The Faculty of Science (NAT) at SDU seeks an Innovation Manager to accelerate the translation of research into societal and commercial impact. Working within the External Relations Team, the faculty research support unit, you will be the primary connector between researchers and industry partners, helping to identify opportunities for collaboration, co‑creation and commercialisation. You will support researchers in accessing innovation‑oriented funding and play a central role in building a culture of industrial collaboration, entrepreneurship and spin‑outs at NAT.

Key responsibilities

• Cultivate partnerships: Identify and engage relevant companies, foundations and other external partners on behalf of our researchers; explore collaborative potential and negotiate mutually beneficial projects and sponsorships. Matchmake researchers with industry partners and support consortium building, both nationally and internationally.

• Drive innovation funding: Guide researchers through innovation funding instruments such as Innovation Fund Denmark’s Grand Solutions and Horizon Europe programmes. Monitor funding opportunities, disseminate relevant calls, and provide strategic advice on proposal development, budgeting and partnership formation.

• Commercialisation and spin‑outs: Assist researchers in evaluating the commercial potential of early‑stage science and develop pathways for technology transfer, including licensing, spin‑outs and joint ventures. Collaborate closely with SDU’s Research & Innovation Organisation (SDU-RIO), tech transfer office and innovation hubs to support intellectual property protection, licensing and early-stage investment.

• Promote innovation culture: Organise workshops, seminars and matchmaking events to raise awareness of innovation opportunities. Collaborate with department leadership to integrate innovation strategies into research planning and contribute to NAT’s external funding and innovation strategy.

• Communicate and advocate: Represent NAT’s scientific strengths to industry and external stakeholders, ensuring the faculty’s expertise is visible and accessible. Develop promotional materials and contribute to web content, newsletters and other communication channels to showcase success stories and opportunities.

• Team and administrative support: As part of the External Relations Team, contribute to shared tasks such as onboarding new staff, cost modelling, data analysis and event organisation. Act as NAT’s primary faculty-level point of contact for innovation-related matters in close collaboration with SDU-RIO, and provide leadership with insight into emerging innovation trends and opportunities

Desired qualifications

• Academic background: Master’s degree or PhD in a science or technology discipline; additional business education or certification is an advantage. You have a deep understanding of emerging technologies within natural science.

• Innovation expertise: Significant experience with innovation instruments (e.g., Innovation Fund Denmark, EU innovation programmes) and a track record of developing successful collaborative projects and/or spin‑outs. Familiarity with intellectual‑property management and tech transfer processes is essential.

• Network and partnership skills: A strong professional network within industry and the innovation ecosystem. Proven ability to build relationships and trust with both high‑level scientific profiles and business leaders. Excellent communication and negotiation skills in English; Danish proficiency is a plus, and candidates who do not speak Danish must be willing to learn.

• Business acumen: You have a solid understanding of how research-based ideas can be developed into application-oriented innovation. You support early clarification of value propositions and collaboration potential and work closely with SDU-RIO to ensure coherent pathways from research to collaboration and commercialisation.

• Personal qualities: Self‑driven, agile and goal‑oriented, yet collaborative and supportive. Able to prioritise multiple tasks and work independently, but also contribute actively to team goals. You enjoy working with diverse people and are motivated by creating impact through innovation.

We offer
You will join a motivated, international External Relations Team that bridges project management, policy intelligence, liaison with funders and hands‑on grant writing. We offer:

• A dynamic work environment with close collaboration across four departments (Biology; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Mathematics & Computer Science; Physics, Chemistry & Pharmacy).

• Ample opportunities for professional development, training and networking.

• A flexible, family‑friendly workplace that supports work–life balance and values diversity and inclusiveness.

If you are passionate about science, adept at bridging technology and business, and motivated to help researchers turn ideas into societal impact, we encourage you to apply.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Practical information
English is the working language in our team, and a high level of professional proficiency in both written and spoken English is essential for this position. At the same time, Danish is the administrative and everyday language at SDU. If you do not speak Danish, you are expected to be willing to learn it. We value an inclusive, international environment and fully support language development. We will do our best to help you feel at home, both in the team and at SDU more broadly.

The External Relations Team is part of the Dean's office with around 45 colleagues including study-administration, communication, and accounting teams. The Faculty of Science consists of four departments: Biology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mathematics and Computer Science, and Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy. The faculty hosts 500 employees and 2000 students.

Contact Team Leader Mikkel Jørgensen (tel.: +45 20 65 85 52; e-mail: mikkelj@sdu.dk) for more information.
Expected job start is 1 May 2026 or soon thereafter.

Application, salary etc.
Salary and employment conditions are related to educational background and applicable collective agreements between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).

To be considered for this position, please fill out an online profile and attach the following documents:

• Cover letter  including information on previous employment with start and end dates 

• Resume (CV)

• Certificates, and if possible, a list of up to three references 

All documents in connection with the application should not contain CPR number (civil registration number) – in that case, the CPR number must be crossed out.
All attached files must be in Adobe PDF format. Cover letter and CV can contain max. 5 Mb.

We recommend that you read How to apply for a position at SDU before you apply.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.