Senior Technology Transfer Manager

The Role and Department

Research and Innovation Services Directorate (RIS) provides guidance, expert advice and hands-on support for all aspects of research and research-related work, including securing funding and influencing investment programmes and policy, working with partners, undertaking knowledge exchange, demonstrating impact, commercialising research outputs, ensuring good research practice and supporting professional development

The Senior Technology Transfer Manager role is a senior position within RIS. The post reports to the Director of Commercialisation, Economic Development and Policy and relevant Heads of Team within the Division and will work closely with colleagues across the Directorate as well as senior colleagues in faculties, academic departments and professional services teams.

The Senior Technology Transfer Manager is a member of the Research Commercialisation Team which takes responsibility for the commercialisation of Durham University’s research outputs, including spin-out companies, intellectual property licensing and management of the patent portfolio. The team works closely with academic colleagues to identify technologies with commercial potential and works to protect, develop and commercialise through sale, licensing, business creation and industry collaboration. Able to draw upon a comprehensive network of industrial, investor and business contacts to take business ideas forward, Intellectual Property (IP) rights are proactively protected. The University consequently has IP rights in over 50 discrete patent families generated by the research base. Where appropriate, working closely with the founders, innovative new technolo gies are taken to the marketplace through spin out vehicles or licensing deals.

The post will have the following key responsibilities:

• Working closely with academic and professional services teams, building interest in commercialisation through information and training, and pro-actively identifying, assessing and developing disclosures arising from the research base to determine the most appropriate IP exploitation strategy.
• Securing Intellectual property through patents, trademarks, design rights, copyright or other rights.
• Developing and implementing an appropriate strategy to market the IP to potential commercial partners and collaborators, managing the respective IP portfolio to maximise the REF Impact and financial return to the University.
• Supporting the creation of spin-out companies including working with regional and national programmes, and maintaining contact with a portfolio of spin out companies on behalf of the Research Commercialisation team to secure ongoing benefits for the University.
• Taking a lead role for Durham University in operationalising key regional projects including Northern Accelerator and the proposed Commercialisation and Spin Out Fund.
• Leading on the evaluation, negotiation and decision making with respect to IP rights in contracts.

From early 2025 the base location for this role will change from our Durham City Centre site to our exciting new professional services hub based at Boldon House. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House will bring a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working. To find out more about this project, please visit this webpage: Boldon House – Durham University.

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.

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