Careers for Investigative thinkers
Nine hundred and twenty-nine careers that suit Investigative people, the research, analysis, diagnostics and engineering work that suits people who follow questions, hunt for patterns, and prefer to figure things out from first principles. Each card below carries the typical preparation path, the salary range from entry to senior level, and a short read on what the work actually involves day to day.
929 careers in Investigative careers
Academic Researcher
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $70,000
Investigates complex phenomena and tests hypotheses through rigorous data collection and analysis. Publishes findings…
Academic Researcher (Neuroscience)
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $90,000 - $120,000
Conducts advanced scientific research in neuroscience, designing experiments, analyzing data, publishing findings, and…
Accessibility Consultant
Bachelor's Degree · $95,000
Evaluates and advises on the accessibility of digital products and physical environments to ensure compliance with…
Accessibility Engineer (A11y)
Bachelor's degree · $125,000
Ensures software applications are accessible to users with disabilities by implementing WCAG standards, building…
Acoustic Consultant
Bachelor's Degree · $109,750
Acoustic consultants, also known as acoustic engineers or acousticians, focus on how sound is produced, controlled and…
Actuarial Analyst
Bachelor's Degree · $93,525
Actuarial analysts use mathematical, statistical, and financial theories to assess and manage risk. They analyze data…
Actuary
Bachelor's Degree · $125,770
Analyzes the financial costs of risk and uncertainty using mathematics, statistics, and financial theory. Actuaries…
Additive Manufacturing Specialist
Bachelor's Degree · $105,000
Designs, develops, and optimizes processes for creating three-dimensional objects using additive manufacturing…
Administrative Law Judge
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $130,000
Presides over hearings, issues subpoenas, and makes decisions on cases involving government agencies and private…
Advertising Effectiveness Researcher
Master's in Marketing, Statistics, or Media Studies · $92,000
Measures the impact of advertising campaigns across media channels using pre/post testing, brand lift studies,…
Aerospace Engineer (Technician Support)
Associate's Degree · $79,830
Assist aerospace engineers in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft.
Aerospace Engineers
Bachelor's Degree · $134,830
Perform engineering duties in designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. May conduct…
Agricultural Consultant
Bachelor's Degree · $85,000
Advises farmers, agribusinesses, and landowners on best practices for crop production, livestock management, and…
Agricultural Policy Analyst
Master's Degree · $78,000
Analyzes agricultural policies, economic trends, and environmental impacts to advise government agencies,…
Agricultural Scientist
Bachelor's Degree · $78,770
Agricultural scientists conduct research to improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of agricultural and food…
Agricultural Sustainability Advisor
Bachelor's Degree · $88,000
Advise farmers, agricultural cooperatives, and food companies on implementing sustainable farming practices that reduce…
Agronomist
Bachelor's Degree · $78,000
Agronomists apply scientific principles to improve crop yield, soil health, and sustainable agricultural practices.…
AI / Prompt Engineer
Bachelor's Degree · $134,830
Designs and optimizes prompts and interaction patterns for large language models and generative AI systems.
AI & Workforce Transformation Specialist
Master's Degree · $140,000
Lead the organization's response to AI-driven workforce transformation by assessing the impact of AI and automation on…
AI Engineer
Master's in Computer Science, AI/ML, or related field · $155,000
Builds and deploys artificial intelligence systems, integrating machine learning models into production applications…
AI Ethicist
Master's Degree · $125,000
Develops and implements ethical guidelines for artificial intelligence systems, ensuring fair, transparent, and…
AI Ethicist and Policy Advisor
Master's Degree · $130,000
Evaluate the ethical implications of AI systems and advise organisations, governments, and regulators on responsible AI…
AI Infrastructure Engineer
Bachelor's degree (MS common) · $210,000
Designs and builds the infrastructure that powers AI/ML workloads at scale, including GPU clusters, distributed…
AI Research Scientist
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $160,000
Conducts cutting-edge research to advance the field of artificial intelligence, developing novel algorithms and models.…
AI Solutions Consultant
Master's degree in CS/Data Science/AI · $170,000
Advises enterprise clients on AI/ML adoption strategy, identifies use cases, designs AI solutions, and manages…
AI-Assisted Journalism Specialist
Bachelor's in Journalism + Computer Science or Data Science; hybrid background essential · $78,000
Integrates artificial intelligence tools into newsroom workflows including automated reporting, AI-assisted research,…
AI/LLM Engineer
Bachelor's in Computer Science / Mathematics / Related Field · $195,000
Develops AI systems and large language models; integrates LLMs into applications.
