Patent Licensing & Translation Specialist

Portland State University; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

95% premium healthcare

Retirement plan

Tuition benefits

Job summary

Portland State University seeks a Patent Licensing & Translation Associate to support its Innovation & Intellectual Property office. The role blends proactive discovery harvesting, patent analyses, and licensing activities to maximize translational impact across PSU research programs.

The incumbent will nurture relationships with researchers and industry partners, draft complex licenses, and help translate inventions into real-world solutions while advancing PSU’s mission and strategic goals.

Qualifications

• Master’s or advanced professional degree (Ph.D., JD, or MBA) with 3+ years of experience.
• Advanced degree in sciences, engineering, business, or law.
• 3–5 years of direct experience in university technology transfer, commercialization, or corporate business development.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating contracts, non-disclosure agreements, or intellectual property licenses.

Responsibilities

• Proactively harvest discoveries and mine grant data to identify early‑stage innovations.
• Draft, negotiate, and process IP licenses, MTAs, and ISRA-related agreements.
• Deliver evaluations of inventions for patentability, market potential, and strategic IP plans.
• Supervise student workers and provide mentorship in innovation projects.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Organizational skills

IP landscape knowledge

Education

Master’s or advanced professional degree

Advanced degree in sciences/engineering/business/law

Tools

Inteum

Job description

Portland State University seeks a Patent Licensing & Translation Associate to support its Innovation & Intellectual Property office. The role blends proactive discovery harvesting, patent analyses, and licensing activities to maximize translational impact across PSU research programs.

The incumbent will nurture relationships with researchers and industry partners, draft complex licenses, and help translate inventions into real-world solutions while advancing PSU’s mission and strategic goals.