Industry Liaison Specialist

Department: Office of Research Services 

Job Type: Limited Term

Full-time/Part-time: Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year) 

Campus: Waterloo 

Reports to: Director of Research Services

Employee Group: WLUSA 

Application Deadline: July 21, 2025

Requisition ID: 9919 

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict.  Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Position Summary

The Industry Liaison Specialist is responsible for enhancing the development of strategic collaborative relationships between Laurier faculty and organizations external to the university including the private sector, the public sector, the research community and civil society, in support of the University’s research and technology transfer activities. The incumbent will work closely with faculty to facilitate effective interactions with industry partners and proactively approach companies to identify collaborative funding opportunities, including, but not limited to, those offered through the Tri-Agencies, Ontario Centres of Excellence, and Mitacs.  Reporting to the Director of Research Services, the incumbent is responsible for identifying, promoting and managing high/value impact research opportunities with industry partners, including proposal development and ensuring adherence to University and partnering organization’s policies. The incumbent will be responsible for the negotiation and administration of research contracts and contribution agreements.  This will include negotiations of financial and legal terms; milestones and deliverable dates; publication, licensing and patent rights; and student participation requirements.

The Liaison Specialist plays a critical role in performance monitoring and problem resolution during the life of the contract and/or industrial grant to ensure that the terms, conditions and requirements of the contract or industrial grant are carried out to the satisfaction of all parties. The Liaison Specialist is responsible for the identification, protection and the commercial exploitation of intellectual property (technology) developed by University researchers through a variety of commercial arrangements including licensing and start-up company creation. The incumbent will work closely with faculty members to prepare business cases or plans, facilitate the creation of technology prototypes or demonstration projects, and prepare funding proposals to various government programs that support commercialization of new technology.

Accountabilities

Industrial Funding Support

• Develop and implement an ongoing strategy for the identification, prospecting and stewardship of external partners that will lead to research in collaboration
• Attend meetings and events to promote Wilfrid Laurier Research research capability and to interact with potential sponsors
• Pro-actively target sectors or companies where there is high potential for collaboration with faculty members
• Prepares and delivers workshops on industry sponsored grant opportunities and strategies for success.
• Initiates and facilitate connection between external partners and faculty members
• Review, and advise on Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality agreements prior to the faculty members discussing new proposals/ideas with potential sponsors
• Consult and assist faculty members in all aspects of the development and preparation of proposals to potential research sponsors.   An in-depth and detailed working knowledge of sponsor guidelines and university research policies is required.
• Negotiate, in conjunction with the faculty member and the sponsor, on terms and conditions of a contract or industrial grant
• Monitor industry sponsored project progress and intervene as necessary to ensure satisfaction of all parties.
• As necessary, assume responsibility for planning, developing, editing and disseminating project reports, presentations as well as other project information and communications.
• Maintains departmental database(s) pertaining to grant and contract applications from client faculty.

Commercialization Support

• Promotes and coordinates invention disclosures from faculty researchers.
• Assesses disclosures for marketable tech transfer opportunities where appropriate, considering market, economic and legal factors.
• Provides technical and specialized advice and support to faculty members in proposals for seed funding, pre-commercialization funding.
• Devises and executes technology commercialization plan for invention disclosures, including intellectual property protection strategy, partnering/development strategy, marketing strategy, and exit strategy.
• Coordinates intellectual property protection and filing of patent applications, by retaining patent lawyers/agents and consulting with experts in Canada and elsewhere.
• Promotes inventors and their inventions to government, research and development and commercialization agencies, industries and to potential investors.
• Prepares proposals in consultation with the faculty member to secure seed funding to commercialize inventions
• Promotes the University’s tech transfer capacity to provide service to the university community and external investigators
• Establishes and maintains an inventions portfolio with individual inventions or technologies at various stages and periodically reviews this portfolio with respect to impacts that advances in science, competing technologies, or changes in business environment or inventor involvement might have on commercial potential and recommends strategic changes if necessary.
• Coordinates IP protection and filing of patent applications.
• Administers intellectual property policies and procedures. Reviews administrative and operational activities and recommends changes to policy.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree plus a minimum of three years in fostering industry partnerships and/or technology transfer experience in university or industry;
• A professional designation (MBA, P.Eng., CA, JD/LLB) is desirable but not essential;
• Experience with contracts, patent and copyright legislation is essential;
• Superior marketing and negotiating experience;
• Proven ability to negotiate contracts and agreements
• Knowledge of research policies and trends;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Hours of Work

This is a Full-time, Limited term opportunity with an anticipated end date of September 27, 2026. The normal hours of work are 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Flexibility in hours may be required, including evening and/or weekend work due to periods of high volume. When possible, the manager will adjust hours to ensure no more than 35 hours are worked in a week.  

This position is eligible for a flexible work arrangement, as per Policy 8.14 (Flexible Work Policy). All arrangement must be approved by the direct manager. In-person attendance for events, as required to meet operational needs, is expected. On occasion, this schedule may need to be adjusted to meet operational requirements.

Compensation 

Level: F

Rate of pay: $46.70 to $49.38 per hour with an annual step progression on anniversary date up to $53.37 per hour. 

Considerations for new hire step placements include, qualifications and length/depth of required experience, relevant market rates for similar jobs, internal equity, and estimated learning curve in starting the job.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a resume and cover letter will be required in electronic form.