Chief Specialist – Research & Development | UAE Nationals Only

Roads and Transport Authority; Dubai; On-site; AED 240,000 - 480,000; Full time

Job summary

Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai seeks a senior research governance leader to steward policies, partnerships, programs and IP enablement in alignment with RTA strategy. You will steer R&D centers, awards, and proof-of-concepts, delivering high-quality studies and outcomes.

The role focuses on governance of centers, annual plans, KPIs, and collaboration with universities, while guiding IP protection and publication workflows to advance RTA objectives.

Qualifications

• Experience – 9+ years with a master’s degree (11+ years with a bachelor’s).
• Certifications – Preferred: PMP/PRINCE2 (or equivalent), research ethics (e.g., CITI).

Responsibilities

• Develop and update research policies, processes, systems and KPIs aligned with strategy.
• Govern publishing frameworks, authorship rules and review cycles for outputs.
• Establish governance for R&D centers and IP clauses.
• Define PoC governance with criteria and reporting cadence.
• Oversee research awards framework, rubrics and submission quality.
• Plan strategic research partnerships with universities and centers.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

Research governance

Education

Master's degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

IP management

Policy drafting tools

Job description

Lead research governance, partnerships, programs, and IP enablement; steer R&D centers, awards, and proof-of-concepts; and deliver high-quality studies and outcomes aligned with RTA strategy and future directions.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop and update Authority research and studies policies, processes, systems, annual plans and KPIs, aligning them with RTA strategy and standards.
• Promote a research culture and define publishing frameworks, authorship rules, and review cycles for Authority research outputs.
• Establish governance for R&D centers, aligning portfolios, KPIs, and annual plans with future directions and sector needs.
• Define proof-of-concept governance with selection criteria, test protocols, evaluation gates, and reporting cadence.
• Direct the RTA Scientific Research Award framework, rubrics, calendar, and improvement actions to raise submission quality.
• Plan strategic research partnerships with universities and centers, defining scopes, benefits, IP clauses, and performance indicators.

Operations

• Supervise corporate research projects from concept to delivery, meeting scope, schedule, budget, and quality gates.
• Coordinate research initiatives with Dubai Future Foundation and integrate deliverables into departmental plans.
• Govern the central database for research outputs; enforce data standards, metadata, access controls, and publication workflows.
• Prepare policy/strategy documentation, leadership presentations, and periodic reports on research indicators, initiatives, risks, and corrective actions.
• Scout internal researchers, deliver awareness programs, and mentor early-career researchers to strengthen the pipeline.
• Provide linkages to legal and IP experts; guide researchers to register and protect IP per approved procedures.
• Draft and review MoUs and collaboration agreements; monitor partner obligations, deliverables, and realized benefits.

Product/Process Improvement

• Review research and PoC outcomes; mandate adoption, iteration, or closure; capture lessons and reusable methods.
• Review and develop R&D sources, frameworks, and tools; enhance researcher toolkits, templates, and guidance to improve collaboration and study quality.
• Analyze performance trends; recommend corrective actions; and update research policies, processes, frameworks and KPIs.

Job Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience – 9+ years in case of master’s degree (11+ years in case of Bachelor’s degree)
• Certifications – Preferred: PMP/PRINCE2 (or equivalent), research ethics (e.g., CITI)