Manager, Business Development & Technology Transfer (Licensing & Operations)

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Excellent health benefits

Retirement plans

Job summary

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York is seeking an experienced professional to run day-to-day operations of the technology transfer program, manage Bayh-Dole compliance, invention disclosures, license agreements, and portfolio administration. You will support licensing and business development activities, including startup support and interaction with faculty, industry partners, and funders.

Your role includes coordinating with legal counsel, maintaining the Wellspring IP database, tracking

Qualifications

• Experience drafting and negotiating CDAs, MTAs, and SRAs with academic and industry counterparties.
• Working knowledge of the Bayh-Dole Act, NIH invention reporting requirements, and iEdison.
• Ability to read and interpret license financial terms (royalties, milestones, sublicense income).
• Understanding of patent prosecution timelines, market research, and technology valuation methods.

Responsibilities

• Deal execution, negotiation, and close of standard agreements (CDAs, MTAs, SRAs).
• Prepare technology evaluations, market assessments, and commercial analyses.
• Support faculty startups by coordinating with founders and investors, and drafting term sheets.
• Maintain Wellspring IP database and oversee compliance reporting.
• Coordinate with OSP and leadership to report inventions and policy updates.

Skills

CDA/MTA/SRA drafting

Negotiation

IP compliance

Microsoft Excel

Communication skills

Project management

Education

MS or PhD in life sciences

MBA + life sciences undergrad

Tools

Wellspring

iEdison

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Description

Under the direction of the Senior Director, Business Development & Technology Transfer (BD&TT), this role runs the day-to-day operations of the Laboratory's technology transfer program and supports its licensing and business development activities. The position manages Bayh-Dole and funder compliance, invention disclosure intake, agreement administration, license and patent cost tracking, and the IP database. It also negotiates standard agreements and supports faculty startup activity.

Position Responsibilities

Business Development & Licensing (35%)

• Deal Execution & Negotiation: Draft, negotiate, and close standard agreements (CDAs, MTAs, options, non-exclusive licenses, and sponsored research agreements) using CSHL templates. Support the Senior Director on complex transactions, including exclusive licenses and collaboration agreements, working with legal counsel.
• Technology Assessment & Valuation: Prepare technology evaluations, market assessments, and commercial opportunity analyses to inform licensing strategy recommendations for assigned technologies.
• Faculty Startups & Venture Creation: Support faculty-driven startup activities by coordinating with faculty founders, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and industry partners, and by preparing term sheet and diligence materials for review.
• Technology Marketing: Identify prospective commercial partners and actively market assigned CSHL technology portfolios.

Operations, Compliance & Portfolio Administration (45%)

• Sponsorship & Federal Compliance: Manage day-to-day compliance with the Bayh-Dole Act (37 CFR Part 401), including invention disclosure, election of title, and utilization reporting to funding agencies through iEdison. Track and meet IP obligations to third-party funders (NIH, HHMI, foundations, and industry sponsors), and escalation conflicts to the Senior Director.
• Invention Disclosure Intake: Manage the intake process for new invention disclosures: work with inventors to complete disclosures, confirm inventor and contributor details, investigate funding sources and third-party obligations (grants, MTAs, SRAs), and open new matter records in the IP database.
• Agreement Administration: Manage intake, tracking, and routing of incoming agreements (CDAs, MTAs, SRAs, and amendments); coordinate review with legal counsel and signatures with authorized signatories; and maintain the executed agreement repository.
• IP Database Administration: Maintain CSHL's IP management database (Wellspring), keeping records accurate, setting up automated agreement and patent milestone alerts, and ensuring data integrity.
• License Compliance & Financial Tracking: Track licensee obligations (diligence milestones, royalty reports, net sales, milestone and annual fees, sublicense income); issue invoices; reconcile payments with Accounting; prepare notices of missed obligations for review; and support audits as needed.
• Revenue Distribution: Calculate inventor and Laboratory revenue shares under CSHL policy and coordinate distributions with Accounting.
• Patent Cost & Docket Coordination: Monitor patent deadlines with outside patent counsel, review patent invoices for approval, and invoice licensees for patent cost reimbursement.
• Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) Liaison: Serve as the day-to-day BD&TT point of contact with OSP to coordinate NIH invention reporting, inter-institutional agreements, and research policy updates.
• Reporting & Metrics: Compile data for the annual AUTM Licensing Activity Survey and prepare regular activity, revenue, and portfolio reports for the Senior Director and Laboratory leadership.
• Process Management: Maintain standard operating procedures, agreement templates, and checklists, and recommend process improvements.

