Frontier R&D Manager

hackajob is collaborating with Flutter UK&I to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

Your Team

The Frontier R&D team operates at the cutting-edge of emerging technology within Flutter UKI's Disruptive R&D function. We identify and evaluate technology trends over a 12-36 month horizon, build rapid prototypes with early-stage tools, forge relationships with technology providers, and present our findings to stakeholders across the business. Our mission is to generate a high volume of research insights and working prototypes that can be formalised into strategic projects for the wider R&D organisation.

As R&D Manager, you will lead a small, agile team of technologists, translating ambitious concepts into tangible demonstrations that inform Flutter's innovation roadmap.

What You'll Do

• Leading and mentoring the Frontier R&D team, setting priorities and ensuring delivery of high-quality prototypes and research outputs.
• Working closely with the Head of Disruptive R&D to transform early-stage concepts into structured, demonstrable prototypes.
• Conducting technology horizon scanning to identify emerging trends relevant to betting, gaming, and entertainment.
• Building and maintaining relationships with technology vendors, research institutions, and innovation partners.
• Creating compelling presentations and demonstrations for senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Managing the team's prototyping pipeline from ideation through to handoff for formal project development.
• Establishing best practices for rapid prototyping using generative AI coding tools and modern development workflows.
• Evaluating proof of concept outcomes and making recommendations on technology investment and adoption.

What You'll Need

• Proven experience leading technical teams in R&D, innovation, or emerging technology roles.
• Strong software development background with hands on experience across multiple technology domains.
• Demonstrated expertise in machine learning, AI, or related computational fields.
• Extensive experience with generative AI tools for coding, content creation, and productivity.
• Ability to rapidly learn and apply new technologies, frameworks, and platforms.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Track record of building relationships with external technology partners and vendors.
• Passion for emerging technology and a natural curiosity about future industry trends.

Desirable

• Experience in betting, gaming, or entertainment industries.
• Familiarity with API integration, particularly in financial or betting contexts.
• Knowledge of neural networks and deep learning architectures.
• Experience with automated content generation pipelines.

What's On Offer

• £/€1,000 learning fund
• Twice yearly bonus (with part of it guaranteed!)
• Unlimited holiday
• Pension contribution scheme
• Private healthcare
• Hybrid working
• Access to thousands of Udemy courses
• Invest via the Company Sharesave Scheme