Contracts & IP Licensing Specialist
bit.bio is an award-winning spinout from the University of Cambridge. Our breakthrough technology combines synthetic and stem cell biology for the precise, efficient and consistent reprogramming of human cells used in research, drug discovery, and cell therapy. At bit.bio, we are passionate about engineering human cells that will enable the medicine of the future. To do this we need talented and curious people who want to make an impact on the future of science and therapeutics.
As a team of individuals, we value science, collaboration, openness, curiosity and creativity. We are united by trust and respect for each other.
Location: Babraham Research Park, Cambridge
Type: Full time, permanent
Start: Immediate
Salary: Competitive / Hours: 40 p/w
Office (Cambridge) based role with hybrid working available
Your role in our team:
We are seeking a Contracts & IP Licensing Specialist to support the drafting, review and negotiation of agreements related to the licensing, transfer and optimisation of our intellectual property (IP) portfolio. This role will play a key part in enabling the commercialisation of innovations originating from bit.bio as well as in-licensed from third parties.
The successful candidate will work cross-functionally with scientific, finance, IP, legal and commercial teams, ensuring agreements are structured and maintained effectively to support strategic partnerships and commercial collaborations.
Your key responsibilities will include:
IP Licensing and Contract Management
- Draft, review, and support the negotiation of commercialisation and pre-commercialisation agreements, including:
- IP licence, option, and evaluation agreements with third parties
- Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) covering biological and non-biological materials.
- Data access and data sharing agreements supporting collaborative research activities
Portfolio and Agreement Management
- Manage a portfolio of technologies and associated licence agreements, ensuring contractual obligations are clearly understood and appropriately managed.
- Support the business in optimising the use of in-licensed technologies to enable the successful commercialisation of the company’s products and services.
- Monitor and support performance obligations under licensing agreements, ensuring compliance with contractual commitments.
- Support the negotiation of commercialisation agreements, amendments and extensions where required.
In-Licensing and Commercialisation Support
- Work closely with the legal team to draft and finalise agreements for the in-licensing of new technologies.
- Support internal teams in evaluating and structuring licensing opportunities that align with the organisation’s strategic objectives.
- Work collaboratively with the legal and commercial teams to develop value propositions for prospective licensing partners.
Royalty and Commercial Reporting
- Maintain and monitor the royalty stack associated with licensed technologies.
- Support royalty reporting obligations and ensure accurate and timely payments to licensors.
- Assist with commercial reporting related to licensing agreements and technology partnerships.
Stakeholder Relationship Management
- Build and maintain strong relationships with licensors, licensees, academic partners and collaborators.
- Act as a key point of contact for stakeholders involved in technology licensing and commercialisation activities.
- Work cross-functionally with legal, scientific and commercial teams to support partnership and licensing activities.
Contract Administration
- Maintain accurate records of agreements and supporting documentation within internal systems.
- Support contract lifecycle management, including amendments, renewals and compliance tracking.
- Contribute to the development and improvement of contract templates and internal processes.
You…
- Will have a minimum Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in a scientific or technology related subject.
- Have proven experience drafting, reviewing and managing commercial agreements and/or IP-focused contracts, ideally within life sciences, biotechnology or technology commercialisation.
- Are collaborative and able to work effectively with scientific, legal and commercial teams.
With essential experience in…
- Dealing with IP licensing, within a technology transfer office (TTO), research institution or Life Sciences R&D company with IP translation activities.
- Understanding of intellectual property rights, licensing structures, and technology transfer principles.
- Experience supporting or managing licence agreements or technology portfolios, including tracking contractual obligations.
- Understanding of commercialisation agreements and collaborative partnerships between academic institutions and industry.
- Familiarity with technology in-licensing, IP commercialisation, and academic–industry collaboration agreements.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple agreements, stakeholders, and deadlines simultaneously.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain and interpret legal and commercial concepts to non-legal stakeholders.
- Commercially aware with an interest in translating scientific innovation into commercial opportunities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Word and PowerPoint) and experience using contract or document management systems (e.g., SharePoint, Salesforce, or similar platforms).
...and possibly.....
- In-house experience within the start-up or scale-up biotechnology industry.
- Legal qualification, legal training, or experience working closely with legal.
- Experience supporting royalty tracking, royalty reporting, or financial obligations linked to licensing agreements.
More reasons to join us:
bit.bio provides a vibrant and dynamic work environment in an exciting, fast-moving time for biology. We work with cutting edge technologies and with our world-leading scientific advisory board. We conduct pioneering work with real-world impact.
We trust our people to make significant contributions early on with opportunities to be involved in projects that are key to the success and growth of our young company. We invest in people, creating opportunities for personal development in an inclusive multi-skilled team with ambitious goals that provide opportunities to learn on the job from each other.
Creativity and open minds are encouraged for everyone to contribute to the success of the company.
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