Job Details

Director of Commercialization
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Position Number: 5461612
Location: Boston, MA
Position Type: Business - Business Law

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 Director of Licensing and Commercialization at Northeastern University's Center for Research Innovation (CRI) is tasked with developing and executing a strategy for licensing and commercializing intellectual property (IP). This position plays a critical role in driving initiatives to bring research innovations created by Northeastern faculty to commercial fruition and in supporting the university's entrepreneurial culture and programs. Reporting to the CRI Executive Director, the Director of Licensing and Commercialization will collaborate closely with key stakeholders to optimize the value derived from Northeastern University's intellectual property, while overseeing and contributing to the development of a team of Licensing Associates covering various technology portfolios including life sciences, physical sciences, and computer sciences.

In addition to leveraging industry expertise and contacts to cultivate and strengthen relationships related to licensing, partnerships, and commercialization, the Director will work to align industry connections with Northeastern University's intellectual property portfolio. This alignment aims to drive the licensing of technologies and IP to generate impact, commercial use, and returns. The role also involves leading CRI's efforts to support researchers in translating their inventions from the lab to the market, making informed independent decisions throughout the licensing process, and managing ongoing relationships with licensees.

Key responsibilities include overseeing the commercialization of IP (patents and software/copyrights) for own portfolio, implementing assessment processes for new technologies, developing marketing and licensing strategies, negotiating options, licenses, amendments and other relevant agreements, and supporting post-license activities. The role demands a highly motivated, collaborative, and professional individual with direct experience in academic technology transfer at a major institution. An ideal candidate would possess a combination of strategic thinking and execution-oriented capabilities to excel in this position.

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.
7+ 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
7+ 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

Job Responsibilities:
Technology Evaluation and Management - Manage own technology portfolio to optimize commercialization outcomes. Independently assess incoming disclosures for commercialization potential, working with Director Technology Ventures and Talent Network as needed. Develop and implement 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 the greatest commercial return. (20%)

Industry 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 business development efforts and inform research conducted at the university. (25%)

Deal Negotiation - Be an effective ambassador for CRI and Northeastern during deal negotiation for own technology portfolio. Structure and negotiate business terms for licenses with industry partners and Northeastern spinouts, working closely with CRI units. Liaise with researchers, NU-Res, and legal team on efforts to secure industry-sponsored research. (25%)

Oversight and Management - Provide leadership to the commercialization team and manage daily activities to ensure licensing is responsive to university needs, follows Northeastern's core values, and is operating efficiently. Develop and implement processes for team relating to licensing and commercialization efforts. Align the strategy and activities of patent commercialization with spinout efforts. Develop goals and metrics to monitor performance of key projects and programs. (20%)

Strategic Program Development - Develop, execute, and manage licensing and business development 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. (10%)

Position Type

Research

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more 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_R126452