Here's how you can showcase your past R&D projects during an interview.

My main recommendation when dealing with R&D projects is to focus on the value the system or process to be developed will bring for the customers/users. There are normally many possible design options: the key aspect to select the most promising is to compare such options on different KPIs (cost, impact, reliability, usability, compliance to applicable standards/norms...), because one of main reasons for the failure of R&D initiatives is the lack of a comprehensive and quantitative analysis in the early/exploratory phase. Another relevant point is to define clear and testable requirements, as another reason of failure for R&D initiatives is a lacking/incomplete vision of *what* must be developed and *how* that must be done.

The examples used should align to outcomes that demonstrate characteristics of the candidate. Don't be afraid to compare technology from different industries if the core development journey or message is common.

In my past R&D projects, I tackled challenges by focusing on clear problem statements. For example, I led a project developing a novel drug delivery system using advanced polymer science. This innovation reduced patient treatment costs by 30% through improved drug stability and targeted delivery. These experiences taught me the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and iterative experimentation, preparing me to bring innovative solutions to your team.

Showcase is Branding yourself to Market your skills: 1) Check: Forbes 10 points for self branding. 2) Prepare Case studies on what's your Unique contribution for success or what was the key learning if there was a roadblock and how u solved it. 3) Before going for the interview link your case studies to core values of the company or its mission statement from their website. 4) Keep it simple and short whenever giving an example. Prepare the examples with links to market intelligence. 5) Don't overreach if you don't know something say minimum & ask questions to understand what's being asked. 6) If you are looking for a project in your own company talk to the project team & get to know them, ask for tips. Always helpful to know your peers

Story telling is the key in any interview and the way we align our past experience to the role applying for decides how effectively am I able to communicate what knowledge/experience I bring. I try relating my R&D exp with the present need in the industry/job role. This not only helps communicating what I bring but also shows my know how of the current state of the industry/state of art! Articulation is important and in a way that it shows impact. Putting facts and numbers helps, putting broader goals and aims also help, putting prior tech skills also helps, but the most important is how I knit the story to leverage my skills and know how to show that I am the best fit for the job!

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." — Leonardo da Vinci Focus on simplifying complexities. Translate technical jargon into clear, relatable terms that highlight the core achievements and impact of your work. Consider a project at Google X, like the development of the self-driving car. Instead of diving into the technical specifics, explain how the project aimed to reduce traffic accidents and enhance mobility. Highlight key milestones, such as achieving safe autonomous navigation in urban environments, and emphasise the broader societal benefits.

When discussing my R&D projects, I focus on simplifying complex ideas without losing their essence. For instance, in developing an algorithm to optimize clinical trial protocols, I emphasized improving trial efficiency and integrating diverse data sources to overcome challenges. This approach not only showcases my problem-solving skills but also demonstrates my ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and effectively.

Mi opinión es que no sólo en los proyectos de investigación y desarrollo, si no en cualquier proyecto que llevemos a cabo, hay que trabajar en simplificar las complejidades: 1) ir deshilachando el proyecto en distintas fases, de menor a mayor complejidad. 2)trabajar siempre en mini-proyectos con responsables y plazos definidos. Todo simplificado

One thing I have found helpful to simplify complex R & D research is to talk to someone with no experience in your field, like your partner, which will force you think outside the usual technical jargon to put your research into terms the average person can relate to. Make sure to tell them to ask question about how well you are simplifying it, as it takes practise to get right! But remember one of your interviewers is likely knowledgeable in your field, so strive to balance showing technical depth with easy to relate to applications and reasons for your research.

Research and development work can be intricate, but the key to discussing it in interviews is to simplify. You need to explain your projects in a way that is understandable without diluting the sophistication of your work. Focus on the objectives, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. This approach demonstrates your problem-solving skills and your ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity, which are invaluable assets in any research and development role.

In the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting the outcomes and impacts of R&D projects is even more crucial due to the high stakes and substantial investments involved. Discussing about how you have contributed in the new drug development process, improved drug formulations, production cost reductions, accelerated the drug development time while ensuring compliance with industry standards by navigating regulatory challenges. By focusing on these areas, you can clearly demonstrate how your R&D efforts contribute to the pharmaceutical company's success and, most importantly, to better patient outcomes.

