IP Manager

The postholder will be based in the Research and Innovation Office at Cranfield University and will be line managed by the Innovation and Enterprise Manager. The purpose of this role is to drive the University’s technology transfer activities, turning Cranfield University’s Intellectual Property into impactful innovations that create tangible value for society.

The postholder will promote the efficient transfer of technology created at Cranfield University to end-users, whilst supporting income generation through the exploitation of Intellectual Property (e.g. licensing income). To enable exploitation, the postholder will be expected to engage with the full spectrum of Intellectual Property management activities, including but not limited to seeking out potential new opportunities, carrying out market assessments, ensuring appropriate Intellectual Property due diligence and protection, creating plans for technology deployment, providing reports on potential companies that could license the Intellectual Property, actively engaging end-users on behalf of the University and, where appropriate, supporting licensing deals and spin-out company pre- and postdeal activities.

Where appropriate, the postholder will support the development of Intellectual Property to drive exploitation routes through funded mechanisms, including but not limited to grant funding. The postholder will raise awareness off, and provide advice to staff and students regarding, Intellectual Property protection. They will devise recommended Intellectual Property management strategies for individual technologies. The postholder will be involved with Cranfield’s Intellectual Property portfolio, reviewing current patents and licenses to maximise the chances of return on investment and enable evidence-based decisions to be made. They will be expected to minimise,
where possible, any unnecessary patent costs.

The postholder will be expected to ensure that the central records system of Cranfield’s Intellectual Property assets and spin-outs (EVOLVE; currently in the process of being onboarded) is maintained and that timely information on Intellectual Property and spin-out management is communicated to relevant colleagues.

The postholder will be required to travel to attend meetings (UK predominantly, potentially overseas) and have a willingness to work non-standard hours as reasonably required to fulfil the role, including but not limited to out-of-hours meetings offsite and conference calls with overseas partners.

Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships is creating leaders in technology and management globally. We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families.