Intellectual Property Practitioner at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Key responsibilities:

• Assist in the development and implementation of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer policy and procedures.
• Review benefit sharing submissions for compliance and make recommendations for approval.
• Provide support and assistance to the Specialist: IPM&TT to ensure CSIR compliance with the IPRPFRD Act. 
• Draft reports to the National IP Management Office (NIPMO) for sign-off by the Specialist: IPM&TT. 
• Coordinate IP Fund rebate submissions for the CSIR.
• Keep up with the changes in external landscape (legislation) and provide inputs to the Specialist: IPM & TT on effect on the organisation
• Conduct benchmarking studies on best practices in IP Management.
• Provide training in IPR Act compliance to CSIR staff.
• Provide support to CSIR stakeholders (e.g., Cluster/Centre, Legal & Compliance, etc) on technology disclosure process, patenting, reporting on all matters relating to IP and technology transfer activities.
• Liaise with patent law firms corresponding with different CSIR entities and refer matters to the relevant parties.
• Identify challenges in the CSIR environment and suggest solutions for ensuring a conducive environment for effective IP and technology transfer activities.
• Coordinate regular IP Management meetings with BD&C Commercialisation Managers (minutes, documentation and agendas) and take responsibility for distributing relevant documents for signature/action/ information.
• Manage commercialisation agreement records.
• Ensure efficient administration and recording of all CSIR IP.
• Maintain project activity records for technology disclosures.
• Review and comment on IP provisions in research agreements, NDAs, MTAs, etc. as required.
• Responsible for populating and maintaining an information management system to record and track the CSIR IP and technology transfer activities.
• Assist in the commissioning/updating of the Information Management System (IMS) and liaison with service providers.
• Provide training in IMS to CSIR staff in their use of IMS and provide line assistance.
• Act as custodian for the IMS (including routine maintenance and centralised data capturing).
• Compile information records and detailed reports on CSIR IP statistics and participate in the organisational reporting process.
• Maintain records of CSIR patents and initiate reminders of due dates for patent prosecution and maintenance.
• Coordinate the CSIRs patent administration activities.
• Report on CSIRs IP management activities and efficiencies therein.
• Follow up and initiate next steps according to project activity records.
• Assist in project management of IP related work derived from the Clusters and Research Centres.
• Maintain IP and TT project activity records and files both paper and electronic.
• Provide assistance to the Specialist: IPM&TT and other members of the IP&TT Office in support of their activities.
• Perform prior art searches on IP and patent information.
• Assist IP&TT Practitioners with desktop market research studies.
• Assist with IP&TT events managed by the IP&TT Office.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Bachelor's degree in Science Engineering, Technology, Commerce or Law with at least five years experience of which two years must be in an IP, technology transfer, information, or research management domain.
• Knowledge of IP in relation to R&D.
• Attention to detail.
• Deadline driven.
• Ability to integrate and apply skills across multiple disciplines.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills.
• People skills.
• Ability to interact with people at all levels within the CSIR and externally.
• Exposure to the South African National System of innovation and South African Industrial Sector.
• Substantial understanding and awareness of intellectual property management and the IPR Act.
• A working knowledge of the international patent system, including the procedures and the time-lines and applicable types of expense in each phase. 
• Project administration skills.