Director of CAHNRS Intellectual Property (IP) Commercialization

Washington State University; Pullman (WA); On-site; USD 93,096 - 148,617; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid leave

Tuition waiver

Retirement options

Job summary

Washington State University in Pullman, WA, invites applications for a Director to lead CAHNRS IP commercialization, overseeing technology transfer and strategic development across CAHNRS research initiatives. The role interfaces with the Office of Research, CAHNRS administration, faculty and external partners to align IP assets with industry needs, manage licensing, royalties and branding.

A Bachelor's degree is required, with six years of IP commercialization experience; a Master’s degree may

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field.
• Six (6) years of experience directly related to the duties of intellectual property commercialization.
• Master’s degree in a related field may substitute up to one (1) year of the required experience.
• Experience using the Microsoft Office suite and fluency with Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms.

Responsibilities

• Conduct technology transfer activities arising from research within CAHNRS.
• Evaluate and manage inventive research and lead strategic planning and project management in coordination with administrative personnel.
• Serve as a key liaison between the WSU Office of Research, CAHNRS administration, faculty, and students to ensure commercialization strategies align with college priorities.
• Interface with commodity commissions to align IP deployment with industry needs.
• Build consensus among internal and external stakeholders regarding which IP assets to prioritize and how to deploy them to relevant industries.
• Collaborate with faculty for technology evaluation and identify commercialization opportunities.
• Support the Office of Research in option and license agreements, ensuring contractual and procedural compliance.
• Coordinate royalty collection and management, product development, and brand management in partnership with external entities marketing WSU IP.

Skills

Technology transfer

IP commercialization

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred or substitute up to 1 year

Tools

Inteum Minuet

Wellspring Sophia

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Job description

Job Overview

Director of CAHNRS Intellectual Property (IP) Commercialization at Washington State University (WSU) – Pullman, WA. Full‑time, permanent, 100% FTE, overtime exempt. Salary: $8,342 – $13,317 per month, commensurate with experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct technology transfer activities arising from research within the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS).
• Evaluate and manage inventive research and lead strategic planning and project management in coordination with administrative personnel.
• Serve as a key liaison between the WSU Office of Research, CAHNRS administration, faculty, and students to ensure commercialization strategies align with college priorities.
• Interface with commodity commissions to align IP deployment with industry needs.
• Build consensus among internal and external stakeholders regarding which IP assets to prioritize and how to deploy them to relevant industries.
• Collaborate with faculty for technology evaluation and identify commercialization opportunities.
• Support the Office of Research in option and license agreements, ensuring contractual and procedural compliance.
• Coordinate royalty collection and management, product development, and brand management in partnership with external entities marketing WSU IP.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Six (6) years of experience directly related to the duties of intellectual property commercialization.
• Master’s degree in a related field may substitute up to one (1) year of the required experience.
• Experience using the Microsoft Office suite and fluency with Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Juris Doctor (JD).
• Experience as a primary interface with third‑party stakeholders, especially commodity commissions or similar groups.
• Strong consensus‑building skills among diverse interest groups.
• Experience in research development and support roles.
• Experience managing intellectual property in an academic technology‑transfer setting.
• Experience supporting active research faculty, staff, and students.
• Experience developing and delivering outreach and educational materials.
• Experience protecting and licensing new plant varieties.
• Proficiency in communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Experience in marketing new products and/or services.
• Experience in customer service.
• Use of Inteum Minuet and/or Wellspring Sophia for IP and license management.

Benefits

WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance for employees and dependents; retirement and deferred compensation options; optional supplemental retirement accounts; training and development; and employee tuition waiver.

Employment Eligibility

Not eligible for work visa sponsorship. WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non‑U.S. citizens, and all new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Equal Opportunity Employer

WSU does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, mental disability, sensory disability, use of a trained service animal, age, religion, creed, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, honorably discharged veteran, member of the military, or immigration or citizenship status, except as authorized by federal or state law, regulation, or government contract.