Director, Technology Transfer

Position Number: S83390 

Title: Director, Technology Transfer 

Department: Office of Technology Transfer 

Category: Technical 

Job Family: Research Administration 

Posting Date: 08/31/2018 

 

The Director, Technology Transfer is responsible for developing and managing the University’s intellectual property portfolio for the purpose of deriving public benefit from the fruits of the academic research enterprise.  The incument will be responsible for operation of the Office of Technology Transfer and overseeing a University-wide technology transfer process, including intellectual property development and compliance with federal regulations.  The successful candidate will be accountable for establishing short and long-term strategic, financial, and operational plans, aligning with the broad goals of the university and area of responsibility.  The Director will plan and direct the activities of outside legal counsel in development of the University’s intellectual property portfolio, work closely and collaboratively with faculty, offices and external partners responsible for corporate and government relations, enterprise creation, economic development and partnerships.   The Director, Technology Transfer will negotiates agreements with external partners and licensees as well as contribute critical expertise to negotiation of research grants and contracts and related agreements.

 

Accountabilities:

• Directs operation of the Office of Technology Transfer

  • Develop and direct staff in accord with the responsibilities and priorities of the office

  • Understand the needs of faculty, staff and students and identify priorities in serving those needs

  • With general guidance from the VP for Research, develop priorities for the office based on University needs, priorities and strategies as well as external requirements 

  • Draft, review and manage certain intellectual property agreements such as nondisclosure and material transfer agreements

  • Initiate and manage business relationships with service providers including legal counsel and marketing, including contracting, financial management and utilization

  • Create processes, and initiate and manage use of software applications to maximizes office productivity

  • Develop and maintain effective and efficient interfaces with other offices that rely upon the office

  • Manage employment, including position evaluation, salary determination, training and approvals for hire

• Manages the University's intellectual property portfolio

  • Acting in accord with University policies, obligations to research sponsors, other external obligations as applicable and University strategies and priorities

  • Elicit and evaluate disclosure of inventions and other intellectual property

  • Initiate and manage pursuit and establishment of statutory rights as warranted or as obligated, deploying services of outside counsel as warranted

  • Consistent with the goals of derivation of societal benefit, development of constructive relationships that further the University’s mission and sustainability of the University’s intellectual property management enterprise: seek and realize, placement of University intellectual properties with licensees; support activities likely to increase the likelihood of such placement

  • Develop strategies for making best use of limited resources in the interest of effectiveness and sustainability

• Craft, negotiate and secure agreements for licensing of University intellectual property and related agreements

  • Apply financial valuation techniques to determine the commercial value of Lehigh inventions

  • Directly or through providers, conduct market research to identify potential licensees

  • Develop appropriate terms for options, licenses and related agreements, taking into account factors including norms in industries and fields, maturity of technologies, timelines and levels of necessary investment to reach markets, market size, enabling nature of technologies, and circumstances of partners and licensees

  • Develop channels to reach potential licensees

  • Negotiate complex legal agreements, in cooperation with General Counsel, including financial terms

  • Administer completed contracts including management of financial terms, compliance, invoicing, monitoring of milestones, termination and renegotiation issues

• Provide education to faculty staff and students on intellectual property and technology transfer matters

  • Counsel and educate faculty, staff and students on their responsibilities under University, government and research sponsor policies and to support their decision-making related to development and management of intellectual property

  • Advise other units on intellectual property matters

  • Support and participate in entrepreneurship activities on campus

• Develop and advise on policies and practices related to intellectual property and intellectual property management; advise on, craft and negotiate terms of agreements implementing those policies and practices

  • Working with the VP for Research and the General Counsel, and considering input from other offices and from the academic units, advise on and develop University intellectual property policies

  • Advise on, and contribute to, development of University policies that include intellectual property considerations; craft and contribute to template agreements and terms for sponsored research agreements, confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements and other agreements with outside parties that involve intellectual property provisions

• Ensure compliance with government regulations and with obligations to research sponsors and other partners

  • Provide required reporting of inventions and of development, management and disposition of intellectual property as required by federal regulations

  • Provide data and analysis to support compliance with terms of sponsored research and other agreements

FTE: 100 

 

13-40 Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Salary adjustments for internal candidates comply with University policy. For more information contact Human Resources.

 

Required Documents Message: Cover Letter, Resume