Valorisation and Transfer Officer (M/F)

Type: Personnel de support
Type de contrat: CDI
Lieu de travail: Belvaux

Contexte

 

The successful candidate will join the Valorisation and Transfer Officers team of LIST.

The Valorisation and Transfer Officer integrates an interdisciplinary team that supports the research departments to optimize and protect their intellectual property assets. The VT Officer will contribute to the identification, protection, management and commercialisation of intellectual property assets (technologies) arising from the Materials Research and Technology department (MRT), in fields ranging from chemistry to physics (including materials, processes and engineering).

With a team of around 190 scientists and engineers, the MRT department focuses on two key enabling technologies: nanotechnologies and advanced materials. Researchers investigate research questions related to transducing materials and actuators, photocatalysis and energy harvesters, transparent electronics and smart nanocomposites, point-of-care and drug delivery, modelling and design of structures and multifunctional composites, bio-based polymers and composites, adhesion and compatibilization of fibres/matrix, process engineering and advanced manufacturing.

While collaborating closely with the MRT research community, the VT Officer will naturally also interact with the MRT Partnership Development and Coordination team, with the IP legal advisors, as well as with other Departments for transversal tasks and with administrative offices at the corporate level.

 

Description

 

Main missions

The VT Officer maintains and grows the department’s intellectual property portfolio, with particular emphasis on identifying patent opportunities, preparing and filing patent applications in order to obtain patents for inventions that have a potential market value. The VT Officer evaluates scientific invention disclosures and conducts prior art searches, analysis and documentation of related patents, and contributes to the writing of patent applications. The selected candidate will advise on commercial issues in research contracts, also by considering the commercialisation of IP through licensing and/or the creation of spin-off companies.

Principal duties and responsibilities

• Collaborative interaction with the MRT department’s researchers to identify new invention disclosures and to search prior art patents in order to determine if an invention is patentable or eligible to a trade secret
• Evaluation of invention disclosures and advice to management and researchers for patentability and/or commercial viability
• Preparation and interaction with external patent attorneys for drafting patent applications, follow-up of patent procedures and contribution to the management of the IP portfolio (extensions, maintenance, etc.)
• Keep abreast of policy and practice changes, and implement changes as necessary
• Development and advice on best protection for future commercialisation strategies in collaboration with colleagues and professional advisers where appropriate
• Promoting awareness of the importance of IP and industrial collaboration
• Contributing to build market and technology transfer knowledge and a high level of understanding of relevant market sectors and developing and supporting relationships between local industry and researchers at all stages of research engagement, in collaboration with the Partnership Development team
• Implementing commercial strategies including technology marketing (national and international), contributing to negotiate balanced licence agreements, promoting entrepreneurship, establishing spin-off companies and advising promoters of such new ventures

 

Profil

 

Education

• A Master’s degree in science (chemistry, physics, materials, processes, engineering), with a specialization in IP

Competencies

• Significant experience (5 years minimum) working with patent law and intellectual property, preferably in the fields ranging from chemistry to physics, including materials processes and engineering
• Ability to assimilate and understand scientific and technological data and issues in these various fields
• Self-starter, volunteer and capable of identifying and assessing opportunities for commercialisation and networking with academics and industrials to realise those opportunities
• Strong organizational, administrative skills and communication skills
• Ability to multi-tasking, working independently, and as a team member
• Demonstrated experience and practical knowledge in IP protection, IP rights laws, and IP policy

Language

• Proficient spoken and written knowledge of English is mandatory
• A good knowledge of French is considered an asset and German is a plus

 

Deadline for application: 1 March 2020