled search.
Research Scientist
Pursues a defined research direction and publishes results.
Senior Research Scientist
Sets a research agenda and mentors others within it.
Principal / Staff Scientist
Shapes the organisation's research strategy and its relationship to product.
Post it where the right people are
JobsInVision is a computer vision job board — your listing reaches engineers who work in this field specifically, rather than a general software audience.