The federal government flagship Entrepreneurs Programme national delivery partners have kicked off a hiring spree, seeking to fill 37 different commercialisation and ‘innovation connection’ positions across all states and territories.
Newly established i4 Connect, which was awarded a $30.3 million contract to run a national network of advisors to the Accelerating Commercialisation program, has advertised to fill 24 commercialisation facilitator positions across the country.
The CSIRO, which won a contract worth $17 million to run the Industry Connect component of the Entrepreneurs programme has posted job advertisements to fill 14 positions nationwide.
Both organisations are advertising now in order to fill positions ahead of the July start date for the new Entrepreneur Programme contracts.
I4 Connect is looking to fill three levels of Commercialisation Facilitator executive positions attracting salaries of $90,000 to $240,000.
The company, which was established by a team of three experienced defence and industry specialists specifically to bid for the Commercialisation Delivery Partner contract, looking for “experienced commercialisation specialists with founder, entrepreneur and innovation experience” to deliver support for Australian SME’s.
At its highest level, i4 Connect is looking to employ Commercialisation Facilitator State and Sector Leads, who would run teams in each state of facilitators and associate facilitators “to improve the growth, innovation and commercialisation capabilities of Australian startups, entrepreneurs and innovators.”
I4 Connect chief executive Norm Jenkins has told InnovationAus last week that while the company wanted to test the market to refresh the roster of facilitators across the country, those with existing jobs under the old scheme were invited to re-apply to the program.
Mr Jenkins said the company would introduce a greater degree of age, gender, culture and industry background among the team he is putting together.
The 24 iConnect positions cover capital cities across states and territories, but also includes positions in regional centres such as Wollongong, Newcastle, Whyalla, Geelong and Townsville.
The CSIRO meanwhile is seeking to fill 14 business development roles across 14 locations nationwide to deliver the Innovation Connections component of the Entrepreneurs Programme working within CSIRO’s SME Connect team, whose objective is to drive engagement and linkages between Australian SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises) and research organisations.
The CSIRO Innovation Connections facilitators will undertake business development activities to “identify Australian companies seeking to utilise research to grow and generate wealth.”
The facilitators have three principal roles – to identify research that would benefit a business; to facilitate the engagement between the companies and the research sector; and to support applications for Innovation Connections grants for company-led R&D projects with institutional research organisations like the CSIRO and universities.
The CSIRO is offering “attractive” remuneration packages that includes a generous car allowance and 15.5 per cent superannuation.
Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.