LifeArc Technology Transfer Fellowship

Launching a career in technology transfer can be challenging. New entrants to the profession require a solid background in research – as well as good business acumen.

Successful technology transfer professionals must draw on their academic expertise to grasp scientific concepts quickly. They also need a working understanding of patent law, an ability to negotiate commercial agreements and strong stakeholder influencing skills.

The programme is designed to help you develop these skills, build your network and boost your prospects of launching a career in technology transfer.

The Fellowship is run in partnership with the Imperial College Enterprise Division, Queen Mary Innovation and UCL Business (UCLB). Fellows rotate every three months in the technology transfer offices (TTOs) of these institutes, as well as in LifeArc, where they will receive training and benefit from being exposed to a variety of projects, expertise and organisational practises.

The Fellowship begins with an induction week of seminars, case studies and interactive sessions. These sessions are run by colleagues from the four TTOs as well as external experts including patent attorneys, lawyers and VC professionals.

The induction week is designed to provide you with a solid theoretical understanding of the fundamentals of technology transfer that you can draw on as you rotate through the four placements with the participating TTOs.

• Queen Mary Innovation (QMI) – you’ll work with commercialisation managers to educate QMI scientists on the benefits of technology transfer, help assess the commercial potential of disclosed inventions and assist with preparing patent applications and funding applications.
• LifeArc  – you’ll receive training from our colleagues in the Opportunity Assessment Group (OAG) on performing scientific, intellectual property and commercial due diligence on potential opportunities for a range of LifeArc’s internal functions. You’ll also work closely with our Business Managers, for example, on marketing inventions developed by MRC scientists.
• UCL Business – you’ll work with the Legal Affairs team in supporting the negotiation of a range of agreements, Fellows also support Business Managers within the UCLB BioPharm team to triage and assess inventions arising from UCL academics.
• Imperial College London – here you’ll be incorporated into the team that supports the formation and development of start-ups from the Imperial College ecosystem. This includes companies founded by entrepreneurial students and recent alumni, as well spinouts formed around IP generated by Imperial College academics.

The applications window for the Fellowships is usually open from February to March each year.

Essential

• Postgraduate degree in life or medical sciences and/or MBA or equivalent
• Aptitude for describing complex scientific information in accessible terms and ability to quickly grasp new scientific concepts
• Well-developed written and oral communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate confidently and effectively with academic staff, all levels of management and companies.
• Competence in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Self starter

Desirable

• Experience in technology market research, analysis and reporting
• Experience in technology marketing, IP protection or commercial negotiation including contract development/analysis
• Understanding of the drug discovery process and of the academic, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry marketplaces

You will receive:

• A competitive entry-level salary in technology transfer
• A defined contribution pension scheme
• Private health insurance
• A flexible benefits scheme
• 31 days paid holiday per year