Director, Office of IP Management & Commercialization
Hiring Department
Research & Economic Community Development
Job Description
Director, Office of IP Management & Commercialization
Description
Reporting to the Vice Chancellor of Research and Economic and Community Development, the technology transfer director plays a pivotal role in shaping the university's innovation landscape. This executive position is responsible for engaging faculty and graduate student researchers, commercializing research outcomes, building out the IP portfolio, fostering strategic partnerships, and contributing to regional economic development goals and outcomes. The Director oversees all aspects and forms of intellectual property management and commercialization on campus and promotes a culture of entrepreneurship among faculty and students across all disciplines.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage UMSL technology transfer activities, including evaluation, protection, marketing, and licensing of university intellectual property (patents, copyrights, and trademarks).
- Negotiate agreements including, but not limited to, options and licenses, nondisclosure, material transfer, inter-institutional, fee-for-service, industry-sponsored research, and data use agreements; update/create standard-form agreements.
- Collaborate with university leadership to foster an environment that encourages innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.
- Educate UMSL community on intellectual property, related university policies and federal/state laws, funding opportunities with industry and/or small businesses, available resources and programming, entrepreneurship, and new venture creation.
- Serve as a resource for information about intellectual property and commercialization and promote recognition that licensing IP is a meaningful and valuable aspect of university life by planning and implementing programs to stimulate innovative applied research and IP generation among faculty, staff, and students.
- Develop strategies for licensing in focus areas based upon the University’s research (e.g., perform technology valuations, technology marketing and market assessments).
- Assess the current patent portfolio of the University and develop a management strategy for underexploited intellectual property and a strategy for future patent prosecution.
- Provide guidance on intellectual property issues; engage with attorneys for new patent filings, analyses, responses to patent office actions, and copyright and trademark registration applications; ensure compliance with federal and regulations and contract requirements requiring the submission of reports to federal or other sponsors.
- Develop and strengthen strategic partnerships with industry leaders to drive research collaboration and commercialization opportunities.
- Serve as a liaison between the Office and the business and research community.
- Manage innovator recognition programs and events on campus.
- Communicate news, success stories, and available resources related to research and commercialization to the UMSL community, the region, and beyond.
- Help secure funding for technology transfer activities through grants, partnerships, and other revenue-generating initiatives.
- Represent the University in regional, national, and international forums related to technology transfer and economic development.
- Promote University spinout formation and growth, as well as technical services and R&D expertise available to client ventures.
- Represent UMSL in University of Missouri system-wide technology transfer related activities and decisions.
The Ideal Candidate will have a high level of knowledge of science and technology developments, intellectual property law, and business development. This person thinks strategically and creatively; is a results-driven, action-oriented team player with excellent communication and interpersonal skills; can interact diplomatically with staff, peers, faculty, and outside parties; has an aptitude for outreach and networking; and is capable of directing completion of multiple tasks along the entire life cycle of tech transfer simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The University will not sponsor applicants for this position for employment visas.
Shift
40 hours per week
Minimum Qualifications
A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 7 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA, PhD, or JD degree
- Demonstrated success in protecting, licensing, and commercializing patents, trademarks, and/or copyrighted materials
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with a track record of building productive relationships with a variety of stakeholders
- Success in securing grants or investment for innovation, technology- or business-development initiatives
- Knowledge of current trends, policies, and regulations affecting university technology transfer and commercialization.
Anticipated Hiring Range
Pay commensurate with education and experience.
Hiring Range: $91,000 - $144,000 annual
Grade: GGS14
University Title: Director III Business Administration
Internal applicants can determine their university title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.
Application Materials
Application materials include a cover letter and resume. Finalists will be asked to provide references at a later date.
Applicants must combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment to the UMSL Job site: http://umsl.jobs.
Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). For questions about the application process, please email employment@umsl.edu. If you are experiencing technical problems, please email umpshrsupport@umsystem.edu.
Benefit Eligibility
This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
To request ADA accommodations, please email the Office of Human Resources at umslhr@umsl.edu.
