Top 10 R&D and Research Engineering Jobs in Tucson for 2025
Published:
November 17, 2025
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Career Development
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From aerospace to biotech, here are the roles every engineer and researcher in Tucson should be watching.
Tucson is increasingly a key hub for research, aerospace, defense, optics, optics-photonics, advanced materials and engineering innovation in 2025. With major research institutions, manufacturing of high-tech components, defense contracts, and growing development of advanced systems, the demand for research and development engineering talent is rising. Organizations are seeking engineers who can push boundaries in materials, electronics, systems, and functional integrations.
Here are ten R&D / research-engineering roles expected to be in high demand in Tucson this year — each with a brief overview, salary insight and hiring sectors.
R&D Engineers design and develop new systems, devices or components from concept through prototype and testing. In Tucson, roles span aerospace/defense, optics, semiconductor and materials research.
Salary Range: ~$87,000 – ~$139,000+ (median around $109,000/year) in Tucson.
Hiring: Aerospace & defense firms, optics companies, university spin-outs
Materials Research Engineers investigate new materials (composites, ceramics, coatings, advanced alloys), test them, characterise performance and enable next-gen manufacturing. With Tucson’s special-materials ecosystem, this role is strong.
Salary Range: ~$90,000 – ~$140,000+
Hiring: Materials suppliers, defense contractors, electronics manufacturing
These engineers work on design, modelling and testing of optical and photonic systems (lasers, sensors, imaging). In the Tucson region—known for optics and photonics research—this role is central.
Salary Range: ~$95,000 – ~$145,000+
Hiring: Optics firms, sensor manufacturers, defense R&D
Embedded Systems Engineers create electronics hardware/software solutions, integrate sensors, microcontrollers and firmware for research prototypes and advanced systems. With Tucson’s electronics and defense base, this is in demand.
Salary Range: ~$100,000 – ~$150,000+
Hiring: Electronics firms, defense subcontractors, R&D labs
Systems Engineering Researchers coordinate multidisciplinary projects, integrate subsystems (mechanical, electrical, software), and lead research at system level. In Tucson’s big projects (space, defense, manufacturing), this role is key.
Salary Range: ~$110,000 – ~$160,000+
Hiring: Defense primes, research institutes, systems integrators
Engineers in propulsion or aerospace research design, test and develop aerospace systems (engines, thrusters, UAVs) or cost-optimized aerospace materials and systems. Tucson’s aerospace segment drives this.
Salary Range: ~$100,000 – ~$155,000+
Hiring: Aerospace companies, research labs, defense contractors
Test & Validation Engineers design test plans, perform experiments, gather data, validate R&D prototypes and certify new systems. In Tucson’s high-tech manufacturing and defense sector, this role is important.
Salary Range: ~$85,000 – ~$130,000+
Hiring: R&D test labs, manufacturing test centres, aerospace/defense firms
These engineers focus on simulation, modelling, computational methods and analysis in R&D settings (for materials, systems, fluids, optics etc.). With rising digital R&D in Tucson, this specialization is growing.
Salary Range: ~$90,000 – ~$140,000+
Hiring: Research institutions, advanced manufacturing firms, defence labs
Research Project Managers oversee R&D programmes, manage timelines, budgets, collaborations, and technical teams. As R&D ventures scale in Tucson, leadership in managing research projects becomes vital.
Salary Range: ~$95,000 – ~$145,000+
Hiring: Research labs, university-industry collaborations, defense R&D organisations
These engineers help transition research prototypes into manufacturable products: bridging lab concept to production readiness, manufacturability, scale-up. In Tucson’s growing manufacturing research ecosystem, this is a key role.
Salary Range: ~$90,000 – ~$140,000+
Hiring: Manufacturing firms, OEMs, R&D spin-outs
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