Home Research and Development Manager Resume template
Research and Development Manager resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what research and development managers actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most research and development managers should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Research and Development Manager with a strong background in leading scientific and engineering teams to deliver commercial outcomes. Skilled at setting research priorities, managing budgets and timelines, and ensuring compliance with Australian regulatory and safety standards. Experienced in bridging the gap between laboratory research and market-ready products.
Key skills
- Project management
- Strategy development
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Process improvement
- Risk and internal controls
- Jira
- Microsoft Project
- Benchling
- Python
- SAP
- People leadership
- Stakeholder management
Experience: example bullet points
- Directed a portfolio of research and development projects across scientific and engineering teams, aligning priorities with business goals and delivering three new products to market within two years.
- Managed research budgets and timelines, reallocating resources to accelerate high-priority programs and reducing average project turnaround from 18 months to 12.
- Led and mentored a team of 15 scientists, engineers and technicians, improving performance through regular feedback and development plans.
- Assessed feasibility, cost and commercial potential of new technologies, recommending two for development and discontinuing one that did not meet strategic criteria.
- Ensured all research activities complied with Work Health and Safety legislation, ethics approvals and relevant industry standards, maintaining a record of zero regulatory breaches.
- Implemented Jira and Microsoft Project to track project milestones and resource allocation, increasing on-time delivery across the R&D portfolio.
Education
Bachelor degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline, often followed by a postgraduate qualification such as a Master's or PhD. Many R&D managers also hold project management certifications (e.g., PMP) or specialised training in research commercialisation.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- R&D management
- project management
- stage-gate process
- Jira
- Microsoft Project
- Benchling
- Python
- SAP
- budgeting
- forecasting
- risk management
- WHS compliance
- ethics approval
- commercial feasibility
- stakeholder management
- people leadership
- ISO 9001
- GLP
- TGA
- R&D Tax Incentive
- Australian Research Council
- NHMRC
- CSIRO
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.