Post Specification
Post Title:
Legal and Intellectual Property Counsel
Post Status:
Contract of Duration – 5 years (full time)
Department/Faculty:
Trinity Research & Innovation
Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin
Location:
O’Reilly Institute, Trinity College Dublin 2, Ireland
Reports to:
Contracts Manager, Trinity Research & Innovation
This appointment will be made on the Administrative 1
Salary:
(to the bar) salary scale (€55,196 - €68,476 per annum
range) at a point in line with Government pay policy
Closing Date:
12 noon on Friday, 10th April 2015
The successful candidate will be expected to take up post as soon as possible.
Post Summary
Applications are invited for the post of Legal and Intellectual Property Counsel within
Trinity Research & Innovation (TR&I), Contracts Office (CO).
candidate will report to the Contracts Manager.
The successful
S/he will draft, review and
negotiate contractual documentation on behalf of College in order to increase the
efficiency and effectiveness of our negotiations with external funders including
industry. This role is part of a Trinity strategy to grow our non-exchequer funding
and improve how we manage and implement our contracts with industry. In addition
the candidate will minimise any exposure and/or liability to College and Principal
Investigators and to also ensure internal College policies are adhered to and College
/ Schools / Principal Investigators are in a position to comply with same. S/he will
also assist the Contracts Manager and Director of TR&I in the implementation of key
projects, supervise staff and ensure the smooth running of the Office.
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Background to the Post
The Contracts Office is responsible for the review and execution of all funded
research contracts awarded to College. It plays a key role in enabling a positive and
mutually beneficial relationship with both exchequer and non-exchequer sources –in
particular industry. In addition it has the responsibility of managing potential
exposures and liabilities and ensuring College’s due diligence and compliance in
contractual matters. The Contracts Office negotiates terms and conditions to ensure
that any potential exposure and/or liability to College and Principal Investigator(s) is
limited, internal College policies are adhered to and College / Schools / Principal
Investigators are in a position to comply with same. In addition the Contracts Office
has a significant responsibility in meeting a key aspiration of Trinity of being an
excellent partner to do business with – both for industry and other academic
institutions. The successful candidate will be primarily responsible for the oversight
of contracts from non-Exchequer funding bodies e.g. Industry, Charities etc.
Furthermore it is expected that the candidate will when requested offer legal and IP
advice on all major research contracts entered into by the university.
Once a contractual document is received from a Sponsor and/or Principal
Investigator, it is reviewed and negotiated as quickly as possible for prompt
acceptance and signature ensuring sponsor deadlines are met and for quick
progression of documentation to the Financial Services Division for research account
set-up.
The successful candidate will join a strong Contracts Office team where s/he will
have primary responsibility for drafting, reviewing and negotiating contractual
documentation in respect of warranties, indemnities, liabilities, etc. The successful
candidate, as dictated by their experience, will also be required to review and
negotiate intellectual property (“IP”) terms and conditions. They will be supported in
this role by the Technology Transfer Office.
The successful candidate will be provided with opportunities to work with other
members within TR&I so as to become familiar with a wide range of duties, projects
and procedures. The candidate will also liaise with other College service providers
(e.g. Financial Services Division, Director of Buildings’ Office, Human Resources etc.)
to ensure that Principal Investigators are aware of the relevant offices to be
contacted and procedures to be followed in relation to contractual terms and
conditions e.g. insurance and ethical issues.
Further Information
Informal enquiries about this post should be made to Ms Mary Tracey, Contracts
Manager at traceym@tcd.ie
Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post
The main duties of the post will include:

Drafting, reviewing and negotiating contractual terms and conditions from
research funding bodies e.g. Industry, Charities, Government Bodies, European
Commission;

Negotiation and review of intellectual property terms in collaborative research
agreements;

Drafting and updating TCD template agreements (including research agreements,
collaboration agreements, subcontract agreements, etc.);

Issuing and negotiating TCD template agreements

Reviewing, negotiating and finalizing specific Sponsors’ Terms & Conditions;

Providing contractual and financial advice to Principal Investigators and
Administrators;

