Open Innovation Manager Battery Materials Europe

About Umicore

Reducing harmful vehicle emissions. Giving new life to used metals. Powering the cars of the future. As a global materials and technology group, we apply our specialist knowledge to offer materials and solutions that are essential to everyday life. We aim to be a clear world leader in materials for clean mobility and recycling and have turned our sustainability approach into an even greater competitive advantage. With ambitions like this, imagine what you could do?

About New Business Incubator (NBI)

In NBI we develop long-term business opportunities for Umicore business units, as well as different business models that may develop into stand-alone business or incubators.

What you will be doing

As Open Innovation Manager your main role is to build-up and maintain R&D and innovation network in Europe region, for the acceleration of Umicore technology development activities by open innovation (collaborative projects) ) in the field of Li-ion Battery Materials.

• As part of the open innovation team, you will build and set-up external R&D and innovation projects in the field of battery materials; including the definition of the technical program in collaboration with the internal technical leaders, as well as the contractual framework for different open innovation projects: academic collaborations, joint-development with companies and start-ups, R&D service agreements, technology consortia…
• You follow-up and report (internally & externally) on the execution of the open innovation projects and you regularly align with the internal R&D programs and the global Head of Open Innovation.
• You will keep yourself aware of the latest relevant technology developments through ecosystem monitoring, scientific literature & patent review, participation to conferences and visits and meetings with universities, research institutes, start-ups, and industrial partners. You identify technology opportunities for Umicore and make recommendations on potential collaboration projects.

The geographical area of these activities is the Europe region. The position will be located in Brussels, Belgium or Hanau, Germany.

Who we are looking for

• You have a PhD in materials science, solid-state chemistry/physics, electrochemistry or chemical engineering (or equivalent through experience).
• Fundamental knowledge of inorganic materials in at least one of the following areas is required:
  • Lithium-ion battery materials and systems
  • Electrochemical energy storage materials and systems
• Industrial experience and understanding of the technology, ecosystem and market is required, as well as a good understanding of R&D and innovation landscape and environments.
• Project management skills and transversal management skills.
• Fluency in both oral and written English is a must. German would be a plus.
• You are an excellent communicator, with good presentation, reporting and networking skills.
• Analytical ability for numerical data, good problem-solving ability and strong will to share knowledge and expertise with others.
• You can work on your own under general direction, have a good sense of prioritization of assigned goals and handle time accordingly.
• You are willing to travel (mainly inside Europe).

What we offer

We aim to lead the way. Not just for our customers, but for our employees too. That is why we strive to create a collaborative environment in which we can all succeed, and a culture through which we can all share ideas, develop our expertise and advance our careers. We engage in building an inclusive work culture that offers equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of their diverse backgrounds. As you would expect from a world-leading organisation, we will also reward your contribution with a competitive salary and benefits. With all this and more, imagine what you could do?

If our pioneering approach can make us a leader in sustainability, IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD DO