Life Sciences Project Managers

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 cultivate relationships with faculty and promote innovations with strong market potential, aiming to monetize these through licensing transactions. In this role you will drive invention disclosures, IP strategy, and industry engagement, guiding license negotiations.

You will travel to conferences and work to create downstream revenue while educating faculty on market-driven research

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related field is required or equivalent experience.
• Experience in technology transfer or university licensing is preferred.
• Strong analytical and communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with faculty and actively engage them in the commercialization process.
• Identify faculty with potential new research tools, medical devices or licenses.
• Manage a portfolio of medical device technologies and research tools.
• Evaluate invention disclosures for commercial potential and coordinate IP strategy.
• Market technologies to industry and engage partners for licensing opportunities.
• Represent the University at industry conferences and licensing events.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related field

Job description

Life Sciences Project Managers

Open Date: 09/11/2026

Requisition Number: PRN46200B

Job Title: Life Sciences Project Managers

Working Title: Assistant Director, Commercialization

Career Progression Track: P00

Track Level: P5 - Expert, P4 - Advanced, P3 - Career, P2 - Developing

FLSA Code: Administrative

Patient Sensitive Job Code?: No

Standard Hours per Week: 40.00

Full Time or Part Time?: Full Time

Shift: Day

Work Schedule Summary: Monday – Friday

VP Area: President

Department: 00642 - Technology Licensing Office

Location: Campus

City: Salt Lake City, UT

Type of Recruitment: External Posting

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

Close Date: 12/11/2026

Job Summary: An Assistant Director of Commercialization’s role at the Technology Licensing Office (TLO) at the University of Utah is to develop relationships with University faculty to promote innovation that has strong commercial potential with the ultimate goal of monetizing these innovations through licensing transactions, which generate downstream revenue through a variety of contractual obligations. The majority of their time will be spent meeting with faculty 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 invention disclosures across all University colleges, institutes, and departments. Based on their domain expertise and industry relationships, Assistant Director of Commercialization also provide awareness to faculty of technology solutions that are most valued by global markets to influence their research efforts.

Responsibilities

• Developing relationships with faculty and actively engaging them in the commercialization process
• Identifying faculty at the University who have developed and/or are interested in developing new research tool or medical device assets through reviewing the scientific literature, attending faculty seminars, etc.
• Managing a portfolio of medical device technologies
• Supporting a portfolio of research tools including animal models, cell lines, reagents, screening assays, and research tools.
• Evaluating medical device and research tool invention disclosures for their commercial potential
• Working with faculty, the Director of IP and outside IP counsel on patenting, copyright and trademark decisions
• Marketing research tool and medical device technologies to industry
• Engaging industry partners for potential licensing deals
• Communicating industry feedback to faculty
• Executing licensing transactions to industry
• Representing the University at industry conferences, from time-to-time, that are relevant to technology transfer activities

Faculty engagement

• Assisting faculty who aren’t familiar with TLO’s process to complete invention disclosures
• Encouraging faculty to disclose inventions, highlighting the advantages of how disclosing can help technology transition to the market
• Maintaining regular interactions with faculty to learn about upcoming innovations, discussing market gaps, making appropriate connections with TLO services and otherwise ensure the highest probability of successfully commercializing a technology
• Mentoring faculty on future work to pivot their research towards commercialization

Invention Disclosure evaluation

• Evaluating a medical device or research tool technology for its commercial potential, provide recommendations on the development of a technology and implement steps toward licensing.
• Understanding the future development and funding needed to advance a medical device or research tool technology to a value inflection point

IP Management

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

Marketing

• Marketing medical device or research tool technologies for licensing consideration by industry and other commercialization partners
• Engaging with industry on a regular basis to expand TLO’s networks, keep abreast of market trends, get feedback on technology potential and identify licensing opportunities
• Attending relevant trade shows to promote the technology portfolio
• Hosting corporations at TLO to promote University research, faculty engagement and licensing opportunities

Licensing

• Engaging with industry on a regular basis to keep abreast of market trends and licensing opportunities
• Working with TLO stakeholders to advance medical device and research tool technologies through a licensing transaction to industry

This job description is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications 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 work experience).

Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:

II

II: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

III

III: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

IV

IV: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 8 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly related work experience.

V

V: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 10 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work 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 transfer office.
• 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, or familiarity with the university environment, preferred.
• Experience in business development and marketing preferred.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to communicate and present written and oral materials clearly and professionally.
• Strong customer service orientation and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated, able to work independently with minimal supervision, and effective as a team member.

Type

Benefited Staff

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems ("URS"). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at [phone] for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at [phone] or [phone] or University Human Resource Management at [phone] if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.

Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page.

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As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.