Research and development (R&D) managers
Managers in this unit group plan, organise, co-ordinate and manage resources to undertake the systematic investigation necessary for the development of new, or to enhance the performance of existing, products and services.
Task Bundle Breakdown
How AI interacts with this occupation's task bundle
Task-by-Task Breakdown
Every task scored individually — sorted highest to lowest AI exposure
develops research methodology, implements and reports upon research investigations undertaken
AI tools such as Elicit, Consensus, or ChatGPT can accelerate literature reviews, suggest methodological frameworks, and help draft research reports, though experimental design and interpretation still require expert human oversight.
plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities to the research and development team
AI-powered project management tools like Microsoft Copilot in Project or Asana AI can optimise scheduling and task allocation based on team capacity and deadlines, but nuanced delegation based on individual strengths remains a human skill.
establishes product design and performance objectives in consultation with other business functions
AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can synthesise market data and technical benchmarks to inform objective-setting, but cross-functional negotiation and strategic alignment require human judgment and relationship management.
monitors the standards of scientific and technical research undertaken by the research team
AI can flag anomalies in research data, check statistical validity, and compare outputs against benchmarks, but evaluating scientific rigour, novelty, and team performance requires experienced human judgment.
liaises with production departments to investigate and resolve manufacturing problems
AI can assist with analysing production data or fault logs to identify patterns, but resolving manufacturing problems requires physical inspection, cross-team communication, and contextual engineering judgment.
ROI Calculator
Research and development (R&D) managers
This is not a pay rise — it's 594 hours of productive capacity that AI could return to you, valued at your current rate.
The portion of your current salary tied to tasks AI can automate or augment. Not a prediction of job loss — a signal of where your role is changing fastest.
How is this calculated?▾
Task weights — each task is weighted by its O*NET frequency rating. Where frequency data is absent, equal weighting is applied.
AI time reduction — tasks scored as "AI Automates" assume 80% time saving; "AI Assists" assumes 40%; "Human-Led" assumes 5%.
Salary equivalent — annual hours saved × (salary ÷ 1,800 working hours/year).
Value at risk — salary × share of role time in AI-automate or AI-assist tasks.
Figures are indicative estimates for planning purposes, not guarantees of productivity gain or job loss risk.