Business Development Manager (Life Sciences): Dublin City University

Business Development Manager (Life Sciences)

Job Description

3 Year Fixed Term Contract

DCU Invent is the commercialisation and technology transfer unit at Dublin City University. We work with companies to bring early stage university research to the marketplace through licensing and spin-out company formation. DCU Invent is now recruiting a Business Development Manager (Life Sciences).

Based at DCU Invent DAC, the commercialisation subsidiary of DCU, the Business Development Manager (Life Sciences) is a post funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative.

The role will also involve the provision of commercialisation assessment and related IP services in Life Sciences at DCU. The work will involve the active commercialisation of early stage life science projects and with external partners the assessment of discoveries in research programmes in biotechnology, life sciences  and the DCU Fraunhofer Project Centre. The person appointed will be an Invent DCU DAC employee and will report to the CEO of Invent.

Duties

• Develop and implement intellectual property exploitation strategies through licensing and spin-outs;
• Actively map in-house opportunities to market needs and develop strong commercial leads;
• Participate in negotiations with spin-out company promoters and investors;
• Business development of a pipeline of licensing opportunities through Innovation Partnerships and other collaborative research programmes;
• Developing relationships with external entrepreneurs to support DCU objectives for spin-out companies;
• Identification of innovations or expertise with industrial or commercial potential;
• Assessment of patentability of invention disclosures;
• Assessment of laboratory notebooks and IP procedures;
• Liaison with patent agents in the preparation and filing of patent applications;
• Assessment of commercialisation aspects of research proposals to Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland and providing assistance and support to researchers in preparing applications;
• Review of publications for potential disclosure of commercially sensitive information;
• Promotion of DCU and DCU research and innovation programmes at national events organised by Invent, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and other industry networks;
• Coordinate commercialisation initiatives with Intellectual Property Managers and with Commercial Development Managers in SFI funded centres in which DCU is a partner;
• Contribute to the development of the wider university strategy for research and innovation.

Qualifications and Experience:

Essential

• A post-graduate qualification, preferably to PhD level or professional equivalent,  in a life sciences or relevant bio-engineering discipline;
• Relevant experience in commercialising early stage intellectual property, industrial experience will be preferable but not essential;
• Proven experience of having led licensing negotiations either in a university or in an industry context;
• Experience of managing the IP issues arising in the context of academic research and in particular from academic/industry collaboration.

Ideal

• An ability to win the confidence of researchers and company representatives and experience of working at the academic/industrial sector interface;
• The maturity and self–confidence to develop relationships at different levels within the University and external organisations such as Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and other funding agencies;
• Ideally the person appointed will have RTTP (Registered Technology Transfer Practitioner) accreditation or be eligible to apply for it based on experience;
• A business or legal qualification to complement specialized scientific expertise.

Mandatory Training

The postholder will be required to undertake the following mandatory compliance training: Orientation, Health & Safety and Data Protection (GDPR). Other training may need to be undertaken when appropriate.

Informal enquiries

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Mr Richard Stokes, Director of Commercialisation richard.stokes@dcu.ie. Please do not send applications to this email address, instead apply as described below.

Salary: Remuneration shall be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Closing date: Friday 25^th March 2022

Application Procedure

Please submit a cover letter and CV by email to hr.applications@dcu.ie

Please clearly state the role that you are applying for in your application and email subject line: Job Ref: #CC1632 Business Development Manager (Life Sciences)

DCU Invent DAC Ltd is an equal opportunities employer