Director of Commercialization

Director of Commercialization

About the Opportunity

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

JOB SUMMARY

The primary purpose of the role of the Director of Commercialization is to formulate and execute a strategy for the commercialization of IP at Northeastern University's Center for Research Innovation (CRI). S/he will be responsible for the development and implementation of initiatives that will commercialize the research innovation created by Northeastern faculty and support the university's entrepreneurial culture and programs. This position will report to the CRI Director and will coordinate closely with the Director of Operations and Finance and the Assistant Director of IP and Contract Counsel, as well as other office staff to maximize the value from Northeastern University's intellectual property and entrepreneurial resources. The Director of Commercialization will manage and help build a team of Licensing Associates across the entire portfolio of technologies including life sciences, physical sciences, and computer sciences.

The Director of Commercialization will leverage their specific industry expertise and contacts to foster and deepen key relationships and communication related to commercialization with industry contacts as well as the investment community. This role will work to align industry relationships with Northeastern University's intellectual property portfolio with the objective of licensing technologies and intellectual property to generate impact, commercial use, and returns. As a liaison to industry resources, the Director of Commercialization will have a high-service mentality, continually developing and effectively communicating a working knowledge of Northeastern's capabilities. The Director of Commercialization will lead CRI's efforts to support researchers in the translation of their inventions from the lab to the market.

Responsibilities include primary oversight and management of the commercialization of intellectual property (patents and software/copyrights) both directly and through the management of a commercialization team; developing and implementing processes and practices for the assessment/evaluation of new technologies; developing and implementing strategies for the marketing and licensing of technologies to commercialization partners; negotiating options, licenses, amendments, and other relevant agreements; and supporting post-license activity. This position requires a highly motivated and professional individual with direct experience in academic/university technology transfer at a major institution. A combined strategic and execution-oriented mindset will be most successful in this role.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's Degree in Science, Engineering or Healthcare or a Bachelor's degree in a non-technical field with demonstrated scientific/technical experience, with a minimum of 10 years related industry experience.

5+ years or equivalent experience and proven track record in key functional areas at a leading university technology transfer office including technology commercialization, licensing, and deal structuring

Familiarity with research and technical areas, including science, engineering, and computer science, as well as business needs relevant to the commercialization of technology

Direct experience in supporting and advising leading Principal Investigators and academic faculty on matters of intellectual property protection, licensing, and startup creation.

Proven track record of developing, negotiating, and closing business relationships with companies of all sizes.

Proven track record of successful strategic planning and implementation of new programs and change management

5+ years of supervisory experience and experience in building and leading high-performance teams

Proven track record of creating and maintaining successful partnerships with external organizations

Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively - to present ideas, both in writing and orally, in an understandable, technical and non-technical manner, with internal and external constituencies

Ability to articulate a vision both internally and externally for the role of academic research in innovation, commercialization, job creation, and economic development

Given the nature and responsibilities of the position, only U.S. persons (any individual who is a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident alien of the United States, or a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C.1324b(a)(3)) will be considered for this position

Additional Considerations:

Ability to work effectively with faculty, university administrators, government/industrial representatives, and students.

Experience in developing cost models and business plans.

Experience in promoting research capabilities.

Broad understanding of industry and investment community trends, and connections to resources.

Experience in managing an investment fund focused on early-stage companies and technologies.

Demonstrated expertise in contract review, drafting, and negotiation.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, including grant writing.

Ability to work with a broad range and diverse population of people.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Technology Evaluation and Management - Manage technology portfolio to optimize commercialization outcomes. Develop processes for the objective evaluation of technologies to identify those with the highest commercial potential for marketing and licensing. Promote increased impact of research conducted at the university by developing and deepening relationships within the research community for purposes of identifying Intellectual Property (IP) and evaluating its patentability and commercial/licensing potential. Identify and foster spinout opportunities in coordination with the Director Technology Ventures and Talent Network. Work with the legal team to continually evaluate the technology portfolio and provide recommendations to improve the portfolio for greatest commercial return.

Strategic Outreach and Engagement - Develop industry relationships focused on creating impact from Northeastern's patent portfolio and research capabilities. Nurture and manage relationships within industry for potential collaboration or licensing deals. Establish professional network with external companies and advisers through ongoing participation in conferences and other industry events. Capture industry business challenges to help guide commercialization efforts and to inform research conducted at the university.

Deal Negotiation - Be an effective ambassador for CRI and Northeastern during deal negotiation. Structure and negotiate business terms for licenses with industry partners and Northeastern spinouts, working closely with CRI legal and finance units. Liaise with researchers, NU-Res, and legal team on efforts to secure industry-sponsored research.

Oversight and Management - Provide leadership to commercialization team and manage daily activities to assure licensing is responsive to university needs, follows Northeastern's core values, and is operating efficiently. Align the strategy and activities of patent commercialization with spinout efforts. Monitor and measure performance of key projects and programs.

Strategic Program Development - Develop, execute and manage commercialization strategies. Influence design and scope of marketing initiatives and programs. In collaboration with the CRI marketing team, create programs to scale up external relationships as well as tangible commercialization outcomes, including events, marketing outreach campaigns, seminars, training programs, etc. Contribute to the continuous improvement of the Center for Research Innovation, including process improvement, software, and systems evaluations, best practices benchmarking and monitoring.

Position Type

Research

Additional Information

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Northeastern University's commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity.


To apply, visit https://northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/careers/job/Boston-MA-Main-Campus/Director-of-Commercialization_R105023-1 jeid-bcc5a65e2b61ba42b5fc7e336442e640