How to hire a research and development manager

How to hire a research and development manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step research and development manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a research and development manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new research and development manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a research and development manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a research and development manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect research and development manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of research and development manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Research And Development Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Research And Development Manager	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.	$37-83
   Engineering Supervisor	An engineering supervisor is responsible for monitoring the engineering operations of an organization, developing strategic processes and techniques to improve staff's performance, and facilitating training and programs to maximize productivity. Engineering supervisors evaluate technology procedures and reports to identify and design new opportunities that would generate more resources for revenues and profits... Show more	$34-62
   Engineering Operations Manager	Engineering Operations Managers are responsible for managing mechanical or electrical repair and maintenance activities. Their duties include supervising the facility's daily operations, directing engineers, contractors, and subcontractors in executing a project, forecasting maintenance, and operation costs, preparing an annual budget, and leading strategic sourcing initiatives... Show more	$45-76

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • R
   • Customer Service
   • Project Management
   • Patients
   • Product Development
   • C++
   • FDA
   • Business Development
   • RD
   • Direct Reports
   • Lifecycle Management
   • Technical Support
   • Java
   • ISO

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage commercial and clinical GMP manufacturing of intermediate material and bulk vaccine (drug substance).
   • Lead cross-functional team for VasoSeal (TM) vascular closure device, resulting in an IDE.
   • Manage all system relate tasks such as upgrades, user access review, and training new roadmap owners.
   • Manage development and implementation of automate system test framework covering server, client, API, DICOM, and HL7 feeds.
   • Manage implementation teams on new system installations and retrofit projects.
   • Direct and manage architecture and development of customer consumer portals via SOA.

   More research and development manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your research and development manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A research and development manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, research and development managers' average salary in hawaii is 52% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level research and development managers 55% less than senior-level research and development managers.
   • Certifications. A research and development manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a research and development manager's salary.

   Average research and development manager salary

   $117,507yearly

   $56.49 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level research and development manager salary

   $78,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average research and development manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$156,674	$75
   2	Washington	$148,239	$71
   3	Oregon	$131,063	$63
   4	Massachusetts	$122,318	$59
   5	Rhode Island	$117,425	$56
   6	Pennsylvania	$114,472	$55
   7	New York	$113,309	$54
   8	Indiana	$112,547	$54
   9	North Carolina	$111,113	$53
   10	Michigan	$107,936	$52
   11	District of Columbia	$107,284	$52
   12	Montana	$106,705	$51
   13	Georgia	$105,377	$51
   14	Illinois	$104,723	$50
   15	Ohio	$102,435	$49
   16	Minnesota	$100,886	$49
   17	Missouri	$98,188	$47
   18	Utah	$96,738	$47
   19	Colorado	$95,376	$46
   20	New Mexico	$94,685	$46

   Average research and development manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$196,784	$94.61	691
   2	Apple	$177,485	$85.33	263
   3	Pwc	$170,822	$82.13	508
   4	VMware	$166,041	$79.83
   5	Accenture	$163,145	$78.44	490
   6	Neuralink IT Solutions	$161,719	$77.75
   7	First Solar	$160,293	$77.06	39
   8	Bloomberg	$156,410	$75.20	22
   9	Global Tax Management	$154,756	$74.40
   10	Broadcom	$153,628	$73.86	57
   11	Deloitte	$153,558	$73.83	918
   12	H-E-B	$153,390	$73.75	12
   13	Brookhaven National Laboratory	$151,357	$72.77	1
   14	Koch Industries	$149,825	$72.03	2
   15	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$148,397	$71.34	57
   16	Lands' End	$148,078	$71.19	1
   17	ICU Medical	$147,572	$70.95	8
   18	Veeva Systems	$147,409	$70.87	15
   19	Micron Technology	$147,105	$70.72	5
   20	LSI	$146,761	$70.56

4. Writing a research and development manager job description

   A research and development manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a research and development manager job description:

   Research and development manager job description example

   Dierbergs is seeking a Culinary Recipe & Development Manager who will work in developing and monitoring the prepared foods programs within Dierbergs Perishable Departments. This position will work closely with the Central Kitchen management teams, perishable department directors, store operations supervisors, and store management teams. The overall responsibilities will involve recipe and menu development, writing food/recipe specs, menu writing, training and administrative tasks as needed.
   ABOUT THE ROLE
   Develop, test and cost new recipes to include the following: Sourcing ingredients and packaging Creating recipes/specs and calculating initial recipe and ingredient costs Conducting taste panels Evaluating product for shelf-life Writing specs for Central Kitchen production and prepared food programs Evaluating product for nutritional content Setting product up in scale system Partnering with team to develop marketing and merchandising strategies Monitoring sales and product quality Coordinate training programs for Central Kitchen and store t eams including communication of new items introductions, product information, and suggestive selling tips Monitor all prepared food programs and is responsible for establishing, maintaining and evaluating food handling procedures and quality control Actively seek out new prepared foods for perishable departments in anticipating of food trends, consumer tastes, requests, and nutrition while monitoring local and national competition Responsible for maintaining data in a variety of computer systems, including but not limited to, Recipe data in Central Kitchen computer system Product data in Nutrionist Pro computer program, update scale and store nutrition information as needed Work closely with the Central Kitchen and store teams on establishing production processes, monitoring consistency and quality of foods, problem-solving recipe/production variances, and packaging of all items Coordinate reviewing new items and sample processes with vendors, department managers, and associates Partner with Category Managers and Directors on determining recipe and ingredient costs Responsible for fresh food presentation for a variety of advertising venues Work closely with our Marketing and Advertising department on food styling/photo shoots and promotions including TV, radio, and social media.
   
   ABOUT YOU
   
   Knowledge, Skills & Characteristics
   Strong passion, background, and experience with food and recipe development Must be detailed oriented with strong organizational skills Must be proficient in math to calculate percentages, complete measurement conversions, convert recipe sizes/batches, and calculate recipe/food costs Strong knowledge or experience with food service operations Management or teaching experience that involves inspiring, directing, and coaching associates and mid-level managers Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal skills with the ability to address large groups as well as work one-on-one in training situations Must be able to take initiative and work independently Ability to multi-task and work under pressure and tight deadlines Demonstrates creativity and ability to be an idea generator Ability to offer support and assistance to the Central Kitchen during peak periods/holidays, including production assistance, which requires long hours, standing, stooping, bending and reaching
   
   Experience & Education
   Bachelors degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality/Food Management, Food Science, Consumer Science or related field preferred
   
   WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?
   Health and retirement benefits including medical, dental, short-term and long-term disability, 401(k), FSA, and life insurance. Weekly pay. Associate-only savings, free products, bonus points, sweepstakes and more - being a part of our team has its perks with Dierbergs Rewards. Paid time off provided, including vacation, personal days, and sick days. Employee Assistance Program for you and your family to assist in many of life's challenges, from short-term counseling, legal questions to financial guidance Rewards, recognition and appreciation programs and events to spotlight you AND your exceptional talents. Opportunity to Grow Every Day by building knowledge, supporting growth and creating connections - Let's GROW! Career advancement and growth opportunities through GROWU, our Learning & Development program for current and future leaders.
   This description is representative only and is not exhaustive of the tasks that an associate in the position may be required to perform.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find research and development managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your research and development manager job on Zippia to find and recruit research and development manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting research and development managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new research and development manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect research and development manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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