Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships - York University

Mitacs Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Mitacs Inc. in Canada seeks a dynamic Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships in partnership with York University.

The role bridges academia and industry, spotting opportunities and promoting Mitacs programs to researchers and companies across the GTA. You will work with York University teams to understand researcher needs, build a robust partner network, and support program administration and student engagement while advancing Canada’s innovation goals.

Qualifications

• Recent Masters or PhD, ideally from York University, or an equivalent combination of education and research experience.
• Strong communication and presentation skills; able to work with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Mitacs Business Development, Research and Innovation teams to deliver high-quality programming.
• Engage with York University stakeholders to understand researchers' and students' needs and identify industry opportunities.
• Build and maintain a network of industry and academic partners in the GTA.
• Introduce companies to various Mitacs programs and to York University researchers.
• Provide cross-functional support to Mitacs programs and York University engagement.
• Help negotiate agreements to enable discussions and collaborations between university and industry partners.

Skills

Excellent communication

Excellent presentation

Team player

Creative thinking

Fast-paced environment

French asset

Education

Master's or PhD

Job description

Do you want to be part of a mission-driven organization helping Canada turn big ideas into results? Do you thrive in collaborative environments where creativity, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking are valued? Are you motivated by work that strengthens Canada’s competitiveness and delivers meaningful impact for communities and businesses?

At Mitacs, we deliver the return on innovation Canada needs now by connecting people, ideas, and ambition. Through co-funded innovation partnerships, we connect researchers with organizations across the country to solve pressing challenges, support commercialization, and accelerate economic growth.

Guided by our values — impact, integrity, collaboration, excellence, and talent — Mitacs drives industry-academic collaboration, deploys skilled talent, and builds innovation capacity to strengthen Canada's productivity and global competitiveness.

At Mitacs, you become part of a team focused on practical results: empowering Canadian talent, building meaningful partnerships, and supporting a more resilient, future-ready economy. If you’re inspired by purpose-driven work and national impact, we encourage you to apply.

The Opportunity

This is not your ordinary sales job. Our business development team members are the bridge between academia and industry partners or organizations. They spot opportunities and take action on behalf of Mitacs. They are at the forefront of marketing Mitacs programs and are analogous to matchmakers, who find the common interests between companies and researchers.

If you were to join Mitacs as the Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships with York University (one-year contract), we’d ask you to do the following:

Key Responsibilities:

• Work closely with members of Mitacs Business Development, Research and Innovation, and Programs teams to deliver high-quality programming
• Work closely with stakeholders at York University to fully understand the needs of the researchers and students, find industry opportunities, and identify the best programs to leverage the research opportunities uncovered
• Create and maintain a network of partners/clients in industry and academia, namely in the GTA region
• Introduce companies to various Mitacs programs
• Introduce companies to various university researchers, primarily at York University
• Provide support to the Business Development team as needed
• Provide business development support to all Mitacs programs
• Provide business development and student engagement support to York University
• Work collaboratively with York University offices involved in the administration of Mitacs programs such as the Research Services, Partnerships and Innovation, School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs and Career Services and others to:
  • ensure clarity of roles of the various parties involved in Mitacs administration
  • plan strategically and operationally means by which to increase participation in Mitacs programs
  • promote opportunities through University channels and beyond
  • assist in negotiating the necessary agreements to facilitate discussions and collaborations between University and industry partners
    

Skills and Experience:

• Recent Masters or PhD, ideally from York University, or an equivalent combination of education and research experience
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills
• Enthusiastic and high-energy self-starter spirit
• Team player spirit
• Ability to think creatively and try new things
• Desire to pursue a career outside of research and academia
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-performance culture
• Awareness and respect for diversity in culture, abilities and beliefs.
• Access to a vehicle to attend client meetings and events
  
• Knowledge of written and spoken English is required in this role as you will interact with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders located across Canada. Knowledge of written and spoken French is an asset.
• Mitacs is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous communities across Canada. Lived experience or perspectives connected to Indigenous worldviews are considered strong assets.
• Special consideration will be given to applicants with an active social network with proven ability to promote participation and sponsorship in programs or initiatives in their community.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion and reconciliation are strong commitments at Mitacs: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - Mitacs

Hiring Range: $65,325 - $82,745

Hiring and Salary Range Transparency

Typically, employees are hired, transferred, or promoted within the salary range, specifically between the minimum and midpoint in the hiring range. The salary range refers to the range of base salaries for a given position, encompassing the minimum and maximum amounts. The midpoint of the range is positioned approximately halfway between the minimum and maximum, indicating a fully qualified employee with comprehensive job knowledge and experience for the role. Only in rare and exceptional circumstances, where a candidate has the experience, skills, and expertise that far exceed those required for the position, would we consider paying above the hiring range for this role.

Our recruitment process may use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools to support activities. Any use of AI is subject to human review and all hiring decisions are made by a human member of our hiring team.