Knowledge Exchange Fellow

The Department of Physics at the University of Oxford has a very large and diverse portfolio of STFC-funded research, including astrophysics, space science, particle physics and accelerator science. Some of this research has already found application elsewhere, in both other academic disciplines and for commercial development, but much has potential yet to be fully explored. Finding new applications for our research, and for collaborative research projects, will require a close, direct knowledge of our portfolio as well as dedicated time and effort to explore potential opportunities. Some of these applications may be quite unexpected and lie in very different areas of industry, commerce and academic research, making it a significant challenge to identify and exploit them successfully.

In this project we will create a new post of 'Knowledge Exchange Fellow' to be based in the Department of Physics for four years. He or she will work alongside academics and researchers, but be focussed on identifying and developing ways in which the technology they develop can be transferred to other domains. This will include investigating potential applications of specific technologies, finding new industrial partners and assisting with setting up new projects or contracts. More widely, the Fellow will be developing the preparedness, capabilities and processes of the Department for technology transfer, by identifying barriers, training needs and the most effective means of disseminating our research results. He or she will thus play a unique role in transforming our ability to exchange knowledge with researchers in university, national laboratory and industrial contexts, which we fully expect to bring greater impact to our research.