Ensuring contracts are signed and finalised on a timely basis so as to comply with
Sponsors’ deadlines;

Liaising with relevant College service providers, understanding the College’s
policies and requirements for involvement in research funding schemes and
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contracts, and ensuring such procedures as detailed by the College are adhered
to;

Preparing various Reports for distribution to the College community;

Preparing and delivering presentations at relevant Workshops/Courses;

Managing and administering any special initiatives that the College wishes to
have developed by the CO and as directed by the Contracts Manager and/or
Director of TR&I;

Supervising, training and supporting staff;

Representing College at external networking events;

Supporting the development of best in class processes for managing the
development, implementation and signing of contracts.

Supporting the management of relationships with internal and external
stakeholders.

Any other duties which arise from time to time as directed by the Contracts
Manager or Director of TR&I.
Person Specification
Qualifications
 Candidates for this post should have a professional legal qualification
(Solicitor/Barrister) and a formal IP qualification would also be advantageous.

Candidates should also have at least 5 years’ experience acting in a defined
legal role within contractual negotiations, and have participated in the
negotiation of intellectual property agreements.

The ideal candidate will have direct experience of working in an company
environment or working in an environment with both university and industry
clients.
Knowledge & Experience (Essential & Desirable)
The job holder should have the following knowledge and experience:

5 years’ experience in drafting, reviewing and negotiating multi-party contractual
documentation including intellectual property elements is essential;

5 years’ experience in face-to-face negotiation of terms with industry.

Significant experience of Funding Bodies’ Terms and Conditions and negotiation
of same is essential;

Exceptional communication and presentation skills – both verbal and written is
essential;

Knowledge of the National intellectual property protocols;

Knowledge and experience of international best practice in collaborative
research agreements including intellectual property, warranties and liabilities;

A strong understanding of the academic and industrial research landscape in
Ireland is desirable;

A good understanding of the research funding environment in Ireland, Europe
and further afield is desirable.
Skills & Competencies
 Communication skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills

Analytical ability: excellent analytical skills (including proofreading skills) are
required.

Extensive I.T. skills: e.g. MS Office suite. Ability to continuously upgrade IT
competence is a requisite. European Computer Driving License (ECDL)
advantageous or display evidence of a high level of competency in Microsoft
Office, in particular Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Outlook.

Team worker: Ability to work effectively as part of a team – tolerant, cordial
and willing to help others, shares work and information; establishes rapport
with others.
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
Financial and Budget skills: Demonstrate proven ability in developing and
maintaining budgets, provide summary reports of expenditure as required,
using Excel.

Organisational Ability: Excellent organisational and task management skills
together with the ability to work on a number of tasks simultaneously. Have
the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines; be capable of working on
own initiative and work under time constraints; Ability to develop creative
solutions to multi-faceted problems.

Conscientious: Have a pro-active approach to work, anticipating and
resolving problems in advance; Attention to detail - from anticipating and
addressing issues in advance to understanding requests and delivering quality
work with minimal errors.

Flexibility: can operate flexibly within a busy environment; can shift focus
when required. Be enthusiastic, flexible and willing to work beyond normal
office hours when a need arises.

Customer Focus: customer service skills are essential. The RDO and CO seek
to facilitate researchers in the very best way they can; Can operate effectively
as part of a team – is cordial and willing to help others, is co-operative and
patient; shares work and information; establishes rapport, can influence and
develop effective networks; Demonstrate emotional intelligence and
communicate with a high level of initiative, tact, diplomacy and
confidentiality.

Motivated: Displays a ‘can-do’ attitude, is committed to the office and wishes
to contribute to its development; A clear demonstration of enthusiasm and
passion for the role.
Application Information
In order to assist the selection process, candidates should submit a Curriculum Vitae
and a Cover Letter (1x A4 page) that specifically address the following points in their
application.
1. Candidates must demonstrate a track record of drafting, reviewing and
negotiating research contractual documentation inclusive of Intellectual Property
terms. Applicants should clearly address this experience and how they obtained
their knowledge in their application.
2. Give an example of a working process that they changed or improved, the impact
of that change and any key learnings from the experience.
3. Illustrate, through past example, their ability to work on their own initiative and
resolve problems.
Note:

Please note: Candidates who do not address the application requirements above
in their cover letter will not be considered at the short list stage.

