Belong to Something Amazing…
We are looking for highly skilled Innovation Brokers to join our forward-thinking team. In this key role, you will drive collaboration between academia and industry, fostering strategic partnerships that accelerate innovation and contribute to the development of an Advanced Manufacturing Super Cluster. As an Innovation Broker, you will be supporting one of our two live CR&D projects.
About the Projects
The NWCAM2 project revolutionizes the Health and Life Sciences sector by empowering SMEs to adopt advanced, sustainable manufacturing processes and technologies. Addressing the region’s shared challenges, it bridges gaps in R&D adoption, technological capacity, and cross-border collaboration. By focusing on additive and digital manufacturing and next-generation materials, NWCAM2 fosters innovation and accelerates the transition to net-zero operations. Its dual approach (combining both three-year deep dive R&I projects and shorter one-year SME-focused implementations) leverages expertise across Northern Ireland and Ireland to drive sustainability, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance SME competitiveness. Delivering 30 groundbreaking projects, the initiative promises transformative impact on productivity, sustainability, and global market presence.
The ONEHEALTH project pioneers a transformative approach of integrating human, animal, and environmental health to address critical public health and agrifood challenges. Through strategic cross-border collaboration across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, ONEHEALTH leverages AI and data integration to drive innovation, improve health outcomes, and fuelling economic growth. Partnering with the Momentum One Zero City Deal Innovation Centre, the initiative unites SMEs, research institutions, and health and agrifood systems to overcome limited collaboration and scalability issues. Its dual-strand approach combines deep AI research with a fast-paced, engineer led, accelerator programme, delivering groundbreaking solutions and positioning the region as a global leader in ‘One Health’ innovation.
Key Information
- Full time, fixed term contract for up to 4 years.
- Attractive benefits package – including flexible working options
- Competitive salary between £50,000 – £60,000
- Options to be based in either Belfast or Derry-Londonderry.
Essential Criteria:
- Demonstratable experience in commercialisation of innovation including familiarity with intellectual property protection and exploitation.
- Proven ability to build and sustain partnerships with diverse stakeholders with a particular track record in academia and the private sector.
- Experience of complex negotiation e.g. contracts with senior stakeholders
- Familiarity with regional innovation economy.
- Outstanding networking, analytical, and communication skills.
- Flexibility to travel regionally
What are we looking for?
As an Innovation Broker, you’ll play a pivotal role in turning collaboration into real-world impact. Working at the crossroads of academia and industry, you’ll help transform cutting-edge research into tangible commercial outcomes that strengthen the Health and Life Sciences sector across the island of Ireland.
You’ll build trusted relationships, understand the goals of each partner, and create the right environment for innovation to thrive. From supporting the commercialisation of research and intellectual property to shaping partnerships that deliver measurable economic growth, you’ll help create an environment that moves ideas from the lab to the marketplace.
We’re looking for someone who naturally brings people together. You’ll be curious about new ideas, confident navigating both academic and business environments, and motivated by the opportunity to turn knowledge into lasting impact.
Main Goals:
- Facilitate the commercialisation of academic research and industrial collaboration to achieve measurable regional economic impact.
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships between academia, industry, and government stakeholders.
- Drive innovation in key sectors such as Health & Life Sciences, RegTech and Advanced Manufacturing.
Core Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute strategies for connecting academic research with industrial applications.
- Work with university stakeholders to support IP commercialisation.
- Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with stakeholders across sectors.
- Ensure research projects align with commercial needs and market demands.
- Lead negotiations on contracts, partnerships, and collaborative R&I agreements.
- Support reporting of key performance indicators to funders.
- Promote the dissemination of research findings to maximize impact.
