Considering a career in Product R&D?

P&D de Produto é uma área que envolve muito conhecimento acadêmico, prático e criativo, além de uma habilidade interpessoal de empatia, assertividade, flexibilidade e respeito, que é fundamental para permear por todas as áreas envolvidos nos projetos bem como pessoas.

P&D (Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento) é uma área dinamica, para quem gosta de resolu??o de problemas! é um papel que, para ter uma entrega de qualidade, precisa está em contato com diversos setores como Marketing, Inova??o, Controle de Qualidade e outros. Por isso, além da criatividade e do olhar analítico e cuidadoso sobre as tarefas, trabalhar em P&D de produto requer habilidades de comunica??o!

In my opinion, you should always be open to learning from everyone in the multidisciplinary team and improve your skills in a multidisciplinary approach. Be patient for the final objective to be based on your initial hypothesis and be flexible to modify the hypothesis with the results and data with the time spent on the R&D project. Apply knowledge and experience from previous R&D projects to your current work, while constantly seeking new problem-solving perspectives and learning how other R&D teams tackle similar challenges. Keep up to date with similar R&D teams through resources such as manuscripts, patents and social platforms.

In my experience, Product R&D along with innovation, involves reengineering and redesign. Products with not expansion don't do well in the market. Now-a-days, society is following the 3R principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) for almost all the products. Designing a product that has a multipurpose employ are appreciated. So, while designing a new product, we have to keep in mind the current technologies and forecast the future trends and how can this product be of use to us if the current technology becomes obsolete.

A common theme I’ve seen in hiring manager is the sole focus on technical skills for R&D positions. While critical to the job function, many of such are acquired and further fostered by academic and professional experience. A set of overlooked skills are soft skills that are just as important. For one, scientific communication: if the findings and data can’t be communicated effectively, it wouldn’t be fully understood or appreciated. Another is creativity: troubleshooting/ finding answers to complex problems requires thinking outside of the box. Especially in industry, scientists tend to fall into the habit, of unnecessary trial repetition, or implementing the “safer” ideas/changes, hoping for a positive outcome. Think different & invent.

Learn to “speak” other languages such as engineering and process, sales, marketing, chemistry, etc. know the team, how they think, what they do. Traveling to different work groups, and countries can show you how to make your project a true success.

Never underestimate the soft skills. Technical skills come through training and education. Many of the employees in R&D are highly educated, technically minded people. The soft skills are what can make them stand out. The ability to bring in a diverse set of perspectives, realizing you don’t have all the answers even if you are “the expert” on the team, asking questions, requesting feedback, and bringing the team together with transparency and a good attitude go a long way.

R&D in industrial settings rarely happens in isolation, making collaboration and teamwork essential. Successful R&D professionals must be able to work effectively with a diverse range of colleagues, including engineers, marketers, and regulatory experts. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is increasingly important as industries become more integrated and technology-driven. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are crucial for conveying complex ideas clearly and ensuring that all team members are aligned on project goals. Leadership and mentorship also play a significant role in fostering a collaborative and innovative team environment, guiding junior researchers, and driving projects toward successful outcomes.

Pensamento crítico e criativo, colabora??o entre a equipe, bastante conhecimento técnico e de negócio. Precisa ter uma mentalidade de aprendizado contínuo e aceitar desafios constantes.

Manter a evolu??o / melhoria constante do produto por meio de técnicas inovadores para entregar com mais qualidade e em menos tempo. Aplicar conhecimentos e fundamentos da área em uma stack já estabelecida também pode ser um dos desafios. Outro desafio seria propor melhorias na stack, mantendo e/ou melhorando a qualidade nas entregas.

Two of the most significant challenges in R&D involve preventing getting too invested in any single project of your own and deciding when the proper time is to stop working on a project. Getting too invested prevents an objective stance on the project leading to bias. It also takes time to realize that a successful project in R&D is often one that is stopped at the right time as significant challenges are discovered. Those projects can often be put on the shelf to work on later. Resources may be better deployed to lower hanging fruit at the time rather than trying to force too challenging of a project to completion too soon.

Yes it takes all of those skills plus troubleshooting to make the launch happen. Road to success is complex however having the perseverance and learning through experience is rewarding.

A challenge is resource /time allocation to specific projects & knowing when to drop the dead-ended. This requires thorough evaluation of risk vs. reward and effective project management. For resources, many R&D groups tend to struggle where scientists feel overworked, or in other instances, there’s not many projects to keep everyone busy. In companies, scientists usually work on several projects simultaneously, therefore, understanding project magnitudes and department goals helps manage their time effectively. There is always the case when the decision has to be made on dropping certain projects - R&D managers/team members need not to view it as an indication of their performance, as it might be more beneficial to the company overall.

Sem deixar de lado uma parte importante de todo o desenvolvimento que é estar alinhado com a viabilidade, principalmente da parte financeira do projeto.

In addition to technical and project management skills, R&D professionals must possess strong business acumen. Understanding and aligning research activities with the company’s strategic goals is vital, particularly in terms of meeting market needs. This includes the ability to evaluate the potential return on investment (ROI) of R&D projects through cost-benefit analysis, ensuring that resources are allocated to the most promising endeavors. Knowledge of intellectual property management is also important. Familiarity with patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property ensures that innovations are protected and can be commercialized effectively, contributing to the company’s competitive edge.

Aprendizado constante, uso de tecnologias de ponta como inteligência artificial, bots e scripts automa??o. Permite desenvolver-se em tecnologias novas, expandir os horizontes da própria carreira.

Internships are critical for both sides ; the individual to understand if this is something that they want to do and undertake and the company to see if the individual is the right fit. There is a lot of learning that is poured in from the company and tremendous growth can be achieved by the individual doing the internship. We’re trained and hired many individuals this way.

Além da vasta possibilidade dentro das empresas produtivas, temos também as áreas de consultoria de Produto ou Regulatorio, laboratorios, estudos científicos, pesquisas.

A evolu??o diária dos consumidores, clientes e tendências, faz com que a cada dia, exista a necessidade de mais renova??o e mais inova??o, em um espa?o curto de tempo. Estaremos sempre nos movimentando para nos adequar e entregar mais a cada dia, andando lado a lado com as novas inova??es tecnológicas, tendências de mercado e do mundo e de forma sustentável.

A deep understanding of the regulatory landscape is critical, especially in industries like pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. Familiarity with industry-specific regulations and standards is necessary to ensure that new products meet legal and safety requirements. Compliance not only fulfills legal obligations but also safeguards the company’s reputation and prevents costly delays or penalties.

R&D is always exciting! Research and development means moving forward, learning new things, finding new things, developing new things, thinking outside of the box and making something that hasn’t been done before and doing it in a new way or improved way. I am really looking forward to all of the new innovations we will have coupled with AI as a tool. Sky is the limit!