Entrepreneurship

Paid internships

Paid internships at Wellington UniVentures, supported with sponsorship from KiwiNet, give a taste of research and technology commercialisation. Interns work alongside our commercialisation team and learn how to screen inventions, engage with industry, assist with developing promotional material for inventions and opportunities, promote the entrepreneurial culture within the University and generate new invention disclosures. Internships are full time, last six months and give invaluable work experience to support the pathway to a career in research commercialisation.

Our internship recruitment round typically starts in January/February with a view to enrol interns late February or March. Our interns are based in the Wellington office of Wellington UniVentures.

Thanks to the support of KiwiNet, we are able to offer a paid internship, providing the opportunity to learn more about research and technology commercialisation.

 Please note this position is currently filled but click here to be added to the list of interested candidates.

 

What would you be doing?

As an intern at Wellington UniVentures, you will work with the Intellectual Property Commercialisation team assessing technologies developed by Victoria University of Wellington’s world-class academics. This involves using our suite of industry-standard market intelligence & IP tools to gather and process the information needed for Wellington UniVentures to evaluate the new technologies and make investment decisions. You will also provide administrative support for our database of projects.Wellington UniVentures will also provide on-the-job training to foster excellent analyst skills and you will be exposed to patents/patent law, commercialisation methods, investment evaluations and a broad range of interesting technologies.KiwiNet will provide further opportunities through workshops and commercial mentoring, observing KiwiNet’s Investment Committee, and other investment and science forums.

What kind of person are we looking for?

We’re after someone with a scientific mind, who can wrap their head around new (and sometimes complicated) scientific and technological concepts quickly. A scientific or business background with a strong interest to foster skills at the intersect of these, critical thinking and problem solving skills are crucial. You need to be able to communicate science and relevant commercial information clearly and succinctly both orally and in written form. Knowledge of tikanga Māori, Pasifika perspectives and an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi are important. You will need to be an effective team player with a strong work ethic, enthusiasm, excellent time management skills and, most importantly, you need to be driven to get answers!

 

An Internship at Wellington UniVentures 

Intern Jack Clemens joined the Wellington UniVentures team on a six-month internship in April 2021. Having previously worked at AJ Park as a Patent Assistant, Jack aims to broaden his commercialisation knowledge and learn more about the different commercial outputs across industries.   

Jack studied his Bachelor’s in Biochemistry at the University of Canterbury before heading to the University of Auckland to gain his Master’s in Biotechnology. With a background in this field, learning about the commercialisation process and how to create impact from research was a natural fit for Jack. 

“This internship stood out to me because of the variety of work I would get to be involved in. Working at AJ Park I had a good understanding about IP and thought this role would complement the knowledge I already had. I was interested in learning more about the importance of market validation and working across different areas of research to learn about new technologies outside of the biotech space that I’m more familiar with,” Jack explained.  

Throughout his internship, Jack has shadowed General Manager Commercialisation, Hamish Findlay, helping him to better understand the role Wellington UniVentures plays and to develop business acumen. “My background is in research, so it has been great to join Hamish for meetings with researchers to see first-hand how to engage and communicate what support Wellington UniVentures can offer.” 

Most recently, Jack has been working with the analyst team, who assess the commercial potential of any discoveries or ideas that arise from research. Jack has become well-versed in the market validation process, particularly in the materials science space.  

Jack has enjoyed learning from different areas of the business and says that “it has been great to follow the full commercialisation process, working with scientists to develop an initial idea, right through to securing a deal.”  

Hamish Findlay shared: “We’re pleased to be able to offer this internship to those who are looking to grow their skills and knowledge in commercialisation. Having Jack join the team has been a really positive experience for the team too. We’ve welcomed Jack’s fresh perspective and enjoyed supporting him as he learns more about the processes and what we do at Wellington UniVentures” 

Experiencing the different areas of the organisation has helped Jack to better map out his future and he looks forward to staying in the commercialisation ecosystem. Jack hopes to hone in on his biotech background and guide researchers on their commercialisation journey.