Overall purpose:
Research Governance: Researchers in the MRC LMS are responsible for the ethical conduct of their research, for the safety of all those involved, and for the probity of financial management, including an obligation to provide optimum value for the funds invested. The Senior Research Governance and Contracts Manager works with the Head of Operations, Head of Health and Safety and Laboratory Services and Research Manager, in ensuring that:
1. Research undertaken by or through the LMS demonstrates best practice in relation to both internal and external research ethics, integrity and governance requirements
2. the LMS is equipped to meet its research ethics, integrity and governance requirements through the development of sound research ethics and integrity policies, guidelines and procedures
3. the LMS promotes a positive and ethical research culture
Research Contracts: Most of the research groups attract external funding from a variety of sources, and/or engage in collaborative research, exchange materials or data, or undertake studies requiring ethical approval. All such activities bring a need for formal contracts and agreements, which serve both to facilitate the research, and to protect the interests of the MRC/ Imperial College London and the research staff.
The key responsibilities are to support:
Research Governance:
Research regulatory requirements and compliance, including preparation for audits by regulatory authorities eg HTA
4. Developing, implementing and maintaining policies and procedures to meet legal and best practice standards, including corrective actions from regulatory authority audits and research data governance
5. Member of the LMS Research Governance Committee and assisting in coordinating the LMS Research Governance Committee
6. The collection of annual Research Governance returns from Group Heads (with the Head of Health and Safety and Laboratory Services) and identification of any future governance requirements eg HTA
7. Continuous quality improvement across all aspects of research governance, including staying up to date with best practice across the sector
8. Implement UKRI Trusted Research and Innovation principles where they apply to the role (with the LMS Research Manager)
9. Management of research governance web and intranet pages ensuring content and guidance is up to date
10. Provide assistance on a variety of other ethics and safety matters, such as those relating to research with animals, institutional biosafety, export controls and others as required
11. To refine, and where appropriate, develop, new operational procedures for the Research Governance Committee to facilitate more effective and efficient operations
12. With the Head of Health and Safety and Laboratory Services, attend PGR Induction days to ensure that ethics procedures are communicated and understood by PGR students
13. Work with the UKRI Data Protection Officer and colleagues in Legal Services and Information Security and Digital Systems to ensure that researchers have clear guidance on data management plans and their obligations to participants and funding agencies in this regard (with the LMS Research Manager)
14. Support researchers in developing research ethics applications and work with relevant colleagues to consider how data management planning will be incorporated into Ethics procedures and governance
15. Research and source appropriate good practice on academic ethics and research governance from other universities and in relation to NHS Ethics (NRES and IRAS), NHS Trust R&D approval
16. Management of research governance and contracts web and intranet pages ensuring content and guidance is up to date
Research Contracts:
17. Development and implementation of research contracts and agreements, technology transfer, industrial collaborations, strategic partnerships and external funding applications
18. Collaborative working with industry
19. Identification of due diligence and contractual issues associated with the transfer into or out of LMS of individual research leaders/groups
20. Lead for the compliance with annual DASIC (Director’s Annual Statement of Internal Control, collecting information in order to draft the submission, and ensuring mitigations for areas of non-compliance are implemented
21. Negotiations of research contracts and agreements for the LMS involving balancing competing interests such as: protecting academic freedom to operate (use of results and intellectual property, publication); maximising the opportunities for translation and knowledge transfer, and where possible exploitation, while protecting MRC and/or Imperial IP; funder’s/sponsor’s terms and conditions; ensuring confidentiality; managing risk through negotiation of warranties, liabilities and indemnities; ensuring compliance with MRC policies, procedures and best practice; recording research governance arrangements, requiring a good knowledge of applicable legislation and guidance and explaining how these apply to the research being proposed
22. Manage historical LMS contracts with MRC as a legacy body
23. Undertaking contract due diligence, drafting and negotiations for Material Transfer agreements, Confidentiality agreements, Collaboration agreements, Commercial agreements and strategic partnerships
24. Promotion of all aspects of the contracts service; seeking to raise awareness of possibilities for external funding, collaborations, exploitation and requirements to ensure adequate protection of MRC’s interests
25. Build a strong understanding of the research portfolio in the LMS, to take a proactive role in assisting with the identification and promotion of opportunities for technology transfer, including the requirement for due diligence in the evaluation and protection of intellectual property. This requires a good knowledge of the various forms of intellectual property rights common to a research environment. It will involve close working with the LMS Entrepreneur in Residence, LifeArc and Imperial Innovations
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Education / Qualifications / Training required (will be assessed from the application form and at the interview):
Essential:
26. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant area
Desirable:
27. Postgraduate degree or equivalent research experience in biological/ biomedical sciences
Previous work experience required (will be assessed the from the application and at the interview):
Essential:
28. Extensive experience of drafting, negotiating and management of relevant contracts and agreements (several years’ experience)
29. Relevant experience of research governance ideally in an academic setting
30. Relevant experience of statutory and regulatory compliance in health research, ideally in an academic and publicly funded setting
31. Experience of working in a research Laboratory environment within a university or research setting
32. Experience of developing policies and guidance
33. Experience of preparing applications for NHS Research Ethics Committee approval (mandatory for scientific projects with animals or humans)
34. Extensive knowledge/experience of/exposure to intellectual property management
Desirable:
35. Extensive contract drafting and management in a scientific research environment
36. Knowledge of University research administration procedures
37. Experience of monitoring/ auditing research to identify opportunities to improve compliance
Knowledge and experience (will be assessed from the application and at the interview):
Essential:
38. Excellent knowledge and understanding of research governance and research ethics in a UK research context
39. Experience of preparing proposals and papers for governance panels and/ or regulatory body assessments
40. Experience of contributing to and implementing quality assurance procedures
41. Highly developed communication skills – both written and verbal – to convey complex contractual and compliance requirements in a manner that is understood and facilitated decision making
Desirable:
42. Knowledge of University research administration procedures
43. Experience of preparing applications for NHS REC approval
44. Experience of monitoring/ auditing research
45. Knowledge/experience of/exposure to intellectual property management
Personal skills / behaviours / qualities (will be assessed at the interview):
Essential:
46. Ability to work independently to develop processes and implementation plans
47. Highly developed interpersonal skills, elicit confidence and able to command respect as a trusted advisor on research governance across the LMS
48. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and to lead a team/projects as required to achieve outcomes for the LMS
49. Flexible and adaptable approach, capable of planning, prioritising and delivering on a multitude of tasks in a fast-paced environment
50. Appreciative of the culture of the LMS and the MRC
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