Explore Research Director Jobs

Research Directors set the vision and direction for research programs, translating complex questions into actionable insights and discoveries. They lead teams, shape strategy, manage budgets, and communicate findings to executives, clients, policymakers, or scientific communities. Browse vetted Research Director opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.

What Does a Research Director Do?

Responsibilities vary by organization and field, but often include defining research priorities, designing studies or methodologies, overseeing data collection and analysis, ensuring quality and ethical standards, and presenting results to decision-makers. Research Directors may lead academic, clinical, market, user, policy, or product research.

Skills and Qualifications

Employers commonly seek substantial research experience, proven people leadership, strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to connect evidence to organizational goals. Roles may require an advanced degree or specialized expertise, depending on the discipline. Familiarity with research methods, data tools, compliance requirements, and budget management can also be valuable.

Research Director Career Opportunities

Research Director roles are available across sectors such as technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, consulting, government, and higher education. Job titles and scope differ by employer: some positions focus on building research strategy and teams, while others emphasize a particular subject area, product portfolio, or methodology.

Find Your Next Research Director Role

Use Ladders to discover vetted, high-paying Research Director jobs and explore opportunities that align with your experience and career goals. Review each listing for its responsibilities, qualifications, compensation details, and work arrangement.

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$110K - $130K *

Accelerate progress at strategic customer accounts by driving revenue growth and retention. Build senior relationships, manage account strategies, and ensure customer satisfaction while collaborating...

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Champion customer relationships and drive revenue growth by managing a portfolio of strategic accounts. Leverage your expertise to enhance customer satisfaction and retention while collaborating with...

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Empower your career by driving revenue growth and retention for strategic accounts. Build strong relationships, lead sales initiatives, and collaborate across teams to enhance customer satisfaction an...

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$183K - $225K *

Elevate your career by leading the benefits strategy and operations for a dynamic organization. This role combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, ensuring a high-performing workplace throug...

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$90K - $150K *

Transform client experiences by partnering with product and research leaders, translating insights from data into impactful business decisions that drive growth and engagement in a fast-paced, innovat...

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's dedicated to transforming customer insights into strategic decisions. Collaborate with product, research, and marketing leaders to drive actionable results, enhance client relations...

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$130K - $155K *

Grow your career with a hands-on role in data science by driving content performance analytics, mentoring junior analysts, and deploying advanced modeling techniques to predict audience behaviors and...

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$160K - $200K *

Join a dynamic team to shape enterprise strategy and drive innovation. Collaborate with senior leaders to translate strategic goals into actionable plans, enhance execution discipline, and lead the de...

Toronto, ONIn-Person

3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$165K - $175K *

Empower progress at the forefront of data product management, leading the development of innovative solutions. Drive product success through strategic oversight, client engagement, and cross-functiona...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$125K - $150K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of audience analytics by leading a multidisciplinary group to develop strategies, predictive models, and insights that enhance marketing performance and guest exp...

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$160K - $200K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of public relations, leading a dynamic team while shaping agency growth. Be a trusted strategist for top-tier clients and instill best practices for excellence in...

Reposted yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$125K - $150K *

Shape the future of bioanalytical science by leading Ligand Binding Assay teams, driving innovation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and fostering collaboration across multiple sites to enhance drug d...

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$73K - $121K *

Manage complex investigations for product quality issues, ensuring timely root cause analysis and compliance with established procedures. Collaborate with teams to implement corrective actions and mai...

Toronto, ONIn-Person

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$95K - $115K *

Lead the development and execution of budget strategies, providing expert analysis and recommendations to senior leadership. Collaborate with DoD agencies to ensure effective resource management and s...

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$76K - $119K *

Join a team that's redefining economics research through collaboration and innovation. Contribute your statistical expertise to interdisciplinary projects, lead data analysis, and mentor emerging rese...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$60K - $140K *

Lead the charge in optimizing content deployment across diverse media channels, ensuring strategic alignment and performance-driven results. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance creative...

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$100K - $120K *

Shape the future of legal services by providing comprehensive support for contracts in diverse sectors. Collaborate cross-departmentally to enhance risk management and compliance, ensuring clarity and...

1 month ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$80K - $95K *

Contribute to cutting-edge research initiatives by coordinating projects, managing lab facilities and overseeing production timelines to ensure project success within a dynamic team environment at a l...

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$85K - $105K *

Optimize media strategies by leveraging data insights and analytics. Collaborate with clients and teams to enhance campaign performance across digital platforms, ensuring alignment with business objec...

Toronto, ONIn-Person

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Media

$80K - $95K *

Lead the charge in managing environmental and regulatory projects, ensuring compliance and client satisfaction while overseeing budgets, schedules, and multidisciplinary teams from proposal to complet...

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$72K - $102K *

Join our team to enhance operational efficiency through project management, Salesforce support, and talent development. Collaborate across functions to drive strategic initiatives and foster a culture...

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$115K - $150K *

Innovate your career with a strategic role focused on omnichannel marketing. Lead data-driven insights and creative recommendations for a top financial services brand, collaborating across teams to en...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Lead the charge in defining brand narratives and content strategies for two innovative platforms, directly shaping marketing efforts and pipeline building, while overseeing creator partnerships and co...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$130K - $150K *

Join a dynamic team as a Sales Director, leading sales initiatives, enhancing physician partnerships, and driving business growth through strategic leadership and high-performance coaching...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$90K - $95K *

Deliver innovative leadership in advising technology to enhance student success, retention, and graduation rates through strategic data utilization and collaborative partnerships across campus...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Research Director do?question toggle

    A Research Director leads research strategy and execution. Typical duties include setting priorities, overseeing teams and studies, managing budgets, maintaining research quality, and communicating findings to stakeholders.

  • What qualifications are needed for Research Director jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary by field, but employers often look for extensive research experience, leadership ability, strong analytical and communication skills, and expertise in relevant methods or subject matter. Some roles require an advanced degree.

  • What industries hire Research Directors?question toggle

    Research Directors work in industries including technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, consulting, government, and higher education, as well as other organizations that rely on research and evidence-based decisions.

  • How much do Research Director jobs pay?question toggle

    Compensation varies based on industry, location, experience, and role scope. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more; check individual listings for available compensation information.

  • How can I find Research Director jobs paying $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Browse Research Director listings on Ladders and review each opportunity's compensation, responsibilities, qualifications, and work arrangement to identify roles that match your goals.