Highlighting tangible outcomes is crucial when discussing R&D projects, as it demonstrates the concrete impact of your work. For instance, in a project I led on developing a new drug delivery system, we achieved a 30% increase in treatment efficacy, significantly improving patient compliance and reducing side effects. These measurable results not only showcase innovation but also underscore your ability to deliver real benefits. However, it's important to balance this focus with an appreciation for scientific discoveries and theoretical advances that may not yield immediate economic outcomes but are essential for future breakthroughs and sustainable R&D progress.

This is very important. Discussing development from conception to the production line tells an employer that you pay attention to not just your day to day responsibilities, but also the life cycle of the components from development phase to the final push to production. This type of knowledge is irreplaceable in the manufacturing industry.

This may not always be necessary. But you should be ready because it's very likely that you are asked what was the impact of so much work that you have done! But what is necessary is that you know how your work relates to the overall aim/objective of the company. The vision and mission that the research was trying to achieve. Again not in terms of one's domain language, but in the language of the larger audience, the corporate world, the industry you are trying to be in.

When discussing your research and development projects, always highlight the results. What was the impact of your project? Did it lead to a new product, process improvement, or significant cost savings? Highlighting the outcomes of your work shows that you are not just an innovator, but also someone who delivers tangible benefits to your employer. Be sure to articulate the value of your projects, as this can be a compelling way to demonstrate your potential contribution to the company.

Highlighting collaboration in R&D is crucial as it underscores teamwork and your ability to work effectively in a team environment. For example, I was part of a cross-functional team that united experts in biology, chemistry, and engineering to develop a new diagnostic tool. This experience allowed me to coordinate team efforts, integrate diverse perspectives, and ensure seamless communication throughout the project. Emphasizing such collaborative experiences demonstrates not only your teamwork skills but also your capacity to manage cross-functional relationships and leverage diverse expertise toward achieving shared objectives in R&D settings.

R&D is often a collaborative effort, so be ready to discuss how you have worked with others. For instance, I was part of a cross-functional team that brought together experts in biology, chemistry, and engineering to develop a new diagnostic tool. This showcases that you understand the importance of interdisciplinary nature of any project. I can share how my role involved coordinating the team, integrating different perspectives, and ensuring smooth communication. Discussing such experiences showcases your ability to work in a team, manage cross-functional relationships, and leverage diverse skills to achieve common goals. It demonstrates that you value teamwork and are a versatile team player, which is crucial in any R&D environment.

Embora o trabalho em equipe seja essencial em P&D, sua valoriza??o excessiva pode desvalorizar a independência intelectual e a originalidade. A inova??o muitas vezes vem de ideias individuais disruptivas que podem ser suprimidas em dinamicas de grupo. Além disso, focar exclusivamente no trabalho em equipe pode levar à conformidade de pensamento e à dilui??o da responsabilidade individual. é crucial equilibrar colabora??o com espa?o para pensamento independente, garantindo que todas as formas de contribui??o sejam valorizadas para promover verdadeira inova??o e avan?o científico.

Definir con la metáfora de deporte en equipo es sumamente afortunado. La investigación, contrario al arte, es un espacio colaborativo que obliga a la comparación y a la suma de talentos. Desde la complejidad que a?aden los diferentes campos de formación y hasta la posibilidad de que alguien más se?ale que se está haciendo algo ya hecho o concluyendo lo obvio, no se puede limitar a la visión a la experiencia personal la técnica o la ciencia.

Gerade standortübergreifende Aktivit?ten sollte man betonen, da sie gleich mehrere Aspekte zeigen. Zusammenarbeit generell, aber auch Anpassungsf?higkeit an andere Kulturen und sprachliche Kompetenzen, an Bedürfnisse von Produktionsstandorten und Entwicklungsstandorten, Zusammenarbeit auf unterschiedlichen Ebenen und mit Menschen mit verschiedenen Kompetenzen, Stichwort Anlagenfahrer, Schichtführer, Techniker und Ingenieur sowie promovierte Mitarbeiter, Abteilungsleiter und einfache Mitarbeiter… Erfolgreiche Projekte zeigen, dass man auch andere Themen zielgruppengerecht aufarbeiten kann.

In R&D, adaptability is key as projects often evolve with new findings or market shifts. For instance, in a diagnostic assay project, we encountered sensitivity issues early on. I led the team in adopting novel amplification techniques that improved sensitivity while maintaining specificity. This adaptation ensured we met project goals amidst changing requirements, showcasing my ability to thrive in dynamic R&D environments.

