Assistant Director, Commercialization

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 84,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Utah’s Technology Licensing Office seeks an Assistant Director of Commercialization to build relationships with faculty and promote high-potential innovations for licensing. You will focus on monetizing medical devices and research tools through industry partnerships.

Day-to-day you'll manage a portfolio in the medical device and research tool space, engage with industry partners, evaluate disclosures, and collaborate with IP counsel to advance licensing transactions,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 3-5 years in technology transfer, preferably in university/industry.
• 2+ years in life sciences industry in Research Tools, Medical Devices, or Diagnostics.
• University environment experience preferred.
• Business development and marketing experience preferred.
• Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills.
• Strong customer service orientation and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated, able to work independently with minimal supervision, and a team player.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with faculty and engage them in commercialization.
• Identify faculty with potential for new research tool or medical device assets.
• Manage a portfolio of medical device technologies.
• Support a portfolio of research tools including animal models, cell lines, reagents, and screening assays.
• Evaluate disclosures for commercial potential and advise on licensing steps.
• Collaborate with IP counsel on patenting decisions.
• Market research tool and medical device technologies to industry.
• Engage with industry partners for licensing opportunities.
• Represent the University at industry conferences.

Skills

Relationship building

Analytical skills

Communication

Team player

Education

Bachelor's degree in life sciences or related field

Advanced degree in life sciences or bioengineering (preferred)

Tools

IP counsel coordination

Job description

Assistant Director, Commercialization

An Assistant Director of Commercialization's role at the TechnologyLicensing Office (TLO) at the University of Utah is to developrelationships with University faculty to promote innovation thathas strong commercial potential with the ultimate goal ofmonetizing these innovations through licensing transactions, whichgenerate downstream revenue through a variety of contractualobligations. The majority of their time will be spent meeting withfaculty and developing relationships with potential licensees.Education of TLO's mission is a core theme of faculty interactions,the intent of which is to produce higher quality, curated inventiondisclosures across all University colleges, institutes, anddepartments. Based on their domain expertise and industryrelationships, Assistant Director of Commercialization also provideawareness to faculty of technology solutions that are most valuedby global markets to influence their research efforts.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

The department may choose to hire at any of the below joblevels and associated pay rates based on their business need andbudget.

Responsibilities

• Developing relationships with faculty and actively engagingthem in the commercialization process
• Identifying faculty at the University who have developed and/orare interested in developing new research tool or medical deviceassets through reviewing the scientific literature, attendingfaculty seminars, etc.
• Managing a portfolio of medical device technologies
• Supporting a portfolio of research tools including animalmodels, cell lines, reagents, screening assays, and researchtools.
• Evaluating medical device and research tool inventiondisclosures for their commercial potential
• Working with faculty, the Director of IP and outside IP counselon patenting, copyright and trademark decisions
• Marketing research tool and medical device technologies toindustry
• Engaging industry partners for potential licensing deals
• Communicating industry feedback to faculty
• Executing licensing transactions to industry
• Representing the University at industry conferences, fromtime-to-time, that are relevant to technology transferactivities

On a day-to-day basis, the Assistant Director of Commercializationwill actively support and manage a portfolio in the medical deviceand research tool space. Portfolio management involves a varietyofactivities including but not limited to:

Faculty engagement

• Assisting faculty who aren't familiar with TLO's process tocomplete invention disclosures
• Encouraging faculty to disclose inventions, highlighting theadvantages of how disclosing can help technology transition to themarket
• Maintaining regular interactions with faculty to learn aboutupcoming innovations, discussing market gaps, making appropriateconnections with TLO services and otherwise ensure the highestprobability of successfully commercializing a technology
• Mentoring faculty on future work to pivot their researchtowards commercialization

Invention Disclosure evaluation

• Evaluating a medical device or research tool technology for itscommercial potential, provide recommendations on the development ofa technology and implement steps toward licensing.
• Understanding the future development and funding needed toadvance a medical device or research tool technology to a valueinflection point

IP Management

• Working with IP counsel in evaluating prior art searches for IPpotential of a technology
• Working closely with IP counsel to establish and manage an IPprosecution strategy

Marketing

• Marketing medical device or research tool technologies forlicensing consideration by industry and other commercializationpartners
• Engaging with industry on a regular basis to expand TLO'snetworks, keep abreast of market trends, get feedback on technologypotential and identify licensing opportunities
• Attending relevant trade shows to promote the technologyportfolio
• Hosting corporations at TLO to promote University research,faculty engagement and licensing opportunities

Licensing

• Engaging with industry on a regular basis to keep abreast ofmarket trends and licensing opportunities
• Working with TLO stakeholders to advance medical deviceandresearch tool technologies through a licensing transaction toindustry

This job description is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities andqualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience(Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related workexperience).Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels: II: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly relatedwork experience. III: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly relatedwork experience. IV: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 8years or a master's (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly relatedwork experience. V: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 10years or a master's (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly relatedwork experience.

Preferences

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences or a related field required;advanced degree in life sciences or bioengineering preferred.
• Three to five years of experience in technology transfer,preferably within a university or industry technology transferoffice.
• Two or more years of industry experience in the life sciences,preferably in an area relevant to the assignment (Research Tools,Medical Devices, or Diagnostics).
• Previous university administrative or research experience, orfamiliarity with the university environment, preferred.
• Experience in business development and marketingpreferred.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to communicateand present written and oral materials clearly andprofessionally.
• Strong customer service orientation and interpersonalskills.
• Self-motivated, able to work independently with minimalsupervision, and effective as a team member.

Requisition Number: PRN46200B

Full Time or Part Time? Full Time

Work Schedule Summary: Monday – Friday

Department: 00642 - Technology Licensing Office

Location: Campus

Pay Rate Range: $84,000 - $120,000

Close Date: 12/11/2026

Open Until Filled: