Technology Transfer Officer

Duties/Pligte The key responsibilities of the incumbent will be to work closely with other members of the Innovus technology transfer team on the following key performance areas:
**Networking and Marketing**
- Establishing and maintaining productive relationships with SU's academic and research community to stimulate awareness of IP issues and commercial opportunities, and to encourage an innovative and entrepreneurial culture within SU;
- Enabling and supporting the technology disclosure process at SU;
- Setting up meetings and arranging events to market Innovus and SU technologies on and off campus;
- Actively providing information to update the social media and website information of Innovus with news, events information, funding opportunities, entrepreneurship opportunities, etc.;
- Appropriately marketing SU's IP to identify and engage commercial exploitation partners / investors;
- Reporting to the Deputy Director: Technology Transfer, and working in close collaboration with the other technology transfer team members.

**Evaluation and protection**
- Evaluating invention disclosures and carrying out the due diligence process for protection and identifying the feasibility of the technology/project for commercialisation;
- Grasping technical concepts quickly, and translating these into commercially viable proposals;
- Identifying appropriate routes of IP exploitation;
- Conducting novelty searches and competitor analyses;
- Analysing business opportunities;
- In collaboration with external patent attorneys and the Deputy Director: Technology Transfer, providing input into patent prosecution and patentability as this may influence the commercialisation strategy;

**Commercialisation**
- Identifying potential industry partners for specific technology commercialisation opportunities;
- Constant and very proactive liaising with the industry in order to facilitate technology transactions;
- Engaging in technology licensing and new venture formation processes, in particular structuring, negotiating and closing deals;
- Working effectively with key stakeholders, assertively influencing them and, where appropriate, showing tenacity and persistence in business development situations;
- Monitoring commercial relationships and related agreements.

**Communication and other duties**
- Communicating regularly and effectively with other members of Innovus, including regular meetings with the Director: Technology Transfer, to ensure effective management of SU's IP;
- Carrying out such other duties relevant to the incumbent's experience as requested by the Deputy Director: Technology Transfer;
- Developing novel and exciting communication strategies to raise awareness on IP and technology commercialisation for SU stakeholders;
- Communicating and collaborating with the Division for Research Development as required.

**Working Environment**
- Analysing IP to identify the best mode of protection and developing a suitable IP commercialisation strategy;
- Making recommendations for the protection of IP to the Deputy Director: Technology Transfer and to appropriate academic staff;
- Identifying and engaging suitable commercial exploitation partners and investors;
- Engaging in the structuring, negotiation and closing of licensing deals and new venture formation;
- Liaising with colleagues in the technology transfer team and within Innovus and SU to contribute to the development of good practice in technology transfer.

**Freedom to act and decision-making**
- Contributing to the delivery of a range of outputs, including technology disclosures, protection of SU's IP, licence and investment deals and new venture formation.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes
- A postgraduate scientific or technical degree in a life sciences field;
- At least three years¿ relevant experience;
- Proven success in having been involved in a transaction from start to finish;
- Good knowledge of intellectual property protection forms and legal protection thereof;
- Practical knowledge of commercialisation and investment networks;
- Good business acumen;
- Good organisational skills;
- Good communication and numeracy skills;
- Good public speaker;
- Good time management skills and the ability to multitask;
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills;
- Proactive self-starter;
- The ability to support others as part of a team;
- Flexible and cooperative;
- High energy level;
- Willingness to travel locally and internationally, if required;
- A valid driver's licence and own transport.

Recommendation/Aanbeveling
- Proven experience in a technology transfer office at a university;
- Project management experience;
- Experience of working within a scientific environment;
- Negotiation experience throughout a full value chain;
- Good understanding of the Intellectual Property Rights of Publicly Funded Research and Development Act (51 of 2008) and its regulations, as well as SU's Intellectual Property Policy;
- Good knowledge of technology transfer syst