Knowledge Exchange Fellowship
Job Type: 1 year, full-time
Salary: £35,700 (plus £1,785 allowance, which can be taken as cash, or used for additional benefits)
Start Date: 22 June 2026
LifeArc is an independent medical research charity with over 25 years’ experience in helping scientists and organisations turn their research into effective diagnostics and treatments. At LifeArc, we want to hear from people who are as passionate as we are about making life science life changing that can improve patients’ lives.
About the role:
The translation of academic research discoveries into impactful diagnostics and treatments involves the collaboration of many innovation ecosystem stakeholders, and the use of many skills. Innovation professionals, particularly those specialising in knowledge and technology transfer, play a vital role in advancing research along its development pathway and helping to turn promising discoveries into new treatments for patients. In support of this mission, LifeArc has launched a Knowledge Transfer Training Fellowship programme in partnership with Imperial Enterprise Division, Queen Mary Innovation, UCL Business and Knowledge Exchange UK. This initiative first launched in 2018 and aims to provide the first steps for talented scientists to transition into the knowledge transfer profession by providing successful fellowship applicants with training and experience in four of London’s leading technology transfer environments.
There will be four Fellows appointed who will each be given extensive training and experience in relation to identification of intellectual property (IP) with commercial potential, procuring IP protections, marketing and commercialisation processes including the eventual partnering of successful projects with the pharma industry via licensing or spin-out creation.
The Fellows will complete four three‑month rotations, spending one rotation at each of the participating organisations. Throughout these placements, they will receive on‑the‑job training and gain practical experience across a diverse range of projects, expertise, and organisational practices. Alongside this hands‑on learning, the Fellows will also benefit from formal training and mentorship delivered by Knowledge Exchange UK, ensuring a well‑rounded and comprehensive development experience.
About you:
The requirements for the successful candidates for these entry-level roles are:
Essential
- Postgraduate degree in life or medical sciences and/or MBA or equivalent
- Aptitude for describing complex scientific information in accessible terms and ability to quickly grasp new scientific concepts
- Well-developed written and oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate confidently and effectively with academic staff, all levels of management and companies.
- Competence in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Desirable
- Experience in technology market research, analysis and reporting
- Experience in technology marketing, IP protection or commercial negotiation including contract development/analysis
- Understanding of the drug discovery process and of the academic, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry marketplaces
What we can offer you
Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays.
Join us, and you’ll have the scope to be creative and take measured risks. You’ll be recognised for your curiosity, for working as one team, and for learning fast. And you’ll have everything you need to be your best every day.
We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it.
Application Process
The online application form will open on Monday 2 February 2026. To apply please click here or visit our early careers page. Please remember to attach your CV, please try to keep your CV on 2 pages. Please also include relevant academics results on your CV.
Application Closing Date: 2 March 2026. (this is the date we anticipate the job will be removed from the website and no longer taking new applications).
We recommend you apply as soon as possible. We may close this vacancy dependent on the volume of applications received, so please apply as soon as you can so your application can be considered.
If your online application form is successful, you will be invited to complete a short strength-based video interview, known as Snapshot. Full instructions and guidance on how to approach and prepare for a strengths-based assessment will be provided before you complete the Snapshot.
The final stage of the selection process will be panel presentation and interview which will take place week commencing 13 April 2026 in our London office.
Please note that the start date is fixed for Monday 22 June 2026; please do not apply if you are not able to start on this date.
We are also proud to be using Rare Recruitment's Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) which allows us to consider your achievements in the context in which they were gained. We understand that not every candidate’s achievements look the same on paper – and we want to recruit the best people, from every background. We would therefore encourage you to submit your contextualised data using the Rare Contextual Recruitment System as part of your application using the following link:
https://lifearc.app.contextualrecruitment.com/apply/1c57fb04-04be-4dfe-b29a-a3ad6f18c413
LifeArc is committed to the principles and practices of equal opportunities and to encouraging the establishment of a diverse workforce. It is our policy to employ individuals on the basis of their suitability for the work to be performed and their potential for development, regardless of age, sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief. This includes creating a culture that fully reflects our commitment to equal opportunities for all.
About LifeArc
LifeArc brings together a network of partners to tackle specific rare diseases and directly funds academic and early-stage research with the aim to turn great science into greater patient impact. The LifeArc Insights and Intellectual Property teams provides expert insight and advice to support LifeArc’s operations and and drive forward its mission to accelerate life‑changing innovations.
www.lifearc.org
About Imperial Enterprise Division
Imperial College London has enterprise in its DNA. Founded in 1907, with a mission to offer the most advanced education and research, to collaborate with other organisations, and to apply its work to industry, today it is one of the world’s top ten universities with a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Imperial Enterprise Division:
- Helps businesses access the College's resources, talent and expertise to address business and societal challenges
- Supports and encourages student entrepreneurship
- Helps academics find new ways to turn their expertise and research into benefits for society
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/enterprise
About Queen Mary Innovation Ltd
Queen Mary Innovation Ltd (QMI) is Queen Mary University of London’s (QMUL) wholly-owned technology transfer company and responsible for the commercialisation and management of the University's intellectual property and portfolio of spinout companies. QMI protects and exploits QMUL’s research-derived intellectual property and helps to maximise the economic and societal impact of that research.
http://www.qminnovation.co.uk/
About UCLB
UCLB is the commercialisation company of UCL, one of the world’s leading universities. UCLB has a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from the UCL research base and partner NHS Trusts; University College London Hospitals, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Royal Free London. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from laboratory to market. UCLB’s track record of success includes over £1.5 billion raised in investment for UCL spinouts.
www.uclb.com
About Knowledge Exchange UK
Knowledge Exchange UK (formerly PraxisAuril) is the professional association for Knowledge Exchange (KE) practitioners in the United Kingdom. It supports specialists working across universities and public and private research organisations, enabling them to translate ideas into real‑world impact. With a global reach, the network comprises more than 5,000 KE professionals from over 200 organisations, alongside key sector stakeholders, industry partners, service providers, and business representatives.
https://ke.org.uk/
Please note: It's you we want to get to know so please do not use AI tools to prepare your answers. All application materials must be written personally by the applicant to ensure authenticity and an accurate representation of your skills and experience.
