Research and development manager

About this career

Research and development managers coordinate the efforts of scientists, academical researchers, product developers, and market researchers towards the creation of new products, the improvement of current ones or other research activities, including scientific research. They manage and plan research and development activities of an organisation, specify goals and budget requirements and manage the staff.

Essential skills

analyse business plans analyse external factors of companies analyse internal factors of companies assess the feasibility of implementing developments carry out strategic research identify new business opportunities interact professionally in research and professional environments manage budgets manage intellectual property rights manage personal professional development manage research and development projects manage staff mitigate waste of resources perform market research perform project management report analysis results represent the organisation seek innovation in current practices speak different languages synthesise information think abstractly

Required knowledge

corporate social responsibility industrial research and development innovation processes intellectual property law market research marketing principles project management

Additional skills

analyse consumer buying trends analyse economic trends analyse financial risk analyse market financial trends analyse production processes for improvement apply blended learning apply for research funding apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities apply scientific methods assist scientific research collaborate with engineers communicate with a non-scientific audience conduct research across disciplines conduct research interview contact scientists create a financial plan demonstrate disciplinary expertise develop product design develop product policies develop professional network with researchers and scientists disseminate results to the scientific community draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation ensure finished product meet requirements evaluate research activities identify customer's needs increase the impact of science on policy and society integrate gender dimension in research integrate shareholders' interests in business plans interview people keep up with trends keep updated on innovations in various business fields manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data manage open publications manage product testing manage research data mentor individuals operate open source software perform scientific research plan product management promote open innovation in research promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities promote the transfer of knowledge provide improvement strategies publish academic research teach in academic or vocational contexts write scientific publications commercial law cost management funding methods interview techniques marketing management risk management sales strategies wind energy

Also known as

market research manager researcher research and development supervisor research and development associate research and development director product research development manager