Vice President of Research and Development Jobs
Vice President of Research and Development jobs are open across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, technology, and manufacturing, from director-level to C-suite, with specializations in product innovation, clinical research, and engineering R&D. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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The AVP leads the first two of the three stages of ORD’s collaborative proposal development pathway, i.e., 1) Engage and Form – faculty outreach, research ideation, and tiger-team launch; 2) Align and Partner – team finalization and partner development; and 3) Develop to Ready – sustained proposal development support and submission-ready package. The primary responsibility is to support the following:
- Identifying promising ideas and investigators,
- Forming teams, especially Pre-request for Proposals (RFPs)
- Aligning institutional and sponsor priorities, and
- Securing the people and partnerships needed to pursue significant opportunities through building strategic focuses of IU Research’s internal funding programs.
The AVP must work seamlessly and in strong partnership with ORD’s Research Development Services (RDS) unit which focuses on Stage 3 of the pathway) to transition prepared teams to sustained proposal and budget development and also collaboratively works with the Arts and Humanities Research Development unit across the pathway.
Appointment, Work Location, and Return to Faculty
This is an internal search open to all currently tenured associate professors and full professors at any Indiana University campus. The AVP role is a full-time, 12-month administrative appointment. IU has a strong preference for full-time, in-person work in Indianapolis; the role also requires engagement with faculty and leaders on other IU campuses and with external partners.
The administrative appointment is at will and may be ended at any time for any reason by either IU or the appointee, subject to applicable law and university policy. This provision applies to the administrative assignment; the underlying tenured faculty appointment is governed separately. The preferred start date for this position is January 4, 2027 or sooner.
If the appointee returns to a 10-month faculty position, the faculty salary will consist of the 10-month faculty base salary in effect when the appointee began this role, adjusted for any standard annual merit raises applicable to that base during the administrative appointment. The appointment memorandum will document the faculty and administrative components of the 12-month salary and the allocation of subsequent raises. Other provisions of IU policy ACA-08, Faculty Members Holding Administrative Positions, will apply.
Applications received by November 29th, 2026 will receive full consideration. Interested applicants should provide the following: cover letter, and curriculum vitae (CV).
- A current tenured faculty appointment as an associate professor or full professor at Indiana University on any campus.
- Prior successful history external funding and research and team development.
- Demonstrated leadership and sound judgment, with the ability to work effectively with faculty and university leaders across disciplines, units, and campuses.
- A Ph.D. in a STEM or science discipline, including the life and health sciences. However, faculty from all disciplines who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.
- Success obtaining extramural support as a principal investigator or collaborator, or guiding large, multidisciplinary research or creative activity initiatives.
- Experience with faculty mentoring, internal research funding, limited submissions, major sponsor opportunities, or the formation of competitive research teams.
- Experience supervising professionals, leading a research program or center, and building relationships with academic leaders and external partners.
The AVP leads the first two of the three stages of ORD’s collaborative proposal development pathway, i.e., 1) Engage and Form – faculty outreach, research ideation, and tiger-team launch; 2) Align and Partner – team finalization and partner development; and 3) Develop to Ready – sustained proposal development support and submission-ready package. The primary responsibility is to support the following:
- Identifying promising ideas and investigators,
- Forming teams, especially Pre-request for Proposals (RFPs)
- Aligning institutional and sponsor priorities, and
- Securing the people and partnerships needed to pursue significant opportunities through building strategic focuses of IU Research’s internal funding programs.
The AVP must work seamlessly and in strong partnership with ORD’s Research Development Services (RDS) unit which focuses on Stage 3 of the pathway) to transition prepared teams to sustained proposal and budget development and also collaboratively works with the Arts and Humanities Research Development unit across the pathway.
Appointment, Work Location, and Return to Faculty
This is an internal search open to all currently tenured associate professors and full professors at any Indiana University campus. The AVP role is a full-time, 12-month administrative appointment. IU has a strong preference for full-time, in-person work in Indianapolis; the role also requires engagement with faculty and leaders on other IU campuses and with external partners.
The administrative appointment is at will and may be ended at any time for any reason by either IU or the appointee, subject to applicable law and university policy. This provision applies to the administrative assignment; the underlying tenured faculty appointment is governed separately. The preferred start date for this position is January 4, 2027 or sooner.
If the appointee returns to a 10-month faculty position, the faculty salary will consist of the 10-month faculty base salary in effect when the appointee began this role, adjusted for any standard annual merit raises applicable to that base during the administrative appointment. The appointment memorandum will document the faculty and administrative components of the 12-month salary and the allocation of subsequent raises. Other provisions of IU policy ACA-08, Faculty Members Holding Administrative Positions, will apply.
