
Senior Principal Research Scientist
North Chicago, ILJob$161K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Job overview
As a recognized multidisciplinary expert, the Senior Principal Research Scientist designs and implements studies for new or improved products. The role advances scientific strategy and expertise, mentors colleagues, assesses project risks, identifies emerging scientific trends, and develops innovative approaches. It presents scientific concepts and results to leaders and partners and ensures compliance with applicable corporate and divisional policies.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, (https://www.linkedin.com/company/abbvie/) Facebook, Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/abbvie/) , X (https://twitter.com/abbvie) and YouTube. (https://www.youtube.com/user/AbbVie)
Job Description
As a recognized multidiscipline expert, drives functional performance by designing and implementing studies aimed at new or improved products.
Responsibilities
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Develops and achieves discipline strategy in alignment with functional goals and key scientific objectives. Collaborates with experts within function to integrate scientific objectives into activities associated with development of new/improved products or technology.
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Advances scientific expertise within function. Proactively demonstrates leadership by advising and sharing knowledge and expert opinions with subordinates, peers, and senior management. Mentors and trains functional colleagues and assesses current and emerging business challenges enabling functional goal achievement.
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Ensures quality and effectiveness of key results of major project plans within function through sound design, early risk assessments, and implementation of fallback strategies.
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Sources and identifies emerging scientific trends from multiple internal and external sources and assess relevance. Integrates trends into functional short-term objectives. Advances cross-discipline technology and direction.
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Applies imagination and innovation by creating, inventing, and implementing new or better approaches, alternatives and breakthrough ideas that are valued by customers within the function.
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Presents scientific concepts and results for functional scientific and non-scientific leaders as well as potential and existing partners. Maximizes impact and value of expertise.
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Responsible for compliance with applicable Corporate and Divisional Policies and procedures.
Qualifications
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Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent education in Science related field with extensive (typically 18 years) of related work; Master’s Degree or equivalent education Science or PharmD or equivalent education with extensive (typically 16 years) of related work; PhD in Science or related field with typically 10 years of related work experience.
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Experience in research and/or development environment.
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Proven ability to innovate with a history of new or improved product releases.
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Interacts well with diverse groups within function and maintains strong working relationships with internal and external collaborators.
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Demonstrated ability to influence others across areas of scientific disciplines.
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Technical background in healthcare, laboratory diagnostics, medical devices or pharmaceutical companies.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
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The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
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We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
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This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Salary: $160,500
How this job compares
Set against the 2,208 open Research Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 8, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$161K/yr
- Illinois median$125–142K/yr34 salary ranges
- US median$142–218K/yr1,475 salary ranges
This rate, $161K, is 29% above the Illinois median midpoint ($125K) — in the top quarter of Research Scientist salary ranges in Illinois.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 39 open Research Scientist jobs in Illinois and 2,208 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Illinois
- AbbVie (this employer)14 open
- Argonne National Laboratory10 open
- Rush University Medical Center3 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 10 years of experience — more than three in four Research Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for (median 3 years, across 1,149 postings).
- Education
- 1,061 of the 2,208 open Research Scientist jobs (48%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 8, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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