Director, Office of Technology Development

Medical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, WI; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee seeks a Director of the Office of Technology Development to lead the transfer of biomedical discoveries into commercial products. You will oversee IP management, licensing strategies, and cross‑functional collaboration with faculty and industry partners to move innovations toward patient impact.

Ideal candidate holds a PhD in biomedical sciences with at least seven years in tech transfer or business development within an academic setting, including

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in biomedical sciences with strong research background.
• Proven ability to negotiate licensing agreements and collaborate with industry partners.
• Experience in academic technology transfer and portfolio management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee discovery to commercialization of MCW IP and manage intellectual property portfolio.
• Lead technology transfer team and ensure compliance with federal regulations and policies.
• Develop research partnerships and industry collaborations to license technologies.

Skills

Technology transfer

IP licensing

Biomedical sciences

Cross-functional leadership

Negotiation

Education

Doctorate/PhD in biomedical sciences

Job description

The Office of Research helps to facilitate life-saving biomedical research at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Nine distinct units provide specialized support to meet the needs of our research investigators and staff, and together we coordinate, regulate, and monitor research studies. The Office of Technology Development (OTD) is the institution's "technology transfer" office, managing MCW discoveries, inventions, and other intellectual property assets to advance the technology from Patents to Patients.'

The role of the Director is to serve, support, and educate MCW faculty, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and staff by facilitating the transfer of technology generated from their research and clinical practices into commercial products that benefit MCW, our community and the public at large. The Director leads and oversees the activities and personnel in the Office of Technology Development, and also manages a portion of MCW's intellectual property portfolio, executing appropriate strategies to identify, evaluate, patent or otherwise protect, and license intellectual property. The Director represents MCW and its innovators in the larger biotech industry, advances opportunities for collaboration and networking, and keeps the institution plugged in to the larger trends in discovery and tech transfer.

Primary Functions

Manage, encourage, and support the development, disclosure, and protection of MCW's intellectual property, including reviewing proposals, ensuring adequate documentation and compliance with federal laws and policies related to intellectual property, technology transfer, and applications for patents, etc; negotiating ownership issues between co-investigators; negotiating cooperative agreements, license fees, royalties, etc. for technology transfers; developing research partnerships to commercialize research results.
Provide strategic direction for the OTD and its team members. Lead the team of technology management professionals delivering best-of-class services and oversee quantity and quality of the work product of technology managers and other support staff.
Identify technologies best commercialized by a university spin-out company; provide leadership and oversight for such development and collaborate with appropriate organizations to provide support.
Monitor and report on the performance of the technology portfolio.
Assist faculty, staff and students in establishing collaborative relationships with industry, including acquiring industrial grants and contracts; support these efforts through meetings with faculty about their research, identifying external entities with interest in faculty research area(s), and developing research partnerships.
Develop and maintain strong working relationship with departments, and research centers to educate faculty/staff/trainees conducting biomedical research regarding technology transfer, intellectual property, and commercialization of IP;
Make presentations to leaders, trustees and legislators as requested.
Monitor and advise on the application of intellectual property policy and relevant federal regulations.
Collaborate with faculty for review of new technologies.
Oversee the development and monitor unit budget and fiscal performance.
Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate staff as assigned. Conduct annual performance reviews.
Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge - Skills - Abilities

Working knowledge of university-based technology transfer, including:
Intellectual property law and legal issues affecting protection, use, and exploitation of intellectual property;
The development and commercialization of biomedical products; and
Technical details and value proposition of early stage technologies, and ability to effectively communicate these details and values to others, including executives of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies.
Experience in licensing intellectual property related to highly technical products or services within the biomedical industry.
Willingness to explore scientific and technical fields beyond her/his direct education and experience.
Organizational skills required to manage diverse tasks and responsibilities related to his/her portfolio and meet deadlines.
Strong listening skills required to identify key messages and communicate with multiple audiences and levels of expertise. Verbal and written communication skills to proficiently describe technological and scientific information and details to multiple audiences, which includes representing the OTD within and outside MCW.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Minimum Required Education:

Advanced degree (doctorate/PhD) in biomedical sciences

Minimum Required Experience:

Minimum seven years of experience in technology transfer/business development, with knowledge of an academic setting and in the area of biomedical sciences.

Physical Requirements

Work requires occasionally lifting moderate weight materials, standing, or walking continuously.

Work Environment

Occasional exposure to dust, noise, temperature changes, or contact with water or other liquids. Work is performed in an environmentally controlled environment.

Sensory Acuity

Ability to detect and translate speech or other communication required. May occasionally require the ability to distinguish colors and perceive relative distances between objects.