Director Research and Development
Salary surveys & compensation benchmarks
3 compensation survey reports publish salary benchmarks for Director Research and Development. Compare what each vendor covers and pick the right one for your organization.
Role summary
Manages, directs, or supervises staff responsible for conducting scientific research and development activities to support the creation of new products, product enhancements, technologies, or related services that enable the company to compete effectively in its markets. Oversees the planning, execution, and evaluation of research projects and ensures scientific work aligns with the company’s technology strategy, product development objectives, and long-term innovation goals. Works closely with product development, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and market research leadership to identify customer needs and translate research findings into commercially viable products and processes. May coordinate research programs with universities, external laboratories, and other research institutions to evaluate emerging technologies and scientific advancements. Responsible for allocating resources, monitoring research progress, and ensuring projects meet technical, financial, and timeline objectives. Depending on level, may oversee research laboratories or specialized research teams and contribute to capital investment decisions related to research infrastructure and capabilities. Typically requires an advanced degree in a relevant scientific discipline and significant experience in research and development leadership.
Job summary sourced from the Empsight benchmark job library.
Reports covering Director Research and Development
Director Research and Development salary survey FAQ
- Which compensation surveys cover Director Research and Development pay?
- 3 surveys publish Director Research and Development benchmarks, including data from Empsight. The full list is on this page; click into any one for scope, methodology, and pricing.
- How does Director Research and Development pay vary by industry and geography?
- Compensation for Director Research and Development varies by industry, region, company size, and revenue. Most surveys above publish cuts on those dimensions. Industry-specific surveys (healthcare, tech, financial services, etc.) typically report meaningfully different ranges than cross-industry surveys for the same role.
- What is the typical salary range for Director Research and Development?
- CompShop is a directory of compensation-survey publishers, not a salary aggregator. Actual Director Research and Development ranges live in the surveys listed on this page. Most publishers report 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile salary data plus total cash compensation.
- How often should I refresh Director Research and Development pay benchmarks?
- Annually is the standard cadence for primary roles. Survey data older than two years is generally too stale for setting current pay ranges, especially in hot segments. Most publishers above release annual editions; a few offer semi-annual updates for fast-moving markets.