With their scientific knowledge, researchers are increasingly at the basis of social innovations in the fields of Human Health & Life Science, Connected World, Governance for Society and Science for Sustainability. At VU Amsterdam these profile themes are closely linked to our identity and refer to the social domains in which we work towards creating a better world through education, research and knowledge transfer.

At IXA-GO, the knowledge transfer office of VU Amsterdam, we support researchers to create impact with their research. Our team identifies opportunities, supports researchers in building a business case for a new start-up and introduces them to the right network. If an innovation requires it, we also offer support in Intellectual Property (IP) protection and provide information on funding opportunities.

Fo our team, which is based at the dynamic VU Campus, we are looking for a Business Developer/Impact Developer in the Humanities domain.

You will be responsible for identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, building relationships with key stakeholders, and fostering complex collaborative partnerships, within academia and with societal partners.

As a Business Developer/Impact Developer Connected World, you explore the valorisation opportunities for the research results of among others the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Religion and Theology. Thanks to your experience, you know better than anyone how to assess the opportunities of a research project and how to guide the researchers in their steps towards creating impact with their research. Business Development is not a 'one size fits all' approach. This means that, depending on the situation, you will work together with a team to create a strong business case for a new spin-off company or introduce the researcher to the right network where the innovation can be taken forward and become of value to society. The BD/ID will be the first point of contact for academic researchers in these faculties as they aim to bring their research product to market & society and a liaison officer for the faculty and the central organisation.

Your duties

• Support researchers in the process of creating societal and/or economic impact by
• Screening & Scouting of new ideas and inventions within the relevant faculties
• Identifying ideas that can be marketed and providing support in the Intellectual Property protection process in close collaboration with an IP expert
• Developing Business Plans
• Negotiating collaborations with external partners in close collaboration with our legal department (BJZ)
• Advising researchers in the process of acquiring initial funding for a valorisation project.
• Facilitating external collaboration (PPP) of researchers and support in involving non-academic partners in consortia.
• Liaising with the management of the Faculty Religion and Theology and the Faculty of Humanities and the different relevant institutes concerning e.g. the Valorisation and Impact strategy of the faculty.
• Staying up to date with relevant developments in the field of Humanities, Valorisation and Impact and society.
• Helping to create and implement organisational procedures to further facilitate interdisciplinary research.

• Have a Master/PhD preferably in the domain of Social Sciences, Humanities, and/or an MBA.
• Have an eye for promising research in the field of Humanities, among others, and the ambition to bring this research successfully to the market and society.
• Have experience with public-private partnerships, IP and contracts.
• Are highly organised, pro-active and independent, entrepreneurial and you have a service mentality.
• Have the ability to multitask and manage multiple deadlines.
• Act as a natural connector between research and business.
• Get energy from facilitating and coaching start-ups.
• Have an excellent knowledge of Dutch and English, both verbally as well as in writing.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

IXA-GO offers you a challenging position within a professional and motivated team for an initial period of one year. An extension of your employment contract is possible subject to good performance.

On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €3,974 (scale 11) and a maximum €6,181 (scale 12), depending on your education and experience. The job profile is based on the university ranking system (UFO) of Knowledge Valorisation Officer (2/3) and is open for at least 0,8 fte.

Additionally, VU Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• space for personal development
• hybrid working enables a good work-life balance

And most importantly, due to the very nature of your work, you are involved in many different smart innovations that help society move forwards. You will find that you develop yourself at a phenomenal rate and strengthen your network.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor - from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Institutional Affairs
The Administration Office provides strategic advice and integrated support to the Executive Board (CvB, idem) of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Moreover, we work closely with university faculties and the other VU service departments to implement the administrative agenda and to set institutional strategy. We are responsible for providing legal advice, setting the university's research policy and for Public Affairs. We provide process-based support for policy and decision-making, and we are closely involved in a number of strategic dossiers. The Administration Office also promotes university-wide governance, control and compliance, and we are responsible for PhD defence ceremonies, professorial appointments and other academic functions.

Working at the Administration Office means being involved in the day-to-day management, strategy and policy of our university, together with an extensive network of internal and external stakeholders. We employ 66 individuals (59 FTE) in the departments of Policy and Administrative Support, Administrative and Legal Affairs, Secretarial Support, and Document Management and Archive.

About IXA-GO
At VU IXA-GO we support researchers at the VU in the process of acquiring external funding for their research, protecting and utilising the results of the research, all the way up to the launch of a successful spin-off company. With our expertise, open mindedness, enterprising spirit and multidisciplinary approach, we work on developing sustainable solutions that impact society. Our growing team consists of Grants Officers, Business Developers, a Marketing & Communication team and recently we have set up the Biotech Booster Project Office based at the VU Starthub.

VU IXA-GO is part of the Pan-Amsterdam collaboration IXA, which is the Knowledge Transfer Oice of VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam University of Applied Science.