At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
The Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute at UBC (Blusson QMI) is a world-leading venture advancing research into solid-state systems and phenomena that explicitly involve quantum mechanics. Blusson QMI operates the Advanced Nanofabrication Facility (ANF) and offers broader research services and expertise to both UBC academic researchers and external industrial partners on a fee-for-service basis.
The Business Development Manager is a dedicated professional responsible for driving revenue growth and expanding commercial utilisation of Blusson QMI’s nanofabrication and research services. This role focuses on increasing paid usage of the Institute’s services while building and strengthening the quantum innovation ecosystem across UBC, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canada. The position will support Blusson QMI’s strategic shift toward a sustainable industry-service model by growing commercial partnerships and positioning the Institute as a preferred partner for quantum, photonics, semiconductor, advanced-materials, and dual-use defence and security companies.
This is a term position located at the UBC Vancouver Campus in Vancouver, BC, Canada, with an anticipated end date of March 31, 2028. The compensation range for this role is $7,622.83 - $11,886.67 CAD Monthly.
Key Responsibilities
The Business Development Manager will lead all industry engagement and commercial growth activities for Blusson QMI’s nanofabrication and research services, with a primary focus on revenue generation, client acquisition, and ecosystem development. This includes developing and executing comprehensive business development strategies to significantly increase revenue and utilisation through proactive outreach to potential industrial clients in quantum technologies, photonics, semiconductors, advanced materials, and defence and security sectors.
The role acts as the primary point of accountability for industry engagement and client acquisition, managing lead generation, relationship building, contract negotiation, and ongoing account management to foster repeat business and long-term partnerships. This involves identifying, qualifying, and securing new fee-for-service contracts and commercial partnerships with external clients, including dual-use defence and national security opportunities, and preparing proposals, responses to RFQs, and negotiating agreements.
Responsibilities also encompass the full lifecycle management of all fee-for-service contracts, including creation, tracking, renewal, compliance monitoring, and timely amendments. The manager will oversee invoicing, payment tracking, and reconciliation processes in close collaboration with Blusson QMI finance and administrative teams. Furthermore, the role involves proactively identifying relevant grant opportunities, such as federal, provincial, industry-sponsored, and defence innovation programs like IDEaS, and matching them with appropriate Blusson QMI Principal Investigators and research projects.
The Business Development Manager will manage Blusson QMI’s participation in the NRC IRAP Contributions to Organisations (CtO) program for SMEs and actively build a strong pipeline of commercial opportunities through networking, conference attendance, and engagement with key stakeholders. This position serves as the senior industry-facing representative for Blusson QMI’s services, presenting clear value propositions to external stakeholders, and building and strengthening the broader quantum ecosystem across Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canada by developing relationships with partners such as Quantum Industry Canada, NRC-IRAP, MITACS, DRDC, and other initiatives.
Additional duties include planning, organising, and managing high-value industry events, workshops, seminars, and networking sessions to promote Blusson QMI’s capabilities and generate new leads. The manager will design and implement marketing and promotional strategies, working closely with Blusson QMI’s Manager, Communications & Partnerships to ensure alignment. The role also requires tracking key performance metrics and delivering regular financial and operational reports to leadership, setting and achieving ambitious commercial growth targets.
What You'll Bring
Candidates must possess an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline along with a minimum of six years of related experience in an appropriate business specialisation, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A graduate degree in Business, Engineering, Applied Science, or Physics is strongly preferred.
Direct experience in business development, sales, or industry partnership development is essential, with a proven track record in technology business development and revenue generation, preferably within research services, deep-tech, or advanced technology sectors. Demonstrated success in securing commercial contracts and generating revenue is required, coupled with a strong network or the ability to rapidly build relationships within technology industries, especially quantum, photonics, semiconductors, and advanced materials.
The ideal candidate will have experience preparing proposals, responding to RFQs, and negotiating contracts, non-disclosure agreements, and statements of work. Demonstrated ability to manage contract lifecycles, invoicing, and payment tracking in a professional services or research environment is also necessary. Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills are crucial for effectively engaging with C-level executives, VPs, and technical decision-makers. The role requires the proven ability to work independently while collaborating across technical, academic, and administrative teams.
Familiarity with university research environments, core facilities, or industry-academia collaboration models, and an understanding of the Canadian innovation and quantum technology landscape, including relevant government funding programs and grant mechanisms such as NRC IRAP, are highly valued. An established network in the Canadian or international quantum, photonics, or semiconductor ecosystems, or in dual-use defence and security sectors, is a significant asset.
Previous experience in a core research facility, innovation hub, or technology transfer office focused on commercialising or selling research infrastructure services is highly desirable, as is experience with CRM systems, contract management tools, and data-driven business development and financial tracking processes. A track record of successful participation in ecosystem-building activities, including the planning and delivery of on-campus industry or networking events, and knowledge of fee-for-service models in research infrastructure or foundry services, will contribute to success in this role. Experience identifying, matching, and managing grant funding opportunities, including NRC IRAP CtO and defence innovation programs, with research projects and SMEs in a university setting is also highly desirable.
A willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including those in conflict with one’s own, and a demonstrated commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to this position.
