Senior Industry Partnerships Officer

McGill University

About The Position

Under the direction of the Associate Director, Industry Partnerships, the Senior Industry Partnerships Officer is responsible for the planning, development, and management of complex research grants, as well as negotiating various types of agreements involving industry and other external partners. The position primarily supports research in the natural sciences and engineering, while also working across other disciplines as required. The incumbent provides expert guidance to McGill researchers throughout the full lifecycle of industry-sponsored and collaborative research projects, from opportunity development and proposal preparation through contract negotiation and post-award management. A key aspect of the role is ensuring appropriate research security, compliance, and risk mitigation, particularly for contracts involving sensitive research areas, advanced technologies, or research and development for defence and dual‑use applications. In this aspect, the position works closely with McGill’s Research Security team. It also works closely with other teams such as the Technology Transfer Office, the Awards Management Office and other Offices within the Vice-President (Research and Innovation) portfolio to ensure that contractual, regulatory, and institutional requirements are met while supporting the University’s strategic research objectives.

Requirements

Degree in the field of Natural Sciences and Engineering or Law with a minimum of five (5) years of related experience, preferably within a large, research-intensive university, research organization, or comparable environment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience in interactions with industry supporting and participating in research and development activities.
Experience in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex research contracts and legal agreements and strong knowledge of different types of agreements i.e., confidentiality, intellectual property, material and data transfer agreements.
Solid understanding of intellectual property management, conflict of interest processes, and commercialization considerations.
Experience or demonstrated capacity to address research security, compliance, and risk management issues, including those related to sensitive or defence-related research.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple complex files simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.
Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a complex policy and regulatory environment.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
Bilingual in English and French, both written and spoken.
Service-oriented mindset with strong problem-solving skills and professional judgment.

Responsibilities

Industry Partnered Research Grants and Contracts Provide direct, senior-level support to McGill researchers in the development and management of complex industry-sponsored research projects, involving multiple partners and stakeholders.
Lead or contribute to the drafting, review, negotiation, and interpretation of complex and high-risk agreements, such as research contracts, collaborative agreements, confidentiality agreements, and potentially other agreements, ensuring alignment with University policies, funding agency requirements, and partner expectations.
Identify contractual, financial, intellectual property, compliance, and research security risks; propose mitigation strategies; seek appropriate internal guidance and approvals; and implement agreed solutions.
Work closely with the Technology Transfer Office to integrate appropriate intellectual property management and sharing into agreements.
Increase visibility of research grant opportunities within the University and assist researchers at the preliminary stages of grants proposals to maximize industry partnered research paired with both federal and provincial funding opportunities.
Research Security and Compliance Liaise with the McGill Research Security Office to integrate research security and compliance considerations into the development and negotiation of research contracts, particularly for projects involving sensitive technologies, controlled information, export controls, or defence-related research and development.
Collaborate closely with McGill’s Research Security team to assess risks, ensure compliance with institutional and governmental requirements, and support researchers in meeting security-related obligations.
Advise researchers and partners on best practices related to secure research collaboration, data protection, and responsible conduct of research in a competitive and regulated environment.
Project Development and Support to awarded projects Support the development of high-value, multi-partner, and interdisciplinary research initiatives involving industry and other external stakeholders at the provincial, national, and international levels.
Contribute to the planning and coordination of complex projects, including timelines, internal reviews, and alignment of institutional resources.
Develop strong working relationships with researchers, faculty administrators, central research support units, funding agencies, and industry partners.
Provide guidance and mentoring to other staff involved in complex files within assigned areas of responsibility.
Communicate with external partners as required to support effective project implementation, financial stewardship, and issue resolution.
Monitor the progress of ongoing industry-sponsored projects to ensure continuity and consistency across related agreements and compliance with contractual obligations.
Facilitate management and oversight of funded projects for the implementation in collaboration with internal units.
Reporting and Institutional Support Contribute to the continuous improvement of processes, templates, and guidance related to industry partnerships and research contracts.
Assume additional responsibilities and participate in special initiatives in support of McGill’s research and innovation mission, as required. This may include preparing analyses and reports.

Benefits

Competitive benefits package (Health, Dental, Life Insurance) (if eligible)
Defined contribution pension plan (with employer contribution up to 10%) (if eligible)
Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)
Competitive vacation policy
Two (2) personal days
Two (2) floating holidays
Nine (9) "Summer Fridays" - paid days off between the St-Jean Baptiste holiday and Labour Day
Paid time off over the December holiday period
Tuition waiver for regular employees and their dependents
Up to two (2) days of remote work per week where the position permits