Air Quality Analyst
Bachelor's Degree · $80,000
Analyzes air quality data, assesses pollution sources, and develops strategies to mitigate environmental impact and…
Air Quality Specialist
Bachelor's Degree · $88,000
Monitor, analyze, and develop solutions for air quality challenges including criteria pollutant emissions, hazardous…
Algorithmic / Systematic Trader
Master's or PhD in Math, Physics, CS, or Financial Engineering · $175,000
Develops and deploys quantitative trading strategies using statistical models and algorithms, optimizing execution…
Algorithmic Trader
Bachelor's in Computer Science / Mathematics / Physics / Finance · $240,000
Develops and executes algorithmic trading strategies; optimizes execution algorithms and manages automated trading…
Allergists and Immunologists
Post-Doctoral Training · $78,140
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent allergic diseases and disease processes affecting the immune system.
Analytical Chemist (Pharma QC)
Bachelor's in Chemistry; Master's preferred · $78,000
Performs chemical analysis of pharmaceutical raw materials, intermediates, and finished products using advanced…
Analytics Consultant
Bachelor's Degree · $105,000
Analyzes complex data sets to identify trends, provide actionable insights, and recommend data-driven strategies to…
Analytics Engineer
Bachelor's Degree · $105,000
Optimize data models, build data pipelines, and ensure data quality and accessibility for analytical purposes by…
Analytics Specialist
Bachelor's Degree · $90,000
Collect, process, and analyze data to generate insights and actionable recommendations that drive business…
Android Developer (Senior / Lead)
Bachelor's degree · $132,000
Develops native Android applications using Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, handling architecture, performance, Google Play…
Anesthesiologists
Post-Doctoral Training · $90,895
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
Angular Developer
Bachelor's in Computer Science / Related Field · $135,000
Builds enterprise web applications using Angular framework; manages complex component hierarchies and dependency…
Animal Scientists
Doctoral Degree · $79,120
Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals.
Anthropologists and Archeologists
Doctoral Degree · $64,910
Study the origin, development, and behavior of human beings. May study the way of life, language, or physical…
API Gateway Engineer
Bachelor's in Computer Science / Related Field · $175,000
Designs and manages API gateways; handles routing, authentication, and rate limiting.
API Platform Engineer / API Developer
Bachelor's degree · $150,000
Designs, builds, and manages API platforms, gateways, and developer portals, ensuring APIs are performant, secure,…
Arbitrator
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $120,000
Arbitrators facilitate out-of-court settlements by hearing evidence and arguments from disputing parties, then…
Architect
Bachelor's in Computer Science / Related Field · $200,000
Designs system architecture; ensures scalability, reliability, and best practices.
ASIC Design Engineer
Bachelor's Degree · $130,000
Designs, develops, and verifies Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). This involves creating detailed…
ASP.NET Core Developer
Bachelor's in Computer Science / Related Field · $148,000
Develops web applications using ASP.NET Core framework; builds REST APIs and manages database with Entity Framework.
Assistant Professor
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $90,000
Conducts research, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, and provides service to the university and academic…
Associate Analyst (Equity Research)
Bachelor's Degree · $120,000
Equity Research Associates analyze publicly traded companies and industries, build and update financial models, conduct…
Associate Attorney
Doctoral or Professional Degree · $120,000
Represents clients in legal proceedings, conducts research, drafts legal documents, and provides legal advice. Works…