In a R&D project, as a researcher, I felt like the glue that held the ship together, with questions from the engineers about the direction of the project when things went wrong (that you necessarily do not know how to answer, as everything has NEVER been done before), from your colleagues about your side of the project. There are moments where everything goes wrong and you have to restart... Even right at the end of a project, something could go wrong, but you learn from it, and even if you have to lose a few days of sleep so that you can keep the project running on time, then you do it. At the end of the day, seeing the project running smoothly is the most rewarding thing of all

To be successful in R&D adaptability is extremely crucial. I cannot think of one project or product I have worked on that has gone exactly according to the plan laid out in the first milestone/stage gate. A big problem with this is the end users themselves sometimes don't know what they are looking for, and this is something you find out during the testing process. Specifically I once worked on a project and shortly before launch we realized the end user was actually going to complain about the plastic use vs the problem the product was going to solve. This lead to the NPD project turning into a sustainability project as well.

Adaptability in R&D is not just about reacting to change but proactively embracing it as an opportunity for growth and advancement. It enables researchers to navigate uncertainties, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and ultimately drive meaningful progress in their fields.

During an interview, it's crucial to discuss the research projects you've contributed to and quantify your impact with clear metrics. Equally important is to narrate the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Use numbers and results to prove your impact. Adaptability is key, as it shows you can think on your feet and find solutions – skills that are essential for navigating a dynamic R&D environment. Remember, it's not just about what you did, but how you did it.

Reflection in R&D is more than just looking back—it’s a deliberate practice that promotes learning, adaptation, collaboration, and innovation. By integrating reflection into their workflows and processes, researchers can cultivate an environment conducive to growth and drive meaningful advancements in their fields.

Ao longo da minha carreira, envolvi-me em diversos projetos de P&D que foram cruciais para meu crescimento profissional. Em um projeto, foquei na melhoria do processo de produ??o de tintas arquitet?nicas, utilizando ferramentas da qualidade como o Six Sigma para aumentar a eficiência e reduzir custos. Esse trabalho destacou a importancia da colabora??o e da comunica??o eficazes em equipes multifuncionais. Desenvolver uma linha de tintas com baixo teor de compostos organicos voláteis (VOC) me preparou para antecipar e responder proativamente às mudan?as do mercado. Esses projetos ampliaram minhas habilidades técnicas e gerenciais, refor?ando meu compromisso com o aprendizado contínuo e a inova??o, essenciais para o sucesso em P&D.

Reflecting on the past R&D projects offers a valuable perspective on your professional growth. Managing several projects adds to your ability to guide and motivate teams, manage timelines, and ensure successful outcomes. Staying updated with the latest trends and technologies is also crucial for driving innovation in your projects.These experiences collectively demonstrate significant professional growth, shaping you into a well-rounded researcher and leader in your chosen field

Refletir sobre projetos anteriores para crescimento profissional em P&D é útil, mas requer uma abordagem equilibrada. Embora aprender com experiências passadas seja valioso, a P&D é dinamica e desafia constantemente novos limites. Focar apenas em projetos anteriores pode limitar a adapta??o a novos desafios e tecnologias emergentes. é crucial também promover uma cultura de aprendizado contínuo e experimenta??o ativa, além de valorizar a capacidade de inova??o e resolu??o de problemas em tempo real. Essa abordagem holística prepara melhor os profissionais de P&D para enfrentar desafios complexos e contribuir significativamente para avan?os científicos e tecnológicos.

While it is reasonable to assume the job description accurately reflects the skill set sought after, this is not always the case, particularly for newly created roles. Ask what motivated the employer to create it and what the role is expected to accomplish. I have seen employers craft roles without a proper understanding of the problem they are trying to solve for, and seek for the wrong skill set. By probing, you may have an opportunity to show you are the right candidate, even if the description doesn’t match your profile.

Am Ende ist es immer wichtig, passend zum Gegenüber im Vorstellungsgespr?ch die Beispiele an das Gesch?ft, für das man sich bewirbt, anzupassen, sprich die Transferleistung zu machen und nicht nur erwarten, dass dies vom Gegenüber gemacht wird. Das funktioniert je nachdem wie weit die neue Stelle entfernt ist nicht oder nur sehr schlecht, wenn man aus Nischenm?rkten kommt.

I think when you present the history of your previous R&D projects, it's extremely important to show that how much you can solve the problems by your own. Personal capacities must be shown clearly, and people should believe that you are able to develop something new without excuse. You should show that you can analyse the barriers and overcome the problems. You should show that your success in past projects was not due to chance or accident and this success can be repeated again and again.