Candidates should note that the interview process for this appointment may
include a test of practical skills.
Trinity Research & Innovation Snapshot
Trinity Research & Innovation has four sections which work closely together with the
Dean of Research and the Office is located in the Innovation Centre, O’Reilly Institute
& the Enterprise Centre.
The Research Development Office enables and facilitates Trinity’s academics to
compete for national and international research funds. All applications from Trinity
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must be signed off by this office before submission to the funding agency. More
information on the Research Development Office is given below:
The Contracts Office reviews and negotiates all terms (apart from IP) of all funding
contracts, and arranges signature of same on behalf of College.
The Technology Transfer Office is responsible for all intellectual property (IP)
matters, including negotiation and signature of IP Agreements, NDAs; materials
transfer agreements etc., patenting and also the management of interactions with
industry.
The Entrepreneurship Section is based in the Enterprise Centre, Pearse Street, and
provides training and support for all potential entrepreneurs through the
Entrepreneurship Programme and the MBA Workout.
Please consult the TR&I website for further information about both Research
funding Innovation-related supports and the Entrepreneurship training programme http://www.tcd.ie/research_innovation/
Research Development Office in more detail:
The Mission of the Research Development Office

To maximise the amount of Research Funding into the College in a balanced and
sustainable way;

To aid in the strategic development and implementation of research, research
policy and research systems in the College and the SSTI.
Responsibilities

Analyse international research trends, disseminate and utilise this information as
appropriate to update our research participation strategy;

Lobby appropriate groups (e.g. Government, EC, sponsors) to ensure best
possible condition for College’s participation in external funding schemes.

Develop and implement strategies for participation in major funding
programmes e.g., Horizon 2020;

Aid in the development and implementation of Trinity’s research strategy;

Participate in the implementation and continued development of research
support systems such as Research Proposals and Award Management System
(RPAMs);

Enable the development of research networks and groupings within College and
beyond;

Assist in putting together reports and responses to external queries, surveys or
produce reports/newsletters on research in the University;

Representing Trinity at external meetings (EU, IBEC, Government, IUA, EARMA
etc.) where appropriate;

Source Research sponsors and opportunities – checking risk content and interest
for the University;

Disseminate information on external research funding opportunities and assist
researchers with funding submissions in order to ensure compliance with
processes and requirements;

Endorse all external research funding applications by college researchers on
behalf of Trinity;

Coordinate research institutional submissions;

Provision of Secretariat for the College’s Research Committee (and any other
working groups or subcommittees as directed by the Research Committee) and
management of any internal research funding schemes/processes on their
behalf;
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The main services provided to researchers in the College are:

Alerting service - providing information on funding opportunities, internal
procedures and deadlines through its Research Focus e-bulletin and Research
Development Office web site

Advising researchers on external research funding for projects and assisting
researchers with funding submissions in order to ensure compliance with both
agency and Trinity’s internal processes and requirements.

the endorsement of all external research funding proposals by Trinity researchers
on behalf of Trinity College Dublin

maintaining the contract researcher salary scales for use in determining costs
associated with certain fixed-term appointments

Provision of information events for researchers/centres/schools on various
aspects of external research funding

Coordination of the research institutional submission to the Higher Education
Authority’s Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI).
Contracts Office in more detail:
The Mission of the Contracts Office

Review and execute all pure research funded contracts, from the perspective
of financial exposures and liability thereby ensuring Trinity’s due diligence
and compliance in contractual matters.
Responsibilities & Services

Advising and reporting to the Director of Trinity Research & Innovation on all
issues relating to research-related contracts;

Drafting and negotiation of research-related contracts;

Review and approval of specific research sponsor terms & conditions;

Liaising with the Academic College community in respect of contractual and
contract related financial/budgetary issues;

Liaising with other Administration sections within Trinity on contractual and
contract related financial issues;

