Research and Development Project Manager Jobs
Research and Development Project Manager jobs are open across pharmaceuticals, technology, and manufacturing, covering specializations in product development, clinical R&D, and innovation pipeline management, from project coordinator to senior director level. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 26+ Research and Development Project Manager jobs
Standard Job Description
Advanced Manufacturing Technology is looking for a highly motivated team member to join our staff and help transform Lockheed Martin MFC’s manufacturing and development processes by implementing cutting-edge technology, materials, and process improvements. This role will facilitate that growth and optimization by leading the Orlando Automation and Robotics team within the Advanced Manufacturing Technology organization.
In this role, you will work cross-functionally with the campaigns and technology experts in Advanced Manufacturing Technology to drive the research, development, and deployment of innovative automation solutions—including industrial robots, collaborative robots, vision systems, AI-enabled motion planning, and smart manufacturing cells—to enhance throughput, quality, and safety in missile and fire-control production.
You will lead a team of highly capable manufacturing robotics engineers skilled in automation, robotics, and controls engineering practices. Your team will own development and implementation from start to finish, including automation assessments, automation system design, automation integration and testing, automation pilots, and training and handoff of completed systems. This is a high-visibility role that will span all MFC and Lockheed Martin domains to drive major improvements to our manufacturing processes.
You will manage generic research and/or product development involving multiple engineering disciplines, such as electronics, electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical engineering. You will be responsible for coordinating the recruitment, selection, and training of subordinate employees; performance assessments; work assignments; salary decisions; and recognition and disciplinary actions. You will develop and manage annual budgets for development labor, tooling, and technology investments; track expenditures; and report variances to leadership. You will also manage vendor relationships and oversee contracts for robotic system development.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, industrial, or robotics engineering, or a related field
Experience with industrial and/or collaborative robot platforms (e.g., FANUC, KUKA, and ABB)
Knowledge of vision systems (e.g., Keyence and Cognex), PLCs (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Rockwell, and Siemens), and safety-related controls
Strong written and verbal presentation skills; ability to convey technical concepts to both engineering and leadership audiences
Experience in project management
Experience with earned value principles and budget management
Experience with high-volume production lines
Awareness of Lean Six Sigma principles
Desired Skills
Familiarity with manufacturing execution systems (MES), such as DELMIA Apriso
Experience in robot programming (e.g., KAREL, ROS/ROS 2, and URScript)
Experience in robot simulation (e.g., ROBOGUIDE and Visual Components)
Experience with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, such as Ignition
Prior work on missile, aerospace, or tactical weapon systems
Project management certification (e.g., PMP or Agile Scrum Master) or Six Sigma Green Belt certification
Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $120600.00 - $224000.00
At Lockheed Martin, we know mission success starts with taking care of our people. Our Total Rewards program is designed to attract top talent, support your well-being, and help you grow—both professionally and personally.
The salary range for this position is as listed on the requisition. Please note that the salary information listed is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market(work location) and business considerations when extending an offer.
Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible work arrangements and schedules (e.g., 4x10), 401(k) match, Paid time off, Holidays, Parental Leave, EAP, Flexible Spending Accounts, Education Assistance, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability.
- Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be offered depending on the position. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and can vary from year to year and are tied to a range of performance metrics.
- For (Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.
Standard Job Description
Advanced Manufacturing Technology is looking for a highly motivated team member to join our staff and help transform Lockheed Martin MFC’s manufacturing and development processes by implementing cutting-edge technology, materials, and process improvements. This role will facilitate that growth and optimization by leading the Orlando Automation and Robotics team within the Advanced Manufacturing Technology organization.
In this role, you will work cross-functionally with the campaigns and technology experts in Advanced Manufacturing Technology to drive the research, development, and deployment of innovative automation solutions—including industrial robots, collaborative robots, vision systems, AI-enabled motion planning, and smart manufacturing cells—to enhance throughput, quality, and safety in missile and fire-control production.
You will lead a team of highly capable manufacturing robotics engineers skilled in automation, robotics, and controls engineering practices. Your team will own development and implementation from start to finish, including automation assessments, automation system design, automation integration and testing, automation pilots, and training and handoff of completed systems. This is a high-visibility role that will span all MFC and Lockheed Martin domains to drive major improvements to our manufacturing processes.
