Richard E. Pipes, Baird Professor of History, will soon be named to President-elect Ronald Reagan's State Department transition committee, sources close to the transition office said yesterday.

Reagan transition officials will announce Pipes' appointment to the group headed by Robert G. Neumann, a former ambassador to Morocco and Afghanistan, today or in the next few days, sources said.

Kremlin on the Charles

A specialist in Soviet affairs who advised Reagan on defense and foreign policy issues during the presidential campaign, Pipes has been mentioned for a possible State Department position in the new administration and is close to Richard V. Allen, Reagan's top national security aide.

Pipes, who advocates increased military spending and opposes the pending strategic arms limitation treaty with the Soviets, said last night the group's principal duty will be to determine "who's going to stay and who's not going to stay" in State Department positions.

Transition

"That's what transition is all about," Pipes, who describes himself as a "(Henry) Jackson Democrat," said.

Reagan aides have said that Pipes, if he accepts a position, is most likely to take over the post established by veteran Soviet scholar Marshall D. Shulman, who served until recently as special adviser on Soviet affairs to Secretary of State Edmund S. Muskie.

Being There

Pipes said last night he will be meeting with Shulman shortly to discuss the transition. Neumann, who is vice chairman of Georgetown University's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Wednesday Pipes will be a "prime candidate" for a post. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Reagan aides did not say if any Harvard faculty members other than Pipes--who was the Republican's most prominent supporter here--would join any of the transition committees.