Research Manager Jobs in Virginia
Research Manager jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense and national security contracting, biomedical and life sciences, public policy, and higher education, with openings at every level from early-career research coordinators to senior research directors. The heaviest hiring is in the Northern Virginia corridor, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads area, where major employers such as Leidos, Inova Health System, and George Mason University maintain a lasting presence. The most sought-after specializations include quantitative research methods, program evaluation, and clinical or health services research. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Capital One, a Fortune 500 company and one of the nation’s top 10 banks, offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Our goal is to create one of the nation’s great banks, and we have the necessary ingredients: a strong balance sheet, resilient businesses, a massive customer franchise, strong analytical capabilities, and great people. We nurture a work environment where people with a variety of thoughts, ideas and backgrounds, guided by our shared values, come together to make Capital One a great company – and a great place to work.
Global Enterprise Affairs (GEA) works with many external and internal stakeholders to envision and create a world of greater socioeconomic opportunity through advocating for an inclusive society, building thriving communities, and creating financial tools that enrich lives. Our teams include Communications, Community Impact and Investment, Community Finance, CRA Strategy and Program Management, the Government and Political Affairs Group, Regulatory Relations, and Strategy and Engagement.
Position Summary:
We are looking for a curious and motivated Market Researcher with a proven background in survey research & insights to join the Intelligence team within GEA. The Intelligence team is critical to helping the organization track and understand the external landscape and what drives stakeholder needs and attitudes across a variety of financial services, advocacy, policy and consumer topics, and measuring Capital One’s impact in the communities we serve. As a Senior Manager, Market Research, you will help answer critical business questions through primary research. This includes overseeing the design, execution and data analysis of primary research studies (including externally published research), managing vendor relationships, and translating findings into insights that shape strategic initiatives, communications strategies, and business priorities.
What You’ll Do:
Develop and Deliver Strategic Research
- Design, execute, strategize, and lead the research that enables GEA to make better strategic decisions and stay apprised of external trends and forces impacting our work, running autonomously with guidance from leadership on an as-needed basis.
- Deliver & broadly socialize compelling, narrative-forward research products that drive action to senior leaders across GEA and the enterprise.
- Function as a strategic leader on research design, formulating options and making recommendations
- Engage in overall learning agenda and portfolio prioritization to help set the research strategy and roadmap for the team.
- Focus on strategic thinking outside of project execution by applying insights to business strategy—answering the 'so what' and 'now what'.
- Tie project objectives to larger Line of Business (LOB) goals and proactively craft and socialize proposals regarding topical focus, scope, and work planning.
Lead Research Operations
- Identify, standardize, and scale research operations best practices, specifically with respect to vendor management, external research partnerships, research metrics, and reporting.
- Design, streamline, and automate organization-wide research operational processes to simplify and enable associates and leaders to focus on their work.
- Drive momentum by creating transparency to the overall research & research operations portfolio.
- Create and oversee organizational feedback mechanisms to understand operational process inefficiencies and pain points related to research processes.
- Track effectiveness of operating standards and research management activities, identifying opportunities for increasing awareness and alignment of research in flight.
Collaboration & Connection
- Exceptional writing, communication, and storytelling skills, with the demonstrated ability to translate complex data into accessible, compelling narratives
- Act as the guardian of best practices, driving innovative research design principles across the organization.
- Develop a deep understanding of GEA teams (Regulatory Relations, Global Policy Affairs, Community Finance, Impact & Investment, and Global Enterprise Communications) and their goals & priorities.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with research and strategy teams throughout the enterprise to uncover shared research opportunities and capabilities.
- Actively share subject matter expertise (SME) to build awareness of research design fundamentals and influence beyond the immediate team.
- Mentor and teach junior associates, guiding them in the development of strong, compelling narratives derived from complex data to effectively communicate research insights to stakeholders.
- Lead training initiatives that extend beyond the local team and seize guest speaking opportunities to demonstrate expertise.
