KTP Jobs: Your Guide to Knowledge Transfer Partnership Roles

Knowledge Transfer Partnership jobs are some of the most distinctive roles in UK higher education, bridging the gap between university research and real-world business problems. If you have come across a KTP vacancy and are wondering what it actually involves, or if you are a researcher thinking about whether this kind of role suits you, this guide covers how the scheme works, what the different roles look like, and how to approach applications.

What Is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership?

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a three-way collaboration funded primarily by Innovate UK, with additional support from other Research Councils and devolved funding bodies such as Scottish Enterprise. The three parties are:

  • A UK university or other approved knowledge base (such as a research institute or college)
  • A business or non-profit organisation (the company partner)
  • A recently qualified graduate, postgraduate or doctoral researcher (the Associate)

The company identifies a strategic challenge it wants to tackle. The university provides academic expertise and supervision. The Associate is employed to carry out the project, working mainly at the company but with ongoing input from academic supervisors. Partnerships typically last between one and three years, and there are hundreds of active KTPs running in the UK at any one time.

The scheme has been running in various forms since the 1970s and is well established across sectors. KTPs span engineering, computer science, life sciences, business, creative industries and many other fields.

The Main KTP Job Types

When people search for KTP jobs, they are usually looking for one of three distinct roles.

KTP Associate

This is the central role. Associates are employed jointly by the university and the company and are paid a salary, not a studentship stipend. Pay varies by institution and sector but typically falls in the range of £28,000 to £38,000 per year, with some industry-facing projects in engineering or technology paying higher. Associates are usually required to have completed a relevant degree (undergraduate or postgraduate) within the last five years, though some schemes allow doctoral graduates as well.

The Associate is expected to:

  • Lead the technical or research-focused element of the project
  • Work autonomously at the company site for the majority of their time
  • Report to both an academic supervisor and a company mentor
  • Complete a personal development programme as part of the partnership
  • Produce a final report that is assessed like a substantial piece of applied research

One important feature: Associates often register for a postgraduate qualification, sometimes an MPhil or PhD, linked to the project work. This is not guaranteed but is common, particularly in engineering and STEM disciplines.

If you are a recent graduate or postdoc considering your options, the KTP Associate role is worth comparing seriously with a standard postdoc or research fellow position. The salary is usually competitive, the experience is industry-facing, and the personal development component is structured in a way that many traditional research contracts are not.

Academic Supervisor

Universities appoint academic staff to supervise and support each KTP. The academic supervisor provides the intellectual framework for the project, supports the Associate, and acts as the liaison between the university and the company. This role is not usually advertised as a separate job, as it is taken on by existing university staff, often a lecturer, senior lecturer or professor with relevant expertise.

Academic supervisors receive a contribution to their time (typically a proportion of their salary recovered from the KTP budget) and benefit from industry engagement that can feed into research outputs, impact case studies and REF submissions.

Knowledge Transfer Adviser and Project Manager

Universities with significant KTP activity often employ dedicated knowledge transfer or business engagement staff, sometimes called KTP Advisers, KTP Managers or Research and Innovation Officers. These roles sit in the professional services structure of the university and involve:

  • Identifying potential company partners
  • Helping academics develop KTP proposals
  • Coordinating the application process with Innovate UK
  • Managing financial and compliance requirements during active partnerships
  • Supporting Associates with administrative matters

These are professional services roles rather than academic ones, and they suit people with a background in research development, project management or business development. Pay varies but typically sits within the Grade 6 to Grade 7 range on university pay scales, broadly equivalent to £34,000 to £50,000 depending on institution and experience. You can browse professional services jobs to see what this type of role looks like in practice.

Who Funds KTPs and How Does It Work Financially?

The funding model is worth understanding because it affects how KTP jobs are structured and advertised. Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation) provides a grant that covers the majority of the Associate's salary and training costs, along with a contribution to academic supervisor time and indirect costs. The company partner contributes a proportion of the total project cost, which varies depending on the size of the company: small and medium-sized enterprises pay a lower proportion than large companies.

This means that when a KTP Associate job is advertised, it is genuinely funded at the point of application rather than being contingent on grant approval, assuming the partnership has already been approved by Innovate UK. Some advertisements do appear at the proposal stage, in which case the offer is conditional.

How to Find KTP Associate Jobs

KTP Associate vacancies are advertised in the same places as other university research roles: institutional jobs pages, sector-wide job boards and specialist research career sites. The job title is usually "KTP Associate" followed by a descriptor of the project, for example "KTP Associate in Machine Learning for Supply Chain Optimisation" or "KTP Associate in Sustainable Packaging Design".

Because each KTP is a distinct project, vacancies appear throughout the year rather than following a recruitment cycle. The interview process typically involves both the university and the company, and you may be asked to present to representatives from both organisations.

When reviewing a KTP advertisement, check:

  • Whether the academic registration component (MPhil or PhD) is confirmed or only possible
  • Which organisation employs you formally and what the terms are
  • The proportion of time expected at the company versus the university
  • The location, since the company site may be some distance from the university

What Makes a Strong KTP Associate Application?

Academic referees and a strong research background matter, but company partners are co-selecting candidates and will be looking for someone who can function professionally in a commercial or organisational setting. A good application for a KTP Associate role usually demonstrates:

  • Technical competence in the relevant subject area
  • Evidence of working independently and managing a project to completion
  • Communication skills across different audiences (not just academic writing)
  • Some awareness of how businesses or organisations operate in the relevant sector
  • Genuine interest in applied outcomes, not just the intellectual problem

Your CV should reflect both your academic and any professional or placement experience. If you have worked in industry, done a placement year, or completed consultancy or outreach work, include it. For guidance on how to present a research background well, the article on research assistant jobs as an entry-level academic role covers relevant CV and application advice.

KTP Jobs Across Disciplines

KTPs are not confined to STEM. While engineering, computer science and life sciences account for a large share of partnerships, there are active KTPs in business and management, creative industries, health, social care, and environmental sciences. Innovate UK's KTP database lists all current and recent projects, and it is searchable by sector, which gives a realistic picture of where demand sits.

Universities with strong industry engagement strategies, such as those with dedicated technology transfer offices or enterprise campuses, tend to run more KTPs at any one time. Institutions in regions with significant manufacturing, technology or health sector presence are particularly active. Aston University, for example, has a long history of KTP activity given its location and institutional focus on applied research. You can read more about working at that kind of institution in the Aston University careers guide.

After a KTP: Where Does It Lead?

For Associates, completing a KTP is considered strong preparation for roles on either side of the university-industry boundary. Many Associates are offered permanent roles at the company on completion. Others return to academia with a combination of research skills and industry credibility that is increasingly valued, particularly given the emphasis on impact and knowledge exchange in UK research funding. Those who registered for a postgraduate degree during the partnership will have that qualification to add to their record.

For academic supervisors, a completed KTP provides evidence of knowledge exchange and non-academic impact that contributes to promotion cases and research profiles. For professional services staff, developing expertise in KTP management is a recognised specialism within the research and innovation offices of UK universities, and experienced KTP Advisers are in steady demand.