The preparation of ad hoc reports as required by the University community;

Preparation and delivery of presentations at various workshops/courses
associated with research-related contracts awarded to college;

Ensuring research-related contracts are signed on a timely basis with no
administrative delays.
RPAMS
The Research Proposals and Awards Management System (RPAMS) is a newly
developed system that manages the workflow of data from research grant
applications through to the contract negotiation and sign-off. The system contains
data such as value of applications, success rates, value of awards, breakdown of
applications and awards by sponsor, by country, by school. This data is used to make
both tactical and strategic decisions on where to target applications so as to
optimize the awards, identify trends in applications and awards etc. The RPAMS
system will be fully accessible by Schools and use of the data will enable them to
strategically develop their own research portfolios.

More information on TR&I can be obtained from the following web site, (please
note this site is being updated):
http://www.tcd.ie/Research/ and http://www.tcd.ie/research_innovation/research/
Trinity College Dublin
Founded in 1592, Trinity is at the nexus of tradition and innovation, offering
undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across 24 schools and three faculties:
arts, humanities, and social sciences; engineering, maths and science; and health
sciences. Spread across 47 acres in Dublin’s city centre, Trinity’s 17,000-strong
student body comes from all 32 counties of Ireland, and 16% of students come from
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outside the country. Of those, 40% are from outside the European Union, making
Trinity’s campus cosmopolitan and bustling, with a focus on diversity.
As Ireland’s leading university, the pursuit of academic excellence through research
and scholarship is at the heart of the Trinity education. Trinity is known for
intellectual rigour, excellence, interdisciplinarity, and research-led teaching. Home to
Nobel prize-winners such as scientist Ernest Walton and writer Samuel Beckett,
Trinity draws visitors from across the world to its historic campus each year,
including to the Book of Kells and Science Gallery which capture the university’s
connection to both old and new.
Trinity accounts for one-fifth of all spin-out companies from Irish higher education
institutions, helping to turn Ireland into an innovation-intensive, high-productivity
economy. That culture of innovation and entrepreneurship is a defining
characteristic of our campus as we help shape the next generation of job creators.
Trinity has developed significant strength in a broad range of research areas,
including the 19 broadly based multi-disciplinary thematic research areas.
Ireland’s first purpose-built nanoscience research institute, CRANN, houses 150
scientists, technicians and graduate students in specialised laboratory facilities.
Meanwhile, the state-of-the-art Biomedical Sciences Institute is carrying out
breakthrough research in areas such has immunology, cancer and medical devices.
The Old Library, which houses the Long Room in Trinity, is the largest research library
in Ireland, with a collection of six million printed items, 500,000 maps, 80,000
electronic journals, and 350,000 electronic books. Some of the world’s most famous
scholars are graduates of Trinity, including writer Jonathan Swift, dramatist Oscar
Wilde, philosopher George Berkeley, and political philosopher, and political theorist
Edmund Burke. Three Trinity graduates have become Presidents of Ireland - Douglas
Hyde, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese.
Trinity is the highest ranked university in Ireland, and among the world’s leading
higher education institutions.
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Trinity College Dublin World University Rankings
Overall
•
Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s No.1 University (QS World University
Ranking, THE World University Ranking, Academic Ranking of World
Universities (Shanghai).
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked 71st in the World and 21st in Europe in the
2013/2014 QS World University Ranking across all indicators.
Internationalisation
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked 30th in the World in the Times Higher
Education Top 100 Most International Universities.
•
Trinity College Dublin is 46th in the World in the QS World University Ranking
2013/2014 in terms of International Faculty.
Research Performance
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked in the top 70 universities in the world in the
Times Higher Education Ranking of World Universities in terms of overall
research and in the top 75 universities in the world in terms of citations
(research impact).
•
Trinity College Dublin is 80th in the World and 27th in Europe in the 2014
Leiden University Ranking of World Universities based on research
performance alone.
•
Trinity College Dublin ranks in the top 1% of research institutions in the world
in the following 17 fields (an increase of over 150% from 2004): Physics,
Chemistry, Engineering, Social Sciences (General), Immunology,
Neurosciences, Nanosciences, Materials Science, Pharmacy & Toxicology,
Molecular Biology & Genetics, Biology & Biochemistry, Microbiology, Plant
and Animal Science, Clinical Medicine, Agriculture, Psychiatry/Psychology,
Environment/Ecology.
Subject Rankings (high level)/QS Faculty Rankings 2014*

In the QS Faculty Rankings 2014, Trinity College Dublin is ranked 63rd in the
world in Arts and Humanities.