IP Strategy & Stakeholder Engagement (20%)

• Patent Portfolio Management: Work with patent counsel to protect intellectual property across assigned portfolios, conducting prior art searches and summarizing prosecution options for decision by the Senior Director.
• Internal Faculty Engagement: Conduct regular outreach with CSHL faculty and researchers to identify new inventions and educate them on technology transfer policies and workflows.
• Showcase Events: Help organize and participate in investment showcases and industry partner meetings.

Position Requirements

• EDUCATION: Advanced degree required: MS or PhD in the life sciences or a related scientific field, or an MBA combined with an undergraduate degree in the life sciences.
• EXPERIENCE: Minimum 2 years of experience in academic technology transfer, research contracts administration, or life science business development, including direct experience with agreement negotiation or IP compliance.

Required Skills & Knowledge

• Experience drafting and negotiating CDAs, MTAs, and SRAs with academic and industry counterparties.
• Working knowledge of the Bayh-Dole Act, NIH invention reporting requirements, and iEdison.
• Ability to read and interpret license financial terms (royalties, milestones, sublicense income, patent cost reimbursement).
• Working understanding of patent prosecution (U.S., PCT, and foreign filing timelines), market research, and technology valuation methods.
• Proficiency with IP management databases (Wellspring or equivalent) and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience negotiating option and exclusive license agreements.
• Experience supporting startup formation or venture financing.
• RTTP or CLP credential, or active progress toward one.
• Familiarity with HHMI, foundation, and industry sponsor IP policies.
• Experience with AUTM Licensing Activity Survey reporting.

Competencies

• Strong organizational and project management skills; handles a high volume of time-sensitive matters with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain IP and compliance concepts to scientists.
• Strong interpersonal skills, professional presence, and discretion.
• High level of ethics, integrity, and confidentiality.
• Responsive, service-oriented approach with faculty, partners, and internal departments.

Compensation and Benefits

Our employees are compensated in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our CSHL Benefits sites to learn more. The salary range for this role is $130,000.00-$150,000.00. The salary range and/or hourly rate listed is a good faith determination of potential base compensation that may be offered to a successful applicant for this position at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future. When determining a base salary and/or rate, several factors may be considered as applicable (e.g., years of relevant experience, education, credentials, and internal equity).

Environment

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a world-renowned biomedical research institution in New York. It has shaped contemporary biomedical research and is the home of eight Nobel Prize laureates. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory provides a highly dynamic and interactive research environment and also a unique opportunity of timely exposure to advances in various biomedical research fields and of interaction with a broad range of researchers from all over the world through its renowned Meetings and Courses program.

We believe that science is for everyone and our researchers have a wide variety of backgrounds. CSHL is an EO Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor

For more information about CSHL, please visit us at www.cshl.edu. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is a community of more than 1,100 scientific, academic, administrative and support staff hailing from more than sixty different countries throughout the world, working together to advance research and education in the biological and biomedical sciences. It’s a stimulating and dynamic place to work, with cutting-edge research programs and science education and training at all career levels. From secondary education and enrichment programs run through the DNA Learning Center to the laboratories of our faculty and principal investigators, CSHL thrives by assembling a rich mix of people who are provided the resources and creative freedom to develop new ideas, solve problems, and advance knowledge.