The posting
The Technology Development & Commercialisation (TD&C) Office at National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) drives the translation of cancer-focused research and innovation into healthcare solutions that improve patient outcomes and create societal and economic impact. NCCS has established strengths in translational cancer research, precision oncology, molecular diagnostics, digital health, artificial intelligence, data science, cell and gene therapy, and novel therapeutics. The TD&C Office plays a pivotal role in advancing these innovations from discovery through development, clinical validation, commercialisation, and adoption.
As NCCS continues to expand its research, innovation, and industry engagement activities, the TD&C Office works closely with clinician-scientists, researchers, healthcare professionals, industry partners, investors, government agencies, and ecosystem stakeholders to develop strategic partnerships, secure translational funding, accelerate technology development, facilitate commercialisation, and support venture creation.
The Manager / Senior Manager will be responsible for advancing NCCS's technology development and commercialisation agenda, with a focus on technology assessment, translational development, industry partnership development, commercialisation strategy, venture creation, and innovation programme development. The incumbent will also support governance, conflict-of-interest (COI) management, contract review, and process improvement initiatives to ensure effective and compliant innovation and commercialisation operations.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Technology Assessment, Development and Translation
- Identify and evaluate innovative technologies arising from NCCS research programmes, including diagnostics, biomarkers, digital health solutions, AI-enabled technologies, medical devices, cell and gene therapies, and novel therapeutics.
- Assess clinical need, technical feasibility, intellectual property position, regulatory requirements, market opportunity, competitive landscape, and commercial potential of emerging technologies.
- Work closely with clinician-scientists and researchers to develop technology development plans and translational pathways from discovery through validation, clinical adoption, and commercialisation.
- Support technology maturation activities, including proof-of-concept studies, validation programmes, translational funding applications, product development planning, and industry partnering initiatives.
- Monitor technology portfolios and track progress against development, commercialisation, and impact milestones.
2. Industry Partnerships and Business Development
- Develop and manage strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics, medical technology, digital health, and artificial intelligence companies.
- Identify opportunities for industry-sponsored research, co-development projects, validation studies, licensing partnerships, and strategic collaborations.
- Lead the development of collaborative programmes under national translational and innovation funding schemes, including Industry Alignment Fund – Industry Collaboration Projects (IAF-ICP) and other relevant initiatives. Prepare business cases, partnership proposals, and strategic initiatives that align with NCCS’s research strengths and institutional priorities.
- Build and maintain strong relationships across Singapore’s biomedical innovation ecosystem, including healthcare institutions, government agencies, investors, venture builders, and research organisations.
- Represent NCCS at industry meetings, scientific conferences, partnering events, and stakeholder engagement activities.
3. Commercialisation and Venture Development
- Develop and execute commercialisation strategies for research innovations through licensing, industry partnerships, startup formation, and venture creation.
- Perform market assessments, competitive analyses, business model evaluations, and go-to-market planning activities.
- Identify and engage potential commercial partners, investors, venture capital firms, and venture-building organisations.
- Support transaction activities, including due diligence, licensing negotiations, commercial evaluations, and partnership structuring.
- Facilitate the establishment and growth of spin-off companies arising from NCCS technologies where appropriate.
4. Intellectual Property and Commercial Strategy
- Work closely with the SingHealth Intellectual Property Office and relevant stakeholders on invention disclosures, patent strategy, IP portfolio management, and technology commercialisation planning.
- Support invention assessments, technology prioritisation, and portfolio review activities.
- Provide strategic recommendations on IP positioning, freedom-to-operate considerations, partnership structures, licensing approaches, and value-creation opportunities.
- Contribute to the development of commercialisation roadmaps and technology-specific business strategies.
5. Governance, Compliance and Contract Management
- Support the review, negotiation, and management of research, innovation, and commercial agreements, including: Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Research Collaboration Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Data Sharing Agreements, Licensing Agreements, Commercial Service Agreements.
- Coordinate conflict-of-interest reviews relating to industry collaborations, startup activities, consulting engagements, and commercialisation projects.
- Ensure compliance with NCCS, SingHealth, regulatory, funding agency, and institutional governance requirements. Develop and implement policies, standard operating procedures, and process improvements to support innovation and commercialisation activities.
- Maintain systems for tracking, reporting, and managing commercialisation and partnership activities.
6. Strategic and Institutional Initiatives
- Prepare management papers, commercialisation plans, investment proposals, funding applications, business cases, and strategic reports.
- Support institutional initiatives relating to innovation, technology translation, entrepreneurship, venture creation, and industry engagement.
- Contribute to translational research programmes and strategic initiatives that strengthen NCCS’s innovation and commercialisation capabilities.
- Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the Director, Technology Development & Commercialisation and NCCS leadership.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmacy, Medicine, Business, Technology Management, or related discipline, OR
- A Master's degree, MBA, PhD, or postgraduate qualification in innovation, entrepreneurship, commercialisation, technology management, or a related field will be advantageous.
For Manager position
- At least 5 years of relevant experience in technology commercialisation, business development, technology transfer, innovation management, venture building, healthcare innovation, management consulting, or related fields.
For Senior Manager position
- At least 8 years of relevant experience with demonstrated leadership in technology development, commercialisation, strategic partnerships, or venture creation initiatives.
- Demonstrated track record in leading complex commercialisation initiatives, industry collaborations, translational programmes, or strategic partnerships.
Knowledge and Competencies
- Strong understanding of technology development, translational research, commercialisation, innovation management, and venture creation processes.
- Experience in evaluating healthcare technologies and developing commercialisation, market-entry, and partnering strategies.
- Familiarity with oncology innovation domains, including precision medicine, biomarkers, molecular diagnostics, digital pathology, therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, AI, and computational oncology.
- Working knowledge of intellectual property management, licensing, and technology transfer practices.
- Experience in building and managing strategic partnerships involving industry, government agencies, research institutions, investors, and healthcare stakeholders.
- Familiarity with startup formation, venture building, fundraising processes, and innovation ecosystems. Working knowledge of contract review, commercial negotiations, governance processes, and conflict-of-interest management.
- Strong analytical, financial, business evaluation, and project management skills.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, relationship management, and negotiation skills.
Personal Attributes
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for translating research into healthcare impact.
- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and commercial awareness.
- Resourceful, proactive, and results-oriented.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with clinician-scientists, researchers, industry leaders, investors, and government stakeholders.
- Ability to influence and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
- Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
- High level of professionalism, integrity, and sound judgement.
Preferred Experience
- Experience in oncology, precision medicine, diagnostics, therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, medical technology, digital health, artificial intelligence, or translational medicine.
- Experience in Academic Medical Centres, research institutes, healthcare organisations, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, or venture-building environments.
- Experience developing programmes under public-private partnerships, translational research initiatives, or innovation funding schemes such as IAF-ICP.
- Experience supporting spin-offs, startup formation, incubator programmes, accelerator programmes, or venture creation activities.
- Experience reviewing and negotiating research, commercialisation, licensing, collaboration, or investment-related agreements.
- Familiarity with Singapore’s biomedical innovation ecosystem, including A*STAR, NMRC, NRF, Enterprise Singapore, and related translational funding programmes.
- Familiarity with regulatory frameworks relevant to diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, and digital health technologies, including HSA, FDA, CE Marking, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), ISO 13485, ISO 15189, and Health Care Services Act (HCSA) requirements.
