Manager, Research and Development

Durham College•Oshawa, ON

8d•CA$98,395 - CA$122,994•Onsite

About The Position

The Durham College Mixed Reality Capture Studio (MRC Studio), an Applied Research Centre focused on Immersive Technologies, was launched in 2020 to offer industry partners access to applied research and development services, including technical expertise in immersive technologies, state-of-the-art facilities and platforms, and student talent. Located at the Oshawa Campus, the MRC Studio is a designated Technology Access Centre (TAC) that collaborates with industry clients to deliver innovative simulation and training solutions that increase their company’s productivity and growth. Projects include producing and testing prototypes, evaluating new technologies, developing new or improved products or processes, providing business and technical services, and offering corporate training, particularly for small- and medium-sized businesses, non-profits and government organizations. Funded by provincial and federal government grants, all projects are intended to assist clients in product development, technology adoption, expansion into new markets, and commercialization of new products, services and processes. The Manager, Research and Development, MRC Studio is responsible for developing, managing and delivering applied research projects, selling and delivering business and technical services, and developing enterprise training opportunities. Reporting to the Senior Manager, MRC Studio and working with other researchers, principal investigators and faculty members, the Manager, Research and Development is responsible for overseeing all the projects at MRC Studio, including supervising principal investigators, troubleshooting the projects as challenges arise, and managing the timelines, deliverables and project budgets. The incumbent assists the Senior Manager in monitoring and achieving key metrics as required by the college and external funders. As a TAC, federal funding is renewable every five years, based on performance. The incumbent assists the Senior Manager in achieving TAC performance deliverables and co-leads the highly competitive five-year renewal application process.

Requirements

Master’s degree required (preference for Digital Media, Animation, Immersive Design/Experiences or related field)
Minimum 5 years of relevant industry experience in digital media and related technologies
Strong project and program management experience (including development and execution)
Proven business development experience, including partnership building and revenue generation
Experience with research program design, methodologies, and applied research execution
Knowledge of research funding landscape, grant writing, and proposal development
Experience with financial management, budgeting, and reporting
Understanding of intellectual property, commercialization, and contract negotiation
Familiarity with Canadian research ecosystem, including funding agencies and regulations (e.g., ethics, RCR, data management)
Strong stakeholder management experience across academia, industry, and government
Solid business acumen, including business model development and market awareness
Advanced proficiency in Unity and Unreal Engine for the development of interactive real-time applications, immersive experiences, and virtual production.
Experience with virtual production workflows, real-time graphics, motion capture systems, camera tracking, and LED volume technologies.

Responsibilities

Responsible and accountable for the oversight of all the Research and Development (R&D) projects, Business and Technical (B&T) services, and enterprise training, including their scoping, assigning the right qualified team, executing, ensuring successful delivery and managing performance of principal investigators.
Lead, guide and oversee the research teams to ensure all initiatives are conceived, developed, funded, and executed according to best practices, funder requirements, and college policies.
Monitor and track the progress of the R&D projects and B&T services with a focus on key metrics of the overall program.
Prepare regular project success reports for the senior management and identify areas of gap in the skills and infrastructure required in the MRC Studio for the successful delivery of the program.
Enhance the reputation of the MRC Studio by cultivating strategic relationships amongst the research teams and maintaining close contact with researchers.
Support the Senior Manager in the operation, maintenance, and advancement of virtual production and immersive technology infrastructure, ensuring systems remain aligned with research, industry, and educational objectives.
Seek opportunities for collaborative research with other colleges, universities, and research-focused organizations.
Identify risks and opportunities in industry-led research collaborations to avoid conflict and advance ORSIE’s interests.
Problem solving challenges in different collaborations with stakeholders.
Produce reports, presentations and success stories to summarize and present research results and recommendations to the MRC Studio team, clients, stakeholders and partners.
Plan and participate in TechTalks to showcase research results to diverse audiences. Present research results at national conferences to boost research profile.
Manage project execution and quality control from development to final delivery of every project undertaken by the MRC Studio
Ensure that all projects, processes, and other activities are in compliance with regulatory and financial requirements, including approval processes, ethics, data management, and health and safety.
Ensure the quality and consistency of applied research initiatives by developing, implementing, and monitoring sound processes and practices
Ensure proper documentation practices for all research activities.
In collaboration with the principal investigators, prepare project scoping documents and workplans for every project undertaken by the MRC Studio to ensure efficient teamwork and positive client relations.
Maintain expertise in Unity and Unreal Engine to guide technical strategy, evaluate implementation approaches, and ensure realistic project scope, timelines, and deliverables across multidisciplinary teams.
Hire and manage principal investigators and other researchers and assign work, allocate resources, and optimize research team performance and professional capacity, with a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion principles.
Manage each project budget and related resources in accordance with college policy and external funder requirements. Ensure financial controls are in place in the project cycle and are observed to ensure that all expenditures are appropriate and within budget.
Develop and monitor budgets for projects and equipment in the MRC Studio.
Develop proposals for individual projects that clearly identifies client requirements and plan to achieve outcomes within budget and timelines (up to $450K over three years per project).