Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Assistant

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Assistant 

Legal & Intellectual Property Rights Team 
Grade: UKRI Pay Band C
Salary: £29,923 per annum 
A great benefits package is offered including an outstanding pension scheme (with an extremely generous employer contribution – on average 27% of your pay), 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full-time – 37 hours a week (some flexible working options may be available including a small amount of hybrid/remote working according to BGS policy.)
Location: BGS headquarters in Keyworth in Nottingham
Closing date: 6 April 2025
 
About the role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Officer to join the BGS IPR & Legal Services Team in Keyworth, Nottingham.

This is a great opportunity to develop your legal skills within the area of Intellectual Property Rights in an established legal department. 

This role will successfully build on any prior knowledge particularly focused on Copyright within academic and commercial operations and contractual interpretation of IPR clauses.
 
Key duties and responsibilities

• Carry out IPR reviews of BGS outputs to establish if the correct IPR permissions / approvals are in place for publication
• Communicating clearly to colleagues any actions required to ensure their outputs satisfy Intellectual Property Rights law, with a particular focus on Copyright
• Review and interpret contractual / written agreements, to establish IPR ownership and publication rights related to works generated under project agreements and contracts
• Reviewing publication licences ensuring they adhere to the relevant BGS / UKRI policies
• Being the point of contact for IPR related queries, both internal and external in nature.

About you

Candidates should ideally be educated to degree level, or A-Level standard with a good level of equivalent relevant work and/or subject experience. We are looking for someone who has a keen interest in developing legal knowledge and develop themselves within the team.

The post is likely to include some occasional travel within the UK, so the ability and a willingness to travel would be desirable.

The following specific essential and desirable skills criteria for this post will be assessed at shortlist (S) stage, interview (I) stage, or both (S&I).

Essential

• A-Levels or equivalent, with a good level of relevant work and/or subject experience (S&I)
• Experience in an office environment and of working as part of a team (S&I)
• Experience dealing with complex problems and providing practical advice/options (S)
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint (S)
• Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills with good attention to detail (S&I)
• Logical and methodical in their approach (S&I)
• Able to engage stakeholders in the implementation of revised procedures and documents (S&I)
• Demonstrates an interest in the work of BGS and UKRI (I)
• You will be committed to a diverse and inclusive approach to work in the geosciences (S&I)

Desirable

• Degree in Law or similar subjects (S)
• A background in a legal environment/some legal training (S&I)
• Some knowledge of Intellectual Property Rights with a focus on Copyright (S&I)

About us

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is an applied geoscience research centre that belongs to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is affiliated to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It is a world leading geological survey whose core mission is to advise government of science related to the subsurface and to undertake applied research to solve earth and environmental issues, both in the UK and globally. It is funded directly by UKRI, as well as through research grants and private sector contracts.
 
We strive to promote equality and diversity across our organisation in order to continuously improve our scientific and organisational efficiency.  As such, we aim to have a workforce with employees from all backgrounds with people who are passionate about earth science and who share our dedication to work for the good of the environment and the benefit of society. BGS became a signatory of the Technician Commitment in July 2022. 
 
How to apply

Applicants are required to include a CV and covering letter outlining their suitability for the role. We would stress the importance of this paperwork in our selection process.
 
A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV.
 
If you experience any issues applying for this role, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org.
 
The closing date for receipt of applications is 6 April 2025.  Interviews are expected to be held in mid to late April in Nottingham.