Research director
Research directors are responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of research and development activities in different fields. They lead research teams, oversee research projects and ensure that they progress according to set goals. Research directors cooperate with other departments and stakeholders, and monitor developments in the field. Research directors usually have a strong academic background and experience in research work. Research director jobs can be found in research institutes, universities, companies, organisations and public administration. This profession requires scientific competence, mastery of research methods, supervisory competence, cooperation skills and communication skills.
In research institutes, universities, higher education institutions, companies, organizations, and public administration.
Research directors must have a multifaceted command of both strategic and operational skills that support the management of research and development activities. They must have an in-depth understanding of an organisation's field of research and extensive scientific expertise in order to oversee and evaluate research projects. Strategic thinking is key, as research directors are tasked with planning and implementing research strategies that support an organisation’s long-term goals.
In addition, research directors should have strong leadership skills, as they must be able to inspire and guide research teams towards achieving common goals. Project management skills are important, as research directors must be able to schedule, budget and allocate resources to ensure that projects progress as planned. Research directors must be able to work independently and on their own initiative.
Cooperation and communication skills are essential, as research directors often serve as a point of contact between different departments of an organisation, stakeholders and external partners. Research directors must monitor developments and innovations in the field and be able to adapt the organisation’s research activities to meet new challenges and opportunities.
Reporting the results of research activities requires strong written and oral communication skills. The work may also include making presentations, in which case presentation skills are an advantage. Language skills are a necessity at work, especially a good command of English. You will need information technology skills.
Leadership positions in research can be held with various higher education degrees. The suitable degree depends on the field, position, and area of responsibility. Research roles often require advanced academic degrees, such as licentiate and doctoral degrees in various disciplines. Before pursuing these, a higher university degree must be completed.
Examples of higher university degrees include Master of Social Sciences, Master of Political Science, Master of Philosophy, Master of Economics, Master of Science in Technology, Licentiate of Medicine, Master of Laws, and Master of Health Sciences.
Median salary
7134 €/mo
Private sector
7170 €/mo
Public sector
6576 €/mo
The data is based on the median income, meaning the amount of salary which is the middle of the salary amounts arranged in order of magnitude.
Source: Statistics Finland's structural statistics on wages and salaries