IP & Commercialisation Analyst - 3 Year FTC at Mintek

About the position

Introduction
The IP & Commercialisation Analyst is accountable for the outputs of the intellectual property & market opportunity analysis, focusing in-depth on the single discipline of market & patent research, landscape analysis, and data integrity. The incumbent applies specialist knowledge to practically resolve IP-related technical problems and ensure the operational efficiency of the IP management system.
Duties & Responsibilities
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

Leadership

• Participate in the formulation of IP & commercialisation strategy for new disclosures and the stage-gate process to align commercialisation potential with robust competitive advantage protection.
• Lead analysis-related aspects within larger commercialisation projects and deliver comprehensive reports.
• Contribute to broader Mintek RDI strategy discussions, specifically regarding IP trends and patentability standards.

Strategy

• Participate in MOTT strategy discussions by making recommendations on patent filing strategies and defensive IP positions.
• Participate in strategy formulation for responses to office actions and other IP prosecution related activities.
• Monitor and periodically report on national and international IP & technology trends within the mineral and metallurgical sectors.
• Assess the IP landscape and environment to determine freedom-to-operate as input into commercialisation strategy.

Innovation

• Identify and implement improvements in existing patent search procedures and market data collection methods.
• Develop and refine workflows for the internal IP stage-gate process for continuous improvement of the invention disclosure process and IP prosecution.
• Participate in the conceptualisation of IP & commercialisation-related systems that enhance the accessibility of commercial intelligence across MOTT and Mintek.
• Optimise IP payment processing by implementing systemic tracking for patent attorney fees to improve operational efficiency.

Financial Sustainability

• Provide detailed IP intelligence and landscape data as input into the preparation of external funding proposals.
• Maintain accurate IP records for NIPMO statutory reporting and IP Rebate Fund submissions.
• Support the commercialisation team & Fund Leader in preparing IP-related due diligence reports for investors and licensing partners.
• Manage the end-to-end payment processing cycle, ensuring all service provider payments are verified, coded, and tracked.

Execution, People and Planning

• Liaise with IP creators and research team leadership to ensure submitted disclosures are backed by solid technical and commercial opportunity data.
• Prepare presentations on IP & Commercialisation analysis to drive awareness across Mintek.

Compliance Management

• Act as the primary custodian of the IP portfolio database, ensuring data accuracy and integrity for reporting and auditing purposes.
• Conduct project-level risk assessments regarding potential IP infringement or loss of novelty.
• Adhere to and enforce all SHEQ requirements within the work environment and manage any specialised IP due diligence tools or platforms under control.

Relationship Management and Reporting

• Prepare and deliver IP presentations and results from due diligence work to technical teams and MOTT colleagues.
  
• Collaborate with Commercialisation Leaders to consolidate data for quarterly reviews and stakeholder reporting.

Desired Experience & Qualification
QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• BSc (Hons) degree in science / engineering
• Master's or PhD in a scientific or technical field and/or Business qualification (MBA qualification would be an advantage)
• 3-5 years of experience directly related to technology transfer, intellectual property management or related field.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• In-depth understanding of the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and DevelopmentAct.
• Strong analytical ability to synthesise complex technical information.
• High proficiency in utilising specialised IP management systems, database search tools and platforms