Senior Associate Director, PCI Ventures
University of Pennsylvania
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The Senior Associate Director will serve as the scientific and entrepreneurial lead for PCI Ventures, evaluating high-potential technologies, shaping commercialization strategies, and creating milestone-based development plans with Penn faculty and the expert network.
They will provide mentorship to PCI Ventures staff, establish venture-building frameworks, lead early opportunity triage, coordinate with Penn I-Corps, and act as deputy to the Executive Director to ensure continuity and strategic
Qualifications
- Masters degree and 5-7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required; PhD strongly preferred.
- Personally has done the kind of science that Penn faculty are trying to commercialize.
- Has deep product development experience, having learned through experience, not just intellectually, what it takes to move a technology from proof of concept to something manufacturable at scale.
- Was part of the founding team of a venture-backed startup, which meant raising capital, building a team, navigating regulatory pathