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Department Summary: At the VCU Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, our mission is to foster transformative research, discovery, and innovation at Virginia Commonwealth University through excellence in service.

We partner with faculty in all schools and departments as they seek funding, plan studies, establish collaborations, calculate budgets, submit grant applications, negotiate industry contracts, and secure patents and licensing agreements.

Our commitment to supporting and elevating the research community at VCU has resulted in record levels of sponsored research and has placed VCU among the nation’s premier public research universities.

Through our passion for discovery and willingness to take on challenges, we continue to advance the work that matters most and position the university as a national leader in research, innovation, creativity, and scholarship.

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Licensing Associate will report directly to the the Assistant Vice President for Innovation at Tech Transfer and Ventures and will independently manage a portfolio of inventions from a variety of technical areas. The Licensing Associate will have an opportunity to participate in, if not lead, major commercialization campaigns and transactions.

Typical Duties:

Conduct technical, commercial and patentability due diligence, including prior art searches and market analyses for new invention disclosures.

Prepare non-confidential summaries of invention disclosures for technology marketing. 

Draft and negotiate intellectual property related agreements, including licenses, options, inter-institutional, collaborations agreements.

Identify strategic industry partners and organize campus visits and reverse pitches to appropriate faculty.

Develop strategic research interactions and collaborations with regional and national companies to enhance the university’s research enterprise.

Participate in faculty outreach programs and external marketing efforts of VCU Tech Transfer and Ventures.

Manage filing and prosecution of patent application with outside counsel.

Maintain and manage existing agreements, input information and assist with the maintenance of existing invention disclosures and licenses.

Provide assistance and guidance to VCU researchers and administrators in promoting VCU’s intellectual property, technology commercialization, and start-up creation.

Manage and facilitate technology validation and maturation efforts such as the VCU Commercialization Fund.

Develop and implement a strategy to secure external funding for proof-of-concept grants. Assist faculty with proof-of-concept applications and introduction to new funding sources.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Only applicants who do not require current or future sponsorship for employment will be considered

PhD degree

At least one year of prior experience in academic or industry technology commercialization in areas related to life science, medical devices, bioscience and biotechnology.

Preferred Qualifications:

Hands-on experience of managing relationships with licensees, negotiating agreements and contract amendments, and addressing contract compliance matters and other aspects of relationships with licensees.

Working knowledge of contract, intellectual property and patent law.

Experience in developing commercial strategies for early-stage inventions.

Evaluating patent landscape and market potential for projected products and developing commercialization strategies.

Experience in project management and marketing of early-stage university technologies.

Ability to process multiple projects and triage activities and to work with outside patent counsels to file patent applications.

Excellent time management and prioritization skills and the ability to manage a large portfolio of cases independently.

Superb judgment and interpersonal skills are essential to communicate with diverse constituents.

Outstanding writing and oral communication, planning and organizational skills are also required.

Salary Range: 70,000 - 100,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

Unit: Vice President for Research & Innovation MBU

Department: Innovation Gateway/Technology Transfer

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

University Job Title: OPEN - 25234N - Sr Specialist LG 1