Innovation Associate - Arrow Programme

Durham University - Research and Innovation Services

The Role and the Department

The Arrow Programme is a collaboration between Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria University and the University of Sunderland. In a nutshell, the Arrow Programme links small and medium sized business with knowledge and research within the university to help foster economic growth and innovation in our region.

Working in the Durham University Arrow team, the successful candidate will co-ordinate, project manage and deliver a portfolio of collaborations between Durham University, businesses, and external partners. The candidate will have a key role in helping to develop and support North East-based businesses to develop and commercialise new products and services, which will in turn help the University to develop a pipeline of projects with regional businesses and contribute to raising the innovation and economic potential of businesses in the region.

Innovation Associate’s responsibilities on a day-to-day basis include:

• Acting as the main point of contact for all parties involved (academics, researchers and commercial staff) in an allocated portfolio of short tasked based projects, co-developed around the client’s needs.
• Delivering bespoke collaborative research & innovation support activities for regional businesses, this can include:
  • designing the project plan, with guidance from the academics and the company
  • conducting literature reviews,
  • conducting primary/secondary research,
  • performing laboratory experiments,
  • facilitating consultations
  • co-ordinating the collaboration between relevant academics at North-East Universities and company representatives
  • carrying out data analysis and report writing.

Lead responsibility for the Arrow Project at Durham University lies with the Research and Innovation Services (RIS) team. The post holder will report to a Senior Manager in Commercialisation and Economic Development Group of RIS, whose remit is to drive spinout creation, licensing activity and major economic development projects and strategic relationships.

The base location for this role is Boldon House, our exciting new professional services hub. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House brings a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working. To find out more, visit the project webpage: Boldon House – Durham University.

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.