Peopleware[0]
If you lead any kind of team in IT it is required reading. It will make you a bit sad though: it was written in 1987 presenting common problems and solutions to said problems. We're still struggling to get the solutions implemented today.
Much less true science there. Two biographies worth reading. One is about aircraft R&D, the other a computer. Both fall on the R side of R&D.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/skunk-works-leo-janos/11247...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soul-of-a-new-machine-tracy...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month is a classic for a reason, on this exact topic.
Great question, I've taken some of these books down to read later.
I was fascinated by The Pentagon Wars [0]. Arguably US Military is one of the biggest bureaucracies that spends tons of money on R&D projects. Apart from describing the issues with the projects themselves, the author describes how structuring the incentives could potentially pervert the process of developing new tech. I really loved it.
[0]: https://www.amazon.com/Pentagon-Wars-Reformers-Challenge-Gua...
I have a completed outline for an Applied Research Management book following the old Scott Meyers format.
Of course, I am slowly working on the writing phase.
Hit me up by email if you would like to pick over the outline.
I enjoyed The History of the Making of the Atomic Bomb
Not directly management books. I work in an R&D lab myself and two books I found useful in thinking about the structure and evaluation of projects:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11797471-the-idea-factor...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/530415.The_Art_of_Doing_...