Research Director, Emerging Technologies

About the role

The Futurum Group is an independent technology research, advisory, and intelligence firm dedicated to helping business leaders, investors, and technology vendors navigate market disruption, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and validate strategic decisions. Through continuous quantitative data, rigorous qualitative insights, and analyst advisory, we illuminate the vectors of change shaping global technology.

As a Research Director across our expanding and emerging technology practices, you will play a pivotal role in identifying, scoping, and scaling Futurum’s research footprint across the physical, silicon, compute, and architectural foundations powering the future economy. Rather than being confined to a single legacy silo, this position is designed for an agile thought leader capable of establishing analytical authority across high-growth, disruptive domains. You will dissect market inflection points, evaluate technological feasibility, build predictive market models, and deliver high-impact advisory to C-suite technology executives, venture/growth investors, and hyperscale vendors. You will partner closely with practice leads, research VPs, and executive leadership to architect coverage agendas, deliver syndicated research, execute custom advisory engagements, and serve as an authoritative voice across major media and industry platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute strategic research roadmaps across emerging focus areas, translating nascent technical breakthroughs into actionable enterprise and investor perspectives.
• Author and co-author market-defining deliverables, including Market Sizing & Forecast Models, State of the Market Reports, Market Landscape Assessments, and timely Futurum Signal alerts.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives (CEOs, CTOs, Chief Strategy Officers, Heads of Corporate Development, and Product Leaders); conduct private briefings, strategic scenario planning, and interactive workshops.
• Collaborate with the quantitative modeling team to define total addressable market (TAM), compound annual growth rates (CAGR), and five‑year forecast models for newly launched practice verticals.
• Partner with sales, practice leaders, and client success to scope custom proposals, participate in strategic account development, and identify high‑value advisory opportunities.
• Build and maintain an extensive network of enterprise practitioners, startups, hyperscalers, standards bodies, and investors; represent The Futurum Group as a keynote speaker, panelist, and media commentator at premier industry conferences worldwide.
• Cultivate trusted relationships with corporate AR teams, founders, venture leads, and industry communications executives to expand Futurum’s market prominence and intelligence channels.
• Focus on building coverage across high‑impact expansion areas, including next‑generation data centers, power grids & energy transition, robotics & physical AI, token & digital asset infrastructure, quantum technologies, neoclouds & specialized AI clouds, and foundries & semiconductor geopolitics.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Materials Science, Economics, Mathematics, or a related technical/analytical field.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years of combined experience in technology market research, equity research, product management, strategic consulting, technical marketing, or deep‑tech engineering.
• Broad Domain Fluency: Demonstrated ability to quickly master and write authoritatively on complex, cross‑disciplinary technical systems, particularly where infrastructure, compute hardware, energy, and emerging software paradigms intersect.
• Strong Analytical & Modeling Acumen: Proven experience building or validating market sizing models, analyzing proprietary survey data, and synthesizing qualitative insights into defensible market forecasts.
• Executive Presence & Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills; comfort engaging in technical discourse with founders, engineering leads, and C‑level vendor and enterprise decision‑makers.
• Entrepreneurial Drive: A proactive, self‑starting mindset comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, high‑growth, flat organizational environment where practice boundaries evolve dynamically.
• Success Measurements: Timely delivery of scheduled market forecasts, reports, and buyer intelligence studies; direct impact on practice growth, custom advisory bookings, and client retention; client satisfaction (CSAT) scores across advisory inquiries and strategic briefings; market recognition and authority as demonstrated by media quotations, social reach, and citations by technology leaders; methodological rigor, accuracy, and depth of developed market sizing models and datasets; proactive cross‑functional collaboration with sales, marketing, and peer research teams to establish Futurum’s leadership in frontier topics.

Benefits

• Salary Range: $130,000 – $160,000 base salary + performance incentives + quarterly and annual bonus eligibility.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans with employer‑funded HSA contributions.
• Retirement: 401(k) retirement plan with competitive company matching.
• Time Off: Discretionary, unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) policy.
• Work Environment: Global virtual‑first/remote‑first model providing full flexibility.
• Performance Incentives: Clear upside tied directly to role milestones, research reach, and company growth.