Assistant Director of IP Management

Benefits at a Glance

Special Instructions to Applicants : Please attach a cover letter and a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application. Please make sure to include employment dates on the resume in Month/ Year format.

Position Summary

Assistant Director of IP Management i ndependently manages the IP portfolio by: 1) coordinating patent prosecution strategy with outside counsel, 2) overseeing all patent ‐ related correspondence with the relevant national patent office and communicating patent ‐ related information to the appropriate parties and 3) orchestrating fiscally-responsible management of the IP portfolio with an understanding of appropriate ROI for the university.

Essential Functions

• Independently manages patent prosecution activities for the university’s IP portfolio by coordinating patent strategies with the outside counsel, faculty and licensees and by ensuring timely responses to all patent related actions
• Ensures that the IP portfolio appropriately captures the value and commercialization potential of Rice technology disclosures
• Develops strategies for increasing efficiency as it relates to patent prosecution
• Oversees the management of the patent docket
• Oversees the review of patent invoices for accuracy
• Works with the Director and the Finance Manager to monitor patent expenditures to ensure that they meet annual budget goals
• Supervises staff in the IP management team
• Reviews patent-related correspondences and is the designated contact for outside counsel
• Ensures timely responses to all patent related actions
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions / Information

• The Assistant Director will inform the Director of Office of Technology Transfer about changes in law, practice or policy that affect IP portfolio management; will analyze the potential impact on campus of changes in regulations, policies and procedures; will keep abreast of recent developments in U.S. and foreign intellectual property laws and other laws affecting university research activities.

• The Assistant Director will participate in technology transfer strategic planning and develop and maintain strategic relationships in alignment with the university’s mission/vision

Required Qualifications

• PhD or other Doctoral Degree
• 5 years related experien ce
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, negotiating and planning skills
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures relating to Intellectual Property Management and of US patent copyright and trademark law and procedures
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, pay attention to detail, meet inflexible deadlines on own initiative
• Demonstrated ability to deal with difficult situations while maintaining composure
• Demonstrated ability to remain effective under stress and in prolonged projects and be able to manage and lead many projects at the same time
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, especially the ability to relate highly technical information to potential licensees, explain and teach business and/or legal issues to faculty and staff

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

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