Research Commercial Manager (AIBN)

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 weeks parental leave

17% super

flexible and hybrid working options

health and wellbeing programs

Study for Staff program

on campus childcare

affordable parking

salary packaging

Job summary

University of Queensland is seeking a Research Commercial Manager in the Research Office, based at the St Lucia campus. You will steer commercial development, negotiate research agreements and advise researchers on IP and governance, while coordinating with Legal Services and UniQuest.

You will manage complex contracts autonomously within a collaborative research environment and build strong industry partnerships for impactful outcomes.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualifications with extensive management experience.
• Experience managing research contracts with high autonomy.
• Strong commercial acumen engaging industry and research partners.
• Excellent communication, organisation and project management skills.
• Ability to assimilate new information quickly.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, negotiation and management of research agreements.
• Evaluate proposals including pricing, IP and risk with partners and UniQuest.
• Develop term sheets, agreements and briefs, navigating approval processes.
• Build relationships and provide timely commercial advice throughout the lifecycle.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Contract negotiation

Relationship management

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Postgraduate qualifications in management or equivalent

Job description

Research Office Full-time (1 FTE), continuing position with salary in the range $120,317 - $134,892 + 17% super (HEW Level 8). Based at our picturesque and conveniently located St Lucia campus

About This Opportunity

Join the UQ Research Office as a Research Commercial Manager and help turn ambitious research opportunities into productive, commercially sound partnerships with industry and government. Embedded within the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), you will be a trusted commercial adviser to researchers, connecting emerging opportunities with UQ’s legal, governance and commercial requirements. This is a purposeful and highly varied role where you can build strong relationships, exercise autonomy within your portfolio and work collaboratively across a complex research environment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the commercial development, negotiation and management of research agreements, balancing UQ’s research agenda with the needs of external industry and government partners.
• Evaluate proposals and commercial factors including pricing, intellectual property, legal requirements and risk, working collaboratively with researchers, Legal Services, Governance & Risk and UniQuest as required.
• Develop term sheets, agreements, project descriptions, schedules and supporting briefs, negotiating appropriate commercial arrangements and progressing opportunities through relevant approval processes.
• Build trusted relationships with researchers and external partners, providing timely commercial advice throughout the agreement lifecycle and helping establish sustainable, successful research partnerships.

About You

You will bring a strong commercial mindset and the confidence to navigate complex research agreements, balancing partnership opportunities with legal, organisational and governance considerations.

Essential

• Essential Postgraduate qualifications with extensive relevant management experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant education, training and experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing research contracts with a high degree of autonomy, ideally within a large or complex organisation.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience engaging industry and research partners, negotiating research arrangements, managing intellectual property and knowledge transfer, and considering commercial, legal and organisational risk.
• Excellent communication, organisation and project management skills, including the ability to review complex agreements, work effectively with legal and specialist advisers, navigate governance requirements and manage competing priorities.
• An ability to rapidly assimilate new information and apply it effectively.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the higher education research-funding environment, or experience within higher education or government, will be highly regarded.
• A legal background is desirable but not essential.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available.

• Enjoy up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave
• 17% super
• 17.5% leave loading
• flexible and hybrid working options
• health and wellbeing programs
• a heavily discounted Study for Staff program
• on campus childcare
• affordable parking
• and salary packaging

We’re dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process.

We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity.

Just let us know how we can help by emailing [e-mail] or calling [phone].

Applications close Sunday 6 December 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-70270).

Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for 15 December 2026.

The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ is situated. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country.

At the University of Queensland, we are proud to be one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, consistently ranking among the top 50 universities worldwide. As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities, UQ is widely recognised for its intensive focus on research and teaching excellence – evidenced by our numerous accolades including more teaching awards than any other Australian University and reflected in UQ being the number one recipient of ARC Fellowships and Awards nationally across all scheme years (totalling 452 awards worth $339 million).

Our state-of-the-art facilities, libraries, and cutting-edge research centres offer unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth. With five faculties, a number of globally recognised research institutes, and over 100 research centres, we attract an interdisciplinary community of more than 7000 staff, supporting more than 55,000 current students from over 137 countries.

UQ is dedicated to supporting the career aspirations of our students and staff. Our comprehensive career services provide personalized guidance, skills development, and networking opportunities to help you achieve your professional goals. Whether you are a student seeking internships and job placements or a staff member looking for career advancement, UQ is here to support you every step of the way.

UQ values equity, diversity and inclusion and seeks to reflect the broader community by attracting and retaining high-quality staff from a range of backgrounds. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion aims to ensure that everyone at UQ feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. We are particularly interested to hear from people who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability.

Whether you are a recent graduate, an Academic, or an experienced professional, UQ offers a wide range of opportunities to help you grow and succeed.

Explore our current job openings, discover our programs, and become part of a community that is dedicated to creating lasting, meaningful impact for the communities in which we live and work.

For more information about working at UQ and our employee benefits (such as generous leave provisions, 17% superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and health and wellness discounts) please visit Why Work at UQ.