Description

The Innovation and Commercialization Office (ICO) is responsible for fostering connections between Indiana University (IU) inventors and external collaborators and facilitating the transfer of university discoveries to the market. ICO works to establish partnerships between research and industry, provide connections to resources, commercialization guidance, and business engagement.
Indiana University is one of the top research universities in the world, with $732 million in sponsored research annually. Growing transformative research and creativity, innovation, industry engagement, and commercialization are key goals in IU 2030: The Indiana University Strategic Plan.
Innovation commercialization is one of the many ways that Indiana University's research enterprise benefits society. ICO works closely with faculty, industry, and the entrepreneurial community in Indiana to take IU innovations to market.
The technology development team works closely with inventors to disclose new inventions, provide feedback to inventors on gaps required for commercial interest or viable patenting, works closely with inventors to draft provisional applications, works closely with inventors to develop market assessments, draft technology marketing materials, draft commercialization plans, guide inventor responses in patent preparation and prosecution, and provide domain expertise in specific areas of scientific research.
The technology development team manages targeted IP development grant programs and outreach activities related to increasing faculty engagement and technology disclosure. The technology development team leads training programs on commercialization and supports the broader university innovation ecosystem.

Job Summary

The Director of Technology Development will support IU intellectual property and technology transfer activities, including faculty outreach and development to increase the intellectual property pipeline and acceleration of the commercialization of IU intellectual property. This person will work across ICO teams and IU Research Offices to support a continuity of workflow.
Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Manages day to day activities and processes related to faculty engagement for technology development, patenting, and research commercialization strategy development.
• Oversees technology transfer processes, including but not limited to increasing invention disclosures, provisional patent drafting, patenting, faculty outreach, technology market evaluation, and stage gate evaluation of technologies.
• Evaluates industry technology markets, early-stage technologies, drafts technology marketing materials, and has a firm understanding of intellectual property processes and timelines.
• Ensures that the ICO technology development activities are integrated and coordinated so that researchers are supported by service-oriented employees responsible for promoting innovation and commercialization.
• Serves diverse stakeholders in developing and commercializing transformational science.
• Collaborates across the university with stakeholders, including academic departments, research centers, and institutes, to identify areas to create effective learning opportunities for faculty around technology development.
• Leads ICO training programs, such as the Faculty Innovation Ambassador Program.
• Supports the activities other research offices, such as the Office of Research Compliance (ORC) and the Office or Research Administration (ORA).
• Facilitates a clear understanding of intellectual property among the university faculty on how inventions and technologies are protected and commercialized.
• Develops and implements educational programs and initiatives for faculty, research scientists, and graduate students on topics related to technology commercialization and innovation planning.
• Represents the University at state and national level meetings concerning technology transfer, commercialization, and intellectual property.

General Responsibilities

• Contributes on senior leadership teams to formulate strategic planning and the highest-level operational objectives for Innovation and Commercialization.
• Establishes long-term business plans and long-term strategic objectives.
• Directs leadership staff who provide supervision to Innovation and Commercialization teams.
• Responsible for escalated operational issues, including human resources and/or people management situations.
• Drives innovation and excellence within the area of Innovation and Commercialization; reviews and creates policies and procedures.
• Determines overall budget for Innovation and Commercialization teams; reviews and approves financial proposals from direct reporting leaders; has significant fiscal responsibilities that require frequent interaction with executive leaders.
• Provides expertise and identifies grant and/or funding opportunities; develops business relationships across the university and externally.
• Stays up-to-date on new Innovation and Commercialization standards, technologies, policies, and procedures and works collaboratively with other Innovation and Commercialization leaders across departments and/or campuses in determining standards, best practices, and related policies/procedures; ensures the adoption and implementation by direct reporting leaders.
• Serves diverse stakeholders in developing and commercializing transformational science.
• Supports educational programs and initiatives for faculty, research scientists, and graduate students on topics related to technology commercialization and innovation planning.
• Provides leadership and oversight of Technology Development and Licensing.
• Ensures that the ICO technology development and licensing activities are integrated and coordinated so that researchers are supported by service-oriented employees responsible for promoting innovation and commercialization.

Qualifications

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION
Required

• Bachelor's degree in science related field

Preferred

• Ph.D. or terminal degree in a science related field

WORK EXPERIENCE
Required

• 10 years of relevant experience

Preferred

• 10 years of experience leading or managing intellectual property development, technology transfer, and technology commercialization research
• Experience in stewarding intellectual property with industry, non-profits, and universities
• Technology transfer experience in an academic setting
• Experience as an entrepreneur in a technology-based start-up
• Experience in successful commercialization of university-based discoveries

SKILLS
Required

• Effective leadership skills
• Excellent collaboration and team building skills
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision making skills
• Demonstrates ability to maintain confidential information
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills
• Effective communication skills, spoken and digital
• Proficient written and verbal communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent collaboration and team building skills
• Effectively coaches and delivers constructive feedback
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision making skills
• Effective conflict management skills
• Builds and manages effective teams
• Effective leadership skills
• Ability to represent the company with external constituents
• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion
• Demonstrates problem solving skills
• Strong verbal communication and listening skills
• Demonstrates ability to maintain confidential information

Preferred

• Demonstrates understanding of federal and state laws regarding intellectual property and technology transfer
• Demonstrates experience in academic scientific research and innovation
• Demonstrates experience of the patenting process, timelines, strategies, and costs
• Demonstrates understanding of the stage gate process
• Team-oriented strategist
• Ability to effectively manage complex situations involving numerous and sometimes competing constituencies
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with faculty, which includes encouraging faculty to disclose IU-generated intellectual property and to participate in aspects of the commercialization process
• Ability to work on multiple tasks at the same time and under time constraints
• Ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion and tact while maintaining confidentiality
• Strong data management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including faculty, university administrators, patent law firms, and potential industrial partners
• Demonstrates competence in driving consensus and building effective teams and mentoring junior staff

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Work Location

Indianapolis, Indiana

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure .

Job Classification

Career Level: Strategic
FLSA: Exempt
Job Function: Research
Job Family: Innovation & Commercialization
Click here to learn more about Indiana University's Job Framework.

Posting Disclaimer

This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.
If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information .

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