Overview
RPI supports University, Faculty and School priorities for research and innovation: income generation, research excellence, PGR experience, partnership development and knowledge exchange leading to income, impact and commercialisation of IP. Our focus is on delivering professional, value-add advice and support to the academic community. We are a well-connected team which understands the priorities of the organisation and our external stakeholders and customers and the external environment in which we operate. Team members collaborate, reflect, develop their skills and have a risk-appropriate mindset of continuous improvement to our processes, policy and approach.
You will be an essential part of delivering our Commercialisation Journey, a high-quality programme designed to empower researchers to explore the commercial potential of their work and potentially create spin-out companies, intellectual property licences or social enterprises.
You will be key to the University's strategy, contributing to job creation, impactful research, and regional economic growth. You will provide comprehensive support to innovators through dedicated one-on-one guidance and co-delivery of our training programs. You will support innovators to access funding, mentorship and valuable market research resources on their journey from idea generation to launching their commercial ventures. You will support commercial negotiations with third parties relating to intellectual property licences and will on occasion lead these.
Our dedicated team has a range of technical and commercial experiences and the team collaborates to ensure work is distributed equitably.
You will be supported by the commercialisation team to develop your skills in technical assessment, IP-landscaping, corporate finance and many other areas.
Main duties and responsibilities
Provide guidance, training, coaching & mentorship to innovators embarking on the Commercialisation Journey.
Deliver Commercialisation Journey training to individual teams and cohorts. Maintain and develop training materials in collaboration with other team members.
Develop and utilise commercial and technical knowledge to support innovators to translate their research discoveries into value propositions with market fit.
Encourage innovators to undertake high quality market research and discovery and to critically assess their ideas.
Support commercial negotiations relating to IP-licences, investment terms and shareholder rights while drawing on the experience of internal and external professional services.
Be accountable for maintaining accurate records in internal databases and systems for the purposes of project management and annual reporting.
Support innovators to secure internal and external funding and monitor deployment of internal funding.
Complete project due diligence with respect to IP-ownership, historic funding, third party rights and regulatory compliance under the approval/guidance of senior staff.
Proactively identify and recommend potential improvements to the Commercialisation Journey and collaborate with the commercialisation team to create new content.
Support innovators through external pre-accelerator and accelerator programmes.
Promote and market The Commercialisation Journey as a mechanism for delivering impact from academic research to continue to build a culture of ambition and entrepreneurial motivation within the University.
Support our partnership with Northern Gritstone by establishing and maintaining a strong relationship with investment directors and other staff.
Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post
Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
Clear enthusiasm for commercialisation of academic research outputs and a motivation to build new products and services
Experience of undertaking health and/or life sciences research, preferably to postgraduate (or equivalent) level
Evidenced ability to prioritise, plan and progress work activities across a diverse project portfolio with competing pressures and demands
Ability to conduct independent research (technical, market, commercial) to inform a position or decision making process
An appreciation of the methods used in identifying and securing intellectual property rights
Examples of using initiative and taking ownership of tasks
A proven track record of delivering engaging and informative training programs
Previous experience of developing technology-rich products within a start-up, spinout or larger business
Experience of using market discovery methods to successfully identify and adapt value propositions, preferably based on new technologies
Experience of reading, reviewing or negotiating legal agreements - preferably IP-licences or corporate agreements
Strong numerical skills, preferably with experience of budgeting and financial management
Further Information
£38,784 - £47,389. Potential to progress to £51,753 through
sustained exceptional contribution
If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
For informal enquiries about this job contact Andy Hogben, Head of Commercialisation on
[email protected] Next steps in the recruitment process
It is anticipated that the selection process will take place on 1st or 2nd October. This will consist of an interview, a scenario discussion and a presentation. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 21st September. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact the Head of Commercialisation - Andy Hogben at
[email protected]Our vision and strategic plan
We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision ().
What we offer
A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
Generous pension scheme.
A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
A range of generous family-friendly policies
paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
access to menopause support in the workplace
paid time off and support for fertility treatment
and more
We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
Baseline personnel security standard
This role requires the postholder to undertake a Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) check as a condition of employment.