- Socialize research broadly, inviting others to the table to benefit from learnings.
- Develop and deploy a communications and education strategy for research governance processes in Global Enterprise Affairs, including tool usage & opportunities to increase the maturity of research communications in partner teams.
This role is designated as a hybrid position. You are expected to adhere to Capital One's hybrid policy regarding required on-site presence at your designated office location.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree or Military Experience
- At least 8 years of experience in data analytics and research roles,
- At least 4 years of project or program management experience,
- Professional experience in public affairs, public policy, or corporate communications research,
- Proven track record of excellence in professional writing and external communication (writing samples may be requested)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in the financial services industry
- Strong problem solving and influencing skills
- Experience managing multiple large portfolios of work
- Deep familiarity working closely with Public Affairs, Strategy, and Risk teams
- Experience with Qualtrics or similar research platforms
- Experience in SQL, Tableau, SPSS or STATA
At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization, or offer any immigration related support for this position (e.g. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-3, and O-1, or any other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).
The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.
McLean, VA: $177,700 - $202,800 for Sr. Manager, Market ResearchRichmond, VA: $161,500 - $184,300 for Sr. Manager, Market Research
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.
This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days. No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City’s Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1-800-304-9102 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@capitalone.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to Careers@capitalone.com
Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.
Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).
See All 19 Research Manager Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Manager JobsResearch Manager Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Manager Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring


What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research manager jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant research field required by most Virginia employers
- Demonstrated experience designing and managing research projects from inception to completion
- Proficiency in statistical analysis software such as SAS, SPSS, R, or Python
- Experience supervising research staff, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, or managing junior analysts
- Familiarity with federal research compliance, IRB protocols, or government contract requirements
- Strong written communication skills for producing research reports, grant applications, or policy briefs
Research Manager Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research manager in Virginia?
Research manager roles in Virginia do not require a state-issued license, but most employers expect a master's degree or higher in a relevant discipline such as public policy, health sciences, social science, or a STEM field. Virginia's large base of federal contractors and research universities means hiring managers also value demonstrated project leadership, familiarity with federal research compliance standards, and experience working within structured research environments typical of government-funded programs.
How much do research managers make in Virginia?
Research managers in Virginia earn a median of about $150,570 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $84,080 for the lowest 10% to over $212,620 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire research managers in Virginia?
Employers hiring research managers in Virginia right now include Capital One, Youth Villages, and Information Technology Senior Management Forum, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's dense concentration of federal agencies and defense contractors in the Northern Virginia area means a significant portion of these openings are tied to government-funded research programs and long-term contract work.
Which Virginia cities have the most research manager jobs?
McLean, Arlington, and Chesterfield have the most research manager openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia cities like Arlington and McLean lead because of the concentration of federal agencies and defense contractors headquartered there, while Richmond draws openings from Virginia Commonwealth University's health and policy research programs, and Hampton Roads benefits from military research institutions and naval facilities driving sustained demand.
Are there remote research manager jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than many comparable management roles, since research managers often work primarily with data, reports, and distributed teams rather than on-site lab or field settings. About 75% of research manager openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting broader flexibility in the field. Roles focused on data analysis, literature synthesis, and program evaluation tend to be the most remote-eligible, while positions requiring direct supervision of laboratory or field research are more likely to require an in-person presence.
How can I get hired as a research manager in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a research coordinator or research analyst position first, then building toward management. Virginia employers such as Inova Health System, MITRE, and Virginia Commonwealth University regularly hire research associates and program analysts who can grow into managerial roles. Graduate assistantships at Virginia's research universities provide structured experience, and earning a project management credential or completing IRB training gives candidates a concrete advantage when applying to supervisory-track openings.
Where can I find and apply to research manager jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to research manager jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings updated in real time. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your background and target industry, and apply directly to each position that fits.
See All 19 Research Manager Jobs in Virginia
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