Description
Plan, direct, and coordinate research, development, and operational activities in the life and physical sciences, managing teams, budgets, and compliance to meet scientific and organizational goals.
- • Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and regulators to scope, review, and troubleshoot projects.
- • Develop and manage client or stakeholder relationships; present proposals, findings, specifications, and status.
- • Plan and direct research, development, testing, or production activities.
- • Prepare project proposals, work plans, milestones, and timelines.
- • Design or coordinate phases of problem analysis, solution development, experimentation, and validation.
- • Review project progress and prepare or approve research, testing, and operational reports.
- • Hire, mentor, supervise, and evaluate scientists, technicians, and support staff.
- • Translate strategic objectives into scientific or technical goals and detailed execution plans.
- • Develop and enforce policies, standards, SOPs, and QA/QC practices to ensure regulatory compliance and efficiency.
- • Assess, adopt, and implement innovative technologies; train teams on new methods and tools.
- • Oversee stewardship of laboratories, field sites, and biological or environmental resources, as applicable.
- • Conduct independent research within area of expertise when needed.
- • Recruit, develop, and maintain staff competencies and training records.
- • Advise on intellectual property; coordinate patent disclosures and compliance with legal requirements.
- • Prepare and manage budgets; approve expenditures and produce financial reports.
- • Present results at professional meetings and to internal leadership.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