You will manage generic research and/or product development involving multiple engineering disciplines, such as electronics, electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical engineering. You will be responsible for coordinating the recruitment, selection, and training of subordinate employees; performance assessments; work assignments; salary decisions; and recognition and disciplinary actions. You will develop and manage annual budgets for development labor, tooling, and technology investments; track expenditures; and report variances to leadership. You will also manage vendor relationships and oversee contracts for robotic system development.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, industrial, or robotics engineering, or a related field
Experience with industrial and/or collaborative robot platforms (e.g., FANUC, KUKA, and ABB)
Knowledge of vision systems (e.g., Keyence and Cognex), PLCs (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Rockwell, and Siemens), and safety-related controls
Strong written and verbal presentation skills; ability to convey technical concepts to both engineering and leadership audiences
Experience in project management
Experience with earned value principles and budget management
Experience with high-volume production lines
Awareness of Lean Six Sigma principles
Desired Skills
Familiarity with manufacturing execution systems (MES), such as DELMIA Apriso
Experience in robot programming (e.g., KAREL, ROS/ROS 2, and URScript)
Experience in robot simulation (e.g., ROBOGUIDE and Visual Components)
Experience with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, such as Ignition
Prior work on missile, aerospace, or tactical weapon systems
Project management certification (e.g., PMP or Agile Scrum Master) or Six Sigma Green Belt certification
Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $120600.00 - $224000.00
At Lockheed Martin, we know mission success starts with taking care of our people. Our Total Rewards program is designed to attract top talent, support your well-being, and help you grow—both professionally and personally.
The salary range for this position is as listed on the requisition. Please note that the salary information listed is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market(work location) and business considerations when extending an offer.
Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible work arrangements and schedules (e.g., 4x10), 401(k) match, Paid time off, Holidays, Parental Leave, EAP, Flexible Spending Accounts, Education Assistance, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability.
- Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be offered depending on the position. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and can vary from year to year and are tied to a range of performance metrics.
- For (Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.
Research and Development Project Manager Jobs by Experience Level
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Find JobsResearch and Development Project Manager Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Investment & Asset Management
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research and development project manager jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a scientific, engineering, or technical discipline
- 5 or more years of project management experience in an R&D or product development environment
- PMP certification or equivalent project management credential
- Proficiency with project management tools such as MS Project, Smartsheet, or Jira
- Experience applying stage-gate or phase-gate development processes
- Familiarity with regulatory or compliance requirements relevant to the industry, such as FDA or ISO standards
Tips for Your Research and Development Project Manager Job Search
Tailor your resume to stage gates
R&D project managers are evaluated on how they move projects through phase gates and milestone reviews. Rewrite your resume bullets to show which stage-gate frameworks you used, how many phases you managed, and what decisions depended on your sign-off.
Highlight cross-functional coordination wins
Hiring managers in R&D roles care most about your ability to align scientists, engineers, regulatory affairs, and finance on a single timeline. Call out specific projects where you held those functions accountable to a shared delivery date without direct authority.
Get your PMP or PRINCE2 before applying
Many R&D project manager postings list PMP or PRINCE2 as a preferred or required credential. If your application is otherwise competitive, earning one before you apply removes a common screening objection and signals you understand structured project governance.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists research and development project manager openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a portfolio of project artifacts
Unlike general project management, R&D roles often ask for work samples in interviews. Have a sanitized project charter, risk register, or stage-gate summary ready to walk through. It demonstrates you can communicate technical complexity to non-technical stakeholders.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
In R&D environments, project scope creep is a known career stressor. When you reach the offer stage, ask how project prioritization decisions are made, who controls resource allocation, and whether the role owns a single program or a rotating portfolio.
Research and Development Project Manager Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most research and development project managers?
The most active employers for research and development project managers right now are CenExel Clinical Research, Lockheed Martin, and Virginia Commonwealth University, and the most openings are in California, New York, and Florida, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Activity shifts frequently as new programs launch, so checking current listings gives you the most accurate picture.
How many research and development project manager jobs are remote?
About 71% of research and development project manager openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though availability varies by industry. Software and technology R&D roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while pharmaceutical, medical device, and laboratory-dependent R&D programs typically require at least partial on-site presence for regulatory and operational reasons.
How do you become a research and development project manager?
Start by building a foundation in a technical field relevant to your target industry, such as life sciences, engineering, or software development, then move into a project coordinator or associate project manager role within an R&D team. Earn a PMP or equivalent credential, learn stage-gate methodology, and take on cross-functional projects that require you to coordinate scientific and business stakeholders simultaneously.
Can you get a research and development project manager job with little experience?
Yes, but you'll need to show technical fluency in the domain alongside any project management exposure you do have. Roles titled R&D project coordinator or associate R&D project manager are realistic entry points. Demonstrating that you understand how R&D workflows differ from general project delivery, such as handling scientific uncertainty, iterative testing, and regulatory checkpoints, helps you stand out even without a long management history.
What does the research and development project manager interview process look like?
Most processes include a recruiter screen, a hiring manager interview focused on your technical background and project delivery experience, and a panel round with cross-functional stakeholders such as scientists, engineers, or regulatory leads. Candidates are frequently asked to walk through a past project end-to-end, explain how they handled scope changes or resource constraints, and describe their approach to keeping technical teams aligned to business timelines.
Where can I find and apply to research and development project manager jobs?
You can find and apply to research and development project manager jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from companies across the United States. Search for roles that match your industry background and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing that fits your experience and goals.
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