Biotech Booster is a national growth fund program dedicated to advancing and commercializing biotech innovations. It offers mentorship, financial and business development support, and networking opportunities to help inventors with entrepreneurial ambitions move from the idea stage to developing investable proposals or turning innovative concepts into practical applications in collaboration with industry partners.

As a Business Developer Biotech Booster working in the Thematic Cluster for industrial biotech, you will be responsible for supporting projects with your business development skills. On top of that you will be identifying, developing, and exploring opportunities to commercialize industrial biotechnology innovations with societal impact. You will work closely with researchers, companies, and other stakeholders to ensure that groundbreaking biotechnological discoveries are transformed into valuable products or services.

Your key responsibilities include:

• Identifying industrial biotech innovations within WUR and The Netherlands as well as assessing the market potential and feasibility of these ideas;
• Developing strategies to transform biotechnological innovations into commercial products or applications;
• Assisting with grant applications to advance innovations, overseeing the entire process to generate meaningful impact.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to streamline and accelerate valorisation processes;
• Building connections with investors, companies, and other stakeholders to promote funding and partnerships.
• Monitoring and reporting on the progress and deliverables of the granted projects.

Biotech Booster is a newly launched programme and is continually evolving, so this role requires flexibility and adaptability. You’ll enjoy being at the forefront of a national initiative and contributing to its development.

You are an experienced professional with excellent communication and collaboration abilities. You excel at persuading, negotiating effectively, and building lasting relationships. With a strong focus on results, you coach researchers in their engagement with the business world, supporting them in the commercialization and transfer of research outcomes and help them secure funding for further development.

We expect you to have a strong understanding of the application, transfer, and commercialization of knowledge, including the protection of research results, licensing, patent management, and the creation of spin-off companies. You are skilled at guiding our scientists through these processes and organizing activities such as workshops, company visits, and thematic meetings. You also bring a relevant network that you leverage to achieve tangible outcomes. In our international working environment, proficiency in English is required.

Proven experience in innovation and business development, including the creation of business cases, conducting market research, and developing strategic plans for biotechnological products or services;

• Strong analytical skills for evaluating technological inventions/concepts;
• In-depth understanding of industrial biotech. Master's degree or PhD in a relevant field;
• Professional experience in collaborating with and coaching researchers; and
• A well-established professional network in the (Dutch) biotechnology sector, preferably in industrial biotechnology and biobased economy.

If you are unsure whether you meet all the requirements but are excited about the job, we still encourage you to apply – we are happy to review your profile.

You will work here
A desk is ready for you in Wageningen, where you’ll be part of a dynamic environment working alongside leading researchers. You will be collaborating closely with project developers, IP experts, legal professionals, and other business developers from WUR. In Wageningen, you will be part of the Knowledge Transfer team within the Co-creating Value & Impact department. This team consists of 10 innovation experts with diverse backgrounds.

The Biotech Booster team operates nationally, working both on-site and digitally. As a member of the Biotech Booster Thematic Cluster for Industrial Biotech, you'll collaborate with Business Developers from other universities and Impact Developers from universities of applied sciences. While your work will primarily be based in Wageningen, you'll occasionally travel for meetings and regularly work from Utrecht. An NS business card will be provided for travel.

Functionally, you will report to the manager of the Thematic Cluster for Industrial Biotech, who will be your primary point of contact for daily operational matters. Hierarchically, you will be under the responsibility of the Knowledge Transfer Office Manager, along with your direct colleagues.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 4.492 and € 6.148 for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11). Additionally, a contract for 32 hours per week can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.
With its roughly 30 branches, 7,700 employees (7,000 fte), 2,500 PhD and EngD candidates, 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

For more information about this position, please contact Maurits Burgering, Programme manager Biotech Booster, Maurits.Burgering@wur.nl, +31651827431

For more information about the procedure, please contact Edvard Jongschaap, Sr Corporate Recruiter, Edvard.jongschaap@wur.nl or 0317 – 489 178.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including Thursday 9th of January 2025. We hope to schedule the first job interviews as soon as possible.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.