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. The incumbent 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

• Provides highest level of operational leadership and coordination of assigned staff members to define innovation and commercialization methodologies and standards; provides direction and guidance on innovation and commercialization
• Establishes short-term business plans and long-term operational objectives, including managing timelines/deliverables and developing
• Conducts a variety of personnel actions to include, but not limited to hiring, promotion, performance management, and dismissal
• Manages high level assignments and allocation of resources, including negotiating and coordinating initiatives that involve staff in other departments/areas/teams; may coordinate large-scale programs with a wide audiences in support of academic initiatives
• Works collaboratively 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
• Support educational programs and initiatives for faculty, research scientists, and graduate students on topics related to technology commercialization and innovation planning
• Support faculty innovation by developing and maintaining simple and clear processes that support inventors

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 a science related field

Preferred

• Ph.D or Terminal degree in a science related field (mathematics, biology, chemistry, or physical sciences highly desired)

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 7 years of relevant experience

Preferred

• 10 years of experience in 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

• Instills commitment to organizational goals
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision-making skills
• Effective conflict management skills
• Builds and manages effective teams
• Demonstrates problem solving skills
• Strong verbal communication and listening skills
• Proficient 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

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/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.

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.