In the QS Faculty Rankings 2014, Trinity College Dublin is ranked in the world
top 100 universities in Life Sciences and Medicine (in 69th place).

In the QS Faculty Rankings 2014, Trinity College Dublin is ranked in the world
top 100 universities in Social Sciences and Management (in 89th place).
Subject Rankings (QS 2014)**
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) features in the world's elite (Top 200) institutions in 23
of the 30 subjects featured the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2014.
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked 25th in the world in English Language &
Literature.
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked 42nd in the world in Modern Languages.
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked 46th in the world in Politics & International
Studies.
•
Trinity College Dublin is ranked 48th in the world in History.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Accounting & Finance.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Biological Sciences.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Economics & Econometrics.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Geography.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Law.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Medicine.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Pharmacy & Pharmacology.
•
Trinity College Dublin is in the World Top 100 in Psychology.
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* QS ‘Faculty’ Rankings 2014: http://www.topuniversities.com/faculty-rankings
** QS Subject Rankings 2014: http://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings
The Selection Process in Trinity

The Selection Committee (Interview Panel) will include members of the
Academic community together with an External Assessor who is an expert
in the area.

Applications will be acknowledged by email. If you do not have
confirmation of receipt within 1 day of submitting your application online,
please get in touch with us immediately and prior to the closing
date/time.

Given the degree of co-ordination and planning to have a Selection
Committee available on the specified date, the College regrets that it may
not be in a position to offer alternate selection dates. Where candidates
are unavailable, reserves may be drawn from a shortlist.

Outcomes of interviews are notified in writing to candidates and are
issued no later than 5 working days following the selection day.

In some instances the Selection Committee may avail of telephone or
video conferencing.

The College’s selection methods may consist of any or all of the following:

Interviews

Presentations

Psychometric Testing

References


Situational Exercises
It is the policy of the College to conduct pre-employment medical
screening/full pre-employment medicals.

Information supplied by candidates in their application (Cover Letter and
CV) will be used to shortlist for interview.
Equal Opportunities Policy
Trinity College Dublin is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to
the employment policies, procedures and practices which do not discriminate
on grounds such as gender, civil status, family status, age, disability, race,
religious belief, sexual orientation or membership of the travelling
community.
Pension Entitlements
This is a pensionable position and the provisions of the Public Service
Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 will apply in relation to
retirement age for pension purposes. Details of the relevant Pension Scheme will be
provided to the successful applicant.
Applicants should note that they will be required to complete a Pre-Employment
Declaration to confirm whether or not they have previously availed of an Irish Public
Service Scheme of incentivised early retirement or enhanced redundancy payment.
Applicants will also be required to declare any entitlements to a Public Service
pension benefit (in payment or preserved) from any other Irish Public Service
employment.
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Applicants formerly employed by the Irish Public Service that may previously have
availed of an Irish Public Service Scheme of Incentivised early retirement or
enhanced redundancy payment should ensure that they are not precluded from reengagement in the Irish Public Service under the terms of such Schemes. Such
queries should be directed to an applicant’s former Irish Public Service Employer in
the first instance.
Application Procedure
Candidates should submit a full curriculum vitae to include the names and contact
details of 3 referees (email addresses if possible) together with a cover letter and 1x
A4 page that specifically address the application procedure set out above by eRecruitment:
APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED BY E-RECRUITMENT
If you have any query regarding this, please contact:
Ms. Siobhan O’Shea, Recruitment Officer, Human Resources, House No. 4, Trinity
College Dublin
Tel: +353 1 896 3327
Email: osheas3@tcd.ie