Junior Commercialization Officer

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

AAFC is committed to diversity and inclusion and is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s best diversity employers. We welcome all applicants and strongly encourage candidates to self-declare if they belong to an Employment Equity designated group (i.e. Aboriginal Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, Visible Minorities or Women).

Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Developing, negotiating and maintaining low risk legal agreements and their templates such as material transfer, confidentiality, collaboration and licensing to ensure intellectual property protection for technologies and germplasm developed by the Branch.
- Conducting due diligence on collaborators and implementing effective methods of technology and germplasm release and promotion for low risk agreements.
- Administering information flows associated with tracking and reporting of low risk agreements and commercialization activities, including creating docket and entering information into the Electronic Management System, bringing forward notifications to managers and to current and potential collaborators, and preparing custom and standard reports to the Team Leads and Team members.
- Participates in the administration of activities and documentation related to intellectual property protection and promotion (including plant varieties), royalty revenues and the distribution of subsequent patents and award payments related to protected commercialization activities, including financial activities and Public Servant Inventor's Act documentation.
- Monitors that royalty revenues are received from external clients in accordance with licensing agreements. Contacts licensees when needed to ensure compliance.
- Gathers information on market intelligence associated with new technologies, emerging market opportunities, and current and potential client companies, to support the due diligence process associated with technology and market assessment, Requests for Proposals, and negotiation of agreements.
- Ensure the maintenance of agreement information database.
- Manages, maintains and secures individual confidential electronic and hard copy information with respect to agreements and intellectual property protection.
- Participates as team member on the periodic team meetings, meetings with AAFC internal staff and/or collaborators.
- Reports on metrics pertaining to the portfolio of the region. Performs cost benefit analyses on technologies and germplasm and provides advice on protection and promotion strategies.
- Prepares qualitative and quantitative reports on collaborative agreements and arrangements to management.
- Supports the preparation of training sessions delivered by senior commercialization officers in the form of presentations to improve awareness of the scientific community towards IP related issues.
- Prepares information documents and guides in collaboration with senior commercialization officers pertaining to IP or to AAFC programs involving collaborative research.
- Prepares stories related to AAFC collaboration and licensing demonstrating the value of technology transfer and research.

Work environment

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) conducts various scientific activities that generate intellectual property assets. The Office of Intellectual property and Commercialization (OIPC) is the guardian of the portfolio of intellectual property assets and has the mandate to ensure its protection and promotion. OIPC is also a key player in the establishment of collaborative research activities with third parties.
OIPC is part of the Planning and Partnerships Directorate that ensures coordination of various research programs and scientific activities internally and in collaboration. Reporting to OIPC team leads, the position of Junior Commercialization Officer complement the work of senior commercialization officers working at OIPC.

Intent of the process

A pool of qualified and partially qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar positions with various tenures, as well as various linguistic requirements.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

Contact information for 2 references.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

EDUCATION
- Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization in commerce, business administration, agriculture, animal, plant science, or life science, engineering or another discipline related to the position, OR an acceptable combination of education, training and experience.

IF YOU HAVE FOREIGN CREDENTIALS, please follow the link below for information on how to obtain a degree equivalency. You must obtain an equivalency, at your own expense, in order to be considered for appointment into the public service.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE
- Experience drafting and negotiating business or research agreements with academia, the public sector and/or the private sector.
- Experience working with scientists and/or engineers on scientific projects to either facilitate collaborative work or to promote intellectual property assets.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Bilingual - Imperative (BBB/BBB)

Information on language requirements

KNOWLEDGE
- Knowledge of the legislation, regulations and policies relative to intellectual property rights management in Canada.
- Knowledge of the methods and standards related to drafting and negotiating collaborative agreements.
- Knowledge of AAFC partnerships with industry, stakeholders, academia, government and non-government organizations.

COMPETENCIES
- Analytical thinking
- Client focus
- Initiative
- Negotiation skills

ABILITIES
- Ability to negotiate.
- Ability to communicate effectively orally.
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

EXPERIENCE
- Experience in the conduct of activities related to the management of intellectual property assets, such as trade secrets, trademarks, patents or Plant Breeder’s Right.

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS
In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal peoples, Persons with a Disability; Visible Minorities, Women.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability and willingness to travel occasionally.
- Ability and willingness to work flexible hours.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Valid Driver’s License

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

ASSESSEMENT INFORMATION

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

Various assessment tools may be used, such as, standardized tests, interviews, references, board member knowledge, etc.

All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

A random or top down selection of candidates may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

Appointment decisions may be based on one or more of the following criteria:
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team.
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the specific duties of the position being staffed.
- Depth, breadth, type of work-specific experience.
- Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.

A test may be administered.

An interview may be administered.

Reference checks may be sought.

You must provide proof of your education credentials.

Asset qualifications may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

APPLICATION & CORRESPONDENCE INFORMATION

Applications submitted by email will not be accepted. You must apply on-line through www.jobs.gc.ca.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact the email referenced below under "Contact Information".

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required. Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.