Applications received by November 29th, 2026 will receive full consideration. Interested applicants should provide the following: cover letter, and curriculum vitae (CV).
- A current tenured faculty appointment as an associate professor or full professor at Indiana University on any campus.
- Prior successful history external funding and research and team development.
- Demonstrated leadership and sound judgment, with the ability to work effectively with faculty and university leaders across disciplines, units, and campuses.
- A Ph.D. in a STEM or science discipline, including the life and health sciences. However, faculty from all disciplines who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.
- Success obtaining extramural support as a principal investigator or collaborator, or guiding large, multidisciplinary research or creative activity initiatives.
- Experience with faculty mentoring, internal research funding, limited submissions, major sponsor opportunities, or the formation of competitive research teams.
- Experience supervising professionals, leading a research program or center, and building relationships with academic leaders and external partners.
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Find JobsVice President of Research and Development Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Electronics & Hardware
- Education
- Insurance
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in vice president of research and development jobs.
- Advanced degree in a scientific, engineering, or technical field such as biology, chemistry, or engineering
- 10 or more years of progressive R&D experience with at least five years in a senior leadership role
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams through full product development lifecycles
- Expertise in regulatory frameworks relevant to the industry, such as FDA, ISO, or GCP standards
- Proven ability to manage large R&D budgets and allocate resources across multiple concurrent projects
- Experience building and scaling R&D organizations, including hiring, mentoring, and performance management
Tips for Your Vice President of Research and Development Job Search
Quantify your R&D pipeline impact
Hiring managers for VP-level R&D roles want to see portfolio outcomes, not just oversight. List the number of products you moved from concept to launch, patents filed under your leadership, and the revenue tied to initiatives you directed.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists vice president of research and development openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Tailor your resume to the industry's stage
An early-stage biotech wants a VP who can build an R&D function from scratch. A mature manufacturer wants process discipline and cost containment. Read each listing carefully and lead with the experience that matches where that company is in its lifecycle.
Prepare a cross-functional leadership narrative
VP R&D interviews test how well you align research priorities with commercial, regulatory, and operations teams. Prepare two or three concrete examples where you resolved tension between scientific ambition and business constraints, and name the stakeholders involved.
Target companies at a specific R&D inflection point
Filter openings by company size and funding stage. A Series C biotech hiring its first VP of R&D has very different expectations than a public company backfilling the role. Matching your experience to that inflection point sharpens both your cover letter and your interview answers.
Negotiate scope before you negotiate compensation
At the VP level, reporting structure and budget authority often matter more than base pay. Before accepting an offer, clarify whether you control headcount decisions, own the capital expenditure budget, and have a seat at the executive table for product strategy.
Vice President of Research and Development Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most vice president of research and developments?
JPMorganChase, Harris Computer, and PIMCO are hiring the most vice president of research and developments right now, with openings concentrated in New York, Massachusetts, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Activity tends to cluster in companies expanding their product pipelines or integrating recent acquisitions.
How many vice president of research and development jobs are remote?
About 73% of vice president of research and development openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with remote work most common in software R&D and digital health. Roles tied to laboratory operations, hardware engineering, or regulated manufacturing almost always require on-site presence given the hands-on nature of the work.
How do you become a vice president of research and development?
Most vice presidents of research and development start with an advanced degree in a relevant technical field, then spend a decade or more moving through individual contributor, team lead, and director roles. Building credibility means owning outcomes on complex projects, developing regulatory or compliance fluency for your industry, and demonstrating that you can align a research agenda with business strategy across multiple functions.
Can you get hired as a vice president of research and development without direct VP experience?
Yes, but you need to close the gap with evidence of equivalent scope. Candidates who move up from a senior director role succeed when they can show they already operated at VP scale, meaning budget ownership, executive-level stakeholder management, and decisions that shaped the company's research direction. A strong internal advocate or a company that is building the VP function for the first time improves your odds considerably.
What does the vice president of research and development interview process look like?
The process typically runs four to six rounds and includes an initial screen with a recruiter, a deep-dive with the CEO or chief scientific officer, a panel with cross-functional peers from commercial and operations, and a presentation of your R&D vision or a case study. Final rounds often involve a conversation with the board or an executive committee, particularly at smaller companies where the VP of R&D shapes overall company strategy.
Where can I find and apply to vice president of research and development jobs?
You can find and apply to vice president of research and development jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your industry background and leadership experience, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 47 Vice President of Research and Development Jobs
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