Innovation Associate - Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM)

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist; Winston-Salem (NC); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Flexible Spending Accounts

Adoption assistance and parental leave

Employer retirement match

Educational Assistance Program

Job summary

Advocate Health is seeking a proactive individual to support the Office of Technology Transfer in managing a portfolio of invention disclosures and licensing. You will collaborate with researchers, staff, and licensing managers to evaluate commercialization opportunities and draft agreements.

The role requires strong written and oral communication, ability to handle multiple projects, and experience with complex biomedical technologies in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Biomedical Sciences or related field.
• Minimum of 1 year of related experience.
• Equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience may be substituted.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills; detail-oriented and capable of independent work.

Responsibilities

• Gathers data and analyzes inventions and technologies to assess commercialization potential.
• Engages with researchers and staff to identify opportunities and guide licensing strategies.
• Supports education on inventions, IP, and enterprise policies.
• Manages license and portfolio data in the Office systems (e.g., Sophia).
• Develops marketing materials and outreach to identify licensing partners.
• Assists licensing managers in contact and negotiation with licensees.
• Prepares deliverables for senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Coordinates licensing activities with OTT leadership.
• Supports outreach sessions on IP reporting and licensing obligations.
• Reviews licensee reporting and compliance for portfolio cases.

Skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal communication

Written communication

Technical aptitude in biotech

Education

Master's Degree in Biomedical Sciences

Tools

Sophia database

Job description

Department

85026 Wake Forest University Health Sciences - Academic Innovations: Operations

Department

85026 Wake Forest University Health Sciences - Academic Innovations: Operations

Status

Full time

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Hours Per Week

40

Schedule Details/Additional Information

Hybrid work schedule (2-3 days in the office). Teammate is expected to come into the office for live events and meetings to support our Innovators and learn about our innovation ecosystem.

Pay Range

$38.20 - $57.30

Major Responsibilities

• Supports multiple, concurrent projects emanating from units across the enterprise. Gathers data and interprets inventions and new technologies, completes technology assessments by analyzing the competitive and patent landscape to draw conclusions and/or make recommendations regarding their potential for commercialization.
• Engages with innovators including researchers, faculty and staff to identify and evaluate new inventions, innovations and business opportunities and to obtain necessary information to guide development of commercialization strategies within his/her portfolio of cases and assists licensing managers with the same as needed.
• Teammate innovator support and education with respect to inventions, intellectual property, commercialization, and Enterprise policies.
• Manages assigned portfolio through diligent and accurate use of the appropriate database(s) in use in the Office, for example, Sophia.
• Develops and implements marketing outreach strategies for invention disclosures and cases, by writing marketing summaries, and identifying and engaging with potential licensing partners.
• Assists licensing managers to identify, initiate contact with and negotiate with potential licensees.
• Writes, designs and presents deliverables in a logical, clear and concise manner for various audiences within and outside of the Office and the enterprise, (e.g. senior management, innovators, administration, and others, as necessary).
• Coordinates licensing and commercialization activities with other members of the Office of Technology Transfer for Advocate Health as appropriate.
• Assists with creating and presenting materials for outreach sessions to help build awareness of opportunities and obligations related to the reporting, protection and licensing of intellectual property.
• Reviews and manages licensee compliance and required reporting for portfolio cases.
• Identifies, initiates contact with, negotiates and drafts licensing agreements for tangible materials.
• Review of publications for potential undisclosed innovations.
• Coordinates with management and Office of Technology Transfer’s leadership team to prepare and maintain OTT’s standard operating procedures and forms for technology transfer operations.
• Identifies diverse sources of funding (North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Foundations, etc.) and raises awareness amongst teammate innovators. Assists with the application process as needed.

Education Required

• Master's Degree in Biomedical Sciences or a related field.

Work Experience Required

• Minimum of 1 year of related experience.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience may be substituted for the requirements noted.

Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Ability to function in a fast-paced team environment.
• Very strong organizational skills; attention to detail and high-quality work standards; ability to work relatively independently.
• Strong analytical and organizational, interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Ability to interact creatively and harmoniously with coworkers and inventors.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and complete projects in a timely manner.
• Technical aptitude and experience understanding complex biological and medical technologies.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• You have a doctoral degree in a life science-related field and experience in technology transfer and/or contracting.
• Experience in university or federal laboratory technology transfer is a plus. Relevant industry experience is advantageous.
• You are an excellent communicator and can provide excellent customer support to all stakeholders of a growing healthcare and research enterprise.
• You possess sound decision-making skills and balanced judgment, with the flexibility of thought and style needed to maximize interactions with teammate innovators and commercialization stakeholders.
• You are a dependable team member and can work well within a dynamic, results-oriented group.

#WFUSM

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.

Our CommitmenttoYou

Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more - so you can live fully at and away from work, including:

Compensation

• Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
• Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
• Incentive pay for select positions
• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance

Benefits And More

• Paid Time Off programs
• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, andShort- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

Identifies, collects, and manages significant components of enterprise-wide research and innovation outputs, inventions and intellectual property to establish commercialization and licensing strategies. Particular emphasis will be placed on technologies likely to enhance the role and positive impact of the enterprise in improving health care.