Leader, Intellectual Property

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

* The Employment Equity Act, which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

Candidates are asked to self-declare when applying to this hiring process.

City: Ottawa 

Organizational Unit: National Programs and Business Services Branch 

Classification: RCO 

Tenure: Continuing 

Language Requirements: Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC 

Work Arrangements: Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require some physical presence at the NRC work location identified in the form of a hybrid work arrangement (a combination of working onsite and offsite).

We recognize that Indigenous candidates may have important connections to their communities.  If you are an Indigenous candidate, you may be eligible for an exception to this work arrangement.  To learn more, please contact the hiring team, using the contact information below.

Note: In the event that no candidates meet the bilingual imperative profile of CBC/CBC, NRC may consider candidates who are able to achieve bilingual imperative profile of BBB/BBB.

Great Minds. One Goal. Canada's Success.

Help bring research to life and drive your career forward with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada's largest research and technology organization.

We are looking for a Leader, Intellectual Property (IP) to support our National Programs and Business Services and International Innovation Office (NPBS IIO). The Leader, IP would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.

We are looking for an Intellectual Property (IP) professional to lead the IP team within our National Programs and Business Services (NPBS) Branch. NRC holds over 1950 patents and has the largest IP team in the Government of Canada. This is a unique opportunity to influence intellectual property strategy in a multi-faceted research organization.

The incumbent will be leading NRC’s intellectual property activities, including:

• Developing over-arching IP policies Overseeing NRC’s patenting activities and associated decision-making process.
• Managing technology licence agreements Optimizing IP processes.
• Ensuring strong IP governance and reporting.
• Advising research programs on intellectual property strategy.
• Providing expert guidance to the NPBS IIO NRC executives, and researchers/research managers.
• This position reports to the Director, Business Support Team.

Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

A university degree in law, business, or a related field. 

A master’s degree would be considered an asset.

Holding a patent agent licence in good standing would be considered an asset.

For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see Degree equivalency

• Significant and recent experience in managing a team and planning team activities and priorities.
• Significant and recent experience in the management of intellectual property in a science or technology environment.
• Significant and recent experience in overseeing a budget / financial forecasting and reporting.
• Significant and recent experience in advising internal clients and senior management on intellectual property matters.
• Significant practical experience in the negotiation and drafting of licensing agreements, and/or IP-related provisions in collaboration agreements and research services agreements would also be considered an asset.

* Significant is defined as 2 to 6 years
* Recent is defined as within the last 5 years

Secret (II)

A Secret clearance must be obtained within 12 months of employment. 

Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC 

Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• Solid knowledge of policies and sound practices related to IP management, contract management, financial management, human resources management, and procurement management.
• Knowledge of the NRC, its mandate and programs and awareness of the characteristics of scientific and/or technology research environments.
• Solid knowledge of the IP protection processes in Canada, the United States, Europe and via the PCT.
• Knowledge of the markets for inventions and the financial and technical constraints affecting their commercialization.
• Ability to develop and implement IP strategies.
• Ability to assess, manage and mitigate risk in a business environment.

• Management services - Client focus (Level 3)
• Management services - Communication (Level 4)
• Management services - Conceptual and analytical ability (Level 3)
• Management services - Initiative (Level 3)
• Management services - Results orientation (Level 3)
• Management services - Self-knowing and self-development (Level 3)
• Management services - Teamwork (Level 3)

For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profile: Management Services

View all competency profiles

This position is classified as a Research Council Officer (RCO), a group that is unique to the NRC. Candidates are remunerated based on their expertise, outcomes and impacts of their previous work experience relative to the requirements of the level. The salary scale for this group is vast, from $62,071 to $175,466 per annum, which permits for employees of all levels from new graduates to world renowned experts to be fairly compensated for their contributions. 

In addition, the incumbent will receive the Bilingualism Bonus of $800 per year. 

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including comprehensive health and dental plans, vacation, sick, and other leave entitlements, disability insurance and pension plans.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada's largest research organization supporting industrial innovation, the advancement of knowledge and technology development. We collaborate with over 70 colleges, universities and hospitals annually, work with 800 companies on their projects, and provide advice or funding to over 8000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) each year.

We bring together the brightest minds to deliver tangible impacts on the lives of Canadians and people around the world. And now, we want to partner with you.  Let your expertise and inspirations make an impact by joining the NRC.

At the NRC Employee wellness matters. We offer flexible work schedules as well as part-time work to help employees maintain work-life balance. We are one of the few federal organizations that close our offices during the December holiday season.  We offer professional learning and development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, and a suite of mentorship, award and recognition programs. Diversity enables creativity and innovation. Fostering a diverse, inclusive, welcoming and supportive workplace is important to us, and contributes to a more inclusive Canadian innovation system. We welcome all qualified applicants and encourage you to complete the employment equity self-declaration questions during the job application process. Please let us know of any accommodation measures required to help you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially. 

Help us solve problems for Canada. Grow your career with us today!

• Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC's directives.
• A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
• To ensure a prompt and efficient processing of applications, candidates must provide, along with their résumé, a detailed covering letter explaining how they meet each of the requirements of this position (education, experience, language requirements) by providing concrete examples. In addition, the candidate is encouraged to describe in detail when, where and how he/she gained the experience.
• Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. Please include citizenship information in your application.
• The incumbent must adhere to safe workplace practices at all times.
• We thank all those who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Please direct your questions, with the requisition number (21913) to:

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: 343-550-0290

Closing Date: 21 May 2024 - 23:59 Eastern Time

For more information on career tools and other resources, check out Career tools and resources

*If you are currently a term or continuing employee at NRC, please apply through the SuccessFactors Careers module from your NRC computer.