Research Commercialisation Project Officer

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Research Commercialisation Project Officer

The post will involve developing effective working with academics to translate and commercialise their research across the University in order to contribute effectively to the delivery of the Innovation Strategy Importantly, the successful candidate will work fluidly across all academic disciplines, engaging with the University’s three colleges, Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Biomedical & Life Sciences and Physical Sciences & Engineering and their constituent academic schools.

This post sits within the Research Commercialisation Team within Cardiff’s Research and Innovation Services Division. The team provides specialist training, support and advice on translational opportunities, intellectual property, creation of spinout companies and other impact related activities. The role involves developing effective working relationships across the University in order to contribute effectively to the delivery of the Innovation Strategy, which sits across a number of areas including civic mission and public engagement, student enterprise and research development.

The post is full time, and available immediately on a fixed term contract basis until 31st July 2028. 

Salary: £32,332 - £34,980 per annum (Grade 5)

Interested applicants are welcome to contact Dr Rhodri Turner ([email protected]) to discuss the role further.

Date advert posted: Friday, 3 May 2024

Closing date: Sunday, 19 May 2024

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Job Description

Key Duties

Your primary responsibility will be to support the University’s academic schools to demonstrate the utility and impact of intellectual property generated from their research.  This will be achieved, primarily, through the identification, evaluation and protection of intellectual property and the development of robust commercial strategies to maximise impact arising from the research. The role holder will work closely with colleagues in the Impact and Engagement Team within Research & Innovation Services to provide high quality support for translational opportunities arising from the IE Team’s activities, notably the UKRI Impact Acceleration Accounts.

This will require you to:

• Provide professional advice and guidance on translational research opportunities, processes and procedures to internal and external customers that will have institute wide impacts, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action, and ensuring complex and conceptual issues are understood and independently resolve issues around these where they fall within set role objectives.
• Review translational and commercial opportunities arising from research projects and assisting in the evaluation of intellectual property, identification of translational opportunities, the marketing of new technologies and in negotiating commercial licenses with external companies and assist in the development of sound business cases for potential spinout companies in order to secure funding of these activities in order to create impact,
• Develop and deliver training on the translation of research outputs to academic staff engaging in translational research activities and funding applications to enable the generation of impact, intellectual property protection and commercialisation.  
• Establish working relationships with key contacts, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools, professional services divisions and outside bodies as required (e.g. SETsquared, UKRI, Aspect).
• Play an active role in assisting in the delivery of appropriate training to staff and postgraduate students.
• Work with other members of the Research Commercialisation Team, to ensure the delivery of the translational research objectives including the KPIs relating to commercialisation activities within the University’s Innovation Strategy.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the department
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University on the practices and processes required for the translation of research as required. 

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties.
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Important note: It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.  Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.

When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for XXXXBR.

Essential Criteria 

Additional Information

Research and Innovation Services

Cardiff is an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. Our world-leading research was ranked 5th for quality amongst UK universities in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and we provide an educationally outstanding experience for our 30,000 students. With an annual budget in excess of £500 million and around 6,000 staff, Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group of the 24 leading UK research-intensive universities. The University has 24 academic schools grouped into three colleges: Biomedical & Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering and Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences.

The University’s ambition is to rank consistently among the top 100 universities in the world. Cardiff is also developing its Innovation System through a focused programme of investment in people and infrastructure.  Research funding secured from competitive, external sources exceeds £100 million annually and the University aims to grow this further through winning grants from a wide range of national and global sources.

Research and Innovation Services, RIS supports the University’s research community in initiating and delivering research and innovation activities. Led by the Interim Director, Dr Amanda Roberts-Jones, RIS provides services via over 100 expert staff organised in five specialist teams: Research Grants and Contracts; Research Integrity, Governance and Ethics; Research Development; Research Commercialisation and Impact; and Business Engagement and Partnerships. The Department works closely with academic and professional services staff from all areas of the institution.

Job Category

Business / Strategic Management