Commercialisation Officer

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) seeks a Commercialisation Officer in Pretoria to drive the division's commercialisation strategy, negotiate deals, and manage a dynamic pipeline of technology opportunities.

You will perform due diligence, financial modelling, and develop business cases while liaising with researchers, attorneys, financiers, and corporate partners to unlock value from advanced technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in sciences, engineering, or business with at least three years’ experience in private equity, venture capital, management consulting, development finance, technology commercialisation, IP management or related
• Postgraduate qualification in business, investment finance, intellectual property, technology transfer, technology management, or relevant
• SAQA evaluation for international qualifications
• Experience in Research Development and Innovation and commercialisation
• Knowledge and networks for technology commercialisation and resource mobilisation
• Experience in development of commercialisation strategies, business cases, valuation, deal structuring and negotiation
• Stakeholder management and industry-related networks
• Excellent communicator with strong business acumen
• Strong people management and organisational development skills

Responsibilities

• Support evaluation, structuring, negotiation and closing of transactions including technology development, product development, investment and funding, IP and technology commercialisation
• Undertake due diligence: market, technical, IP, financial, commercial, operational, team and business case review
• Prepare deliverables for clients and stakeholders: investment/funding proposals, term sheets, business cases, technology reviews and reports
• Perform financial modelling and analysis for technology development and commercialisation opportunities
• Evaluate readiness of technologies and assess commercial potential
• Conduct research on products/ technologies/ IP, industry and market sectors
• Develop and implement commercialisation strategies for a portfolio of inventions/ technologies
• Provide lifecycle support for opportunities including post deal monitoring and interaction with researchers, attorneys, financiers and partners
• Assist with packaging IP for commercialisation and develop business cases with technical and support teams
• Identify and mobilise internal/ external funding for de-risking and bringing inventions to market
• Draft terms of reference for EoIs/RFPs for partners/licensees and coordinate vendor recruitment
• Manage the divisional portfolio of projects and facilitate execution of plans
• Review proposals/agreements and provide recommendations
• Communicate with stakeholders and assist with reporting and compliance

Skills

Communication

Stakeholder management

People management

Business acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in sciences/engineering/business

Job description

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is a leading scientific and technology research organisation that researches, develops, localises and diffuses technologies to accelerate socio-economic prosperity in South Africa. The organisation's work contributes to industrial development and supports a capable state.

Commercialisation Officer

About The Job

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Commercialisation Officer in the Advanced Production and Security Division. The incumbent will be accountable for implementing the commercialisation strategy, deal making, and driving various initiatives for the Division. This position is based in Pretoria. This position reports to the Commercialisation Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the evaluation, structuring, negotiation and closing of various types of transactions including technology development, product development, investment and funding, intellectual property (IP) and technology commercialisation, primarily involving advanced technologies, within very active research and development settings, broadly focusing on opportunities in mining, manufacturing, defence and security.
• Undertake due diligence exercises, including market , technical, IP , financial , commercial, operational, team and business case review.
• Prepare high-quality deliverables for internal and external clients and stakeholders, including investment and funding proposals, term sheets, business cases, technology reviews, commercialisation recommendations, bespoke reports and marketing materials to support deal origination and successful execution.
• Perform in-depth financial modelling and analyses to ensure rigorous assessment of potential technology development and commercialisation opportunities using appropriate tools and techniques.
• Evaluate the readiness of technologies and inventions and assess commercial potential.
• Conduct research related to products/ technologies/ IP, industry and market sectors, companies and competing technologies and present findings and recommendations for implementation.
• Develop, recommend and implement commercialisation strategies for a portfolio of inventions and technologies at varying stages of maturity and maintain a pipeline for licensing.
• Provide full lifecycle support for commercialisation opportunities, including determining appropriate commercialisation pathways for technology / IP, post deal monitoring and evaluation, technical advisory and venture creation; evaluating capital needs, market potential and return on investment and interacting effectively with the research community, attorneys, external business professionals, financiers and corporate partners.
• Assist with packaging technology / intellectual property (IP) for commercialisation and develop commercialisation / business cases in collaboration with technical and support teams.
• Identify and support the mobilisation of appropriate internal and third-party funding for derisking and taking inventions to market;
• Draft terms of reference for EoIs/RFPs for commercialisation partners/licensees, service providers, coordinating selection and recruitment of suppliers, etc.
• Administer, monitor and evaluate the divisional portfolio of commercialisation projects, facilitating the execution of commercialisation plans
• Support the review of proposals, agreements and legal documentation, and providing recommendations;
• Manage project information and communication with various stakeholders and assist with reporting and compliance, e.g. quarterly, NIPMO.

Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• Minimum qualification of a Bachelor's degree in sciences, engineering, or business related with at least three years¿ experience in private equity, venture capital, management consulting, development finance, technology commercialisation, IP management or related
• Additional post graduate qualification in business, investment finance, intellectual property, technology transfer, technology management, or relevant qualification
• All international qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
• Relevant industry experience in Research Development and Innovation and commercialisation;
• Knowledge and networks for technology commercialisation and resource mobilisation;
• Relevant industry experience, knowledge and expertise in the development of commercialisation strategies, business cases, valuation, deal structuring and negotiation, deep tech entrepreneurship and working with startups;
• Stakeholder management and industry-related networks;
• Excellent communicator with strong, demonstrable business acumen; and
• Strong people management and organisational development skills.

What's in it for you?

The CSIR Offers

• Learning and development opportunities.
• Competitive and market-related remuneration packages.
• Total guaranteed salary packages which encompass contributions to the pension fund, risk insurance and medical scheme.
• We openly acknowledge and reward our employees' contributions and accomplishments through our esteemed CSIR Excellence Awards.

Closing date: 21 October 2026

PLEASE NOTE THAT FEEDBACK WILL BE GIVEN TO SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES ONLY.

The CSIR is an equal opportunity employer. As such, it is committed to the Employment Equity Act and will through the filling of this vacancy, give preference to candidates from Designated Groups in terms of the Employment Equity Act. By applying for this position at the CSIR, the applicant understands, and agrees that the CSIR may solicit a credit and criminal report from registered credit bureau and/or South African Police Services (in relation to positions that requires trust and honesty and/or entail the handling of cash or finances), and may also verify the applicant's educational qualification and employment history.

The CSIR reserves the right to remove the advertisement at any time before the stated closing date and it further reserves the right not to appoint if a suitable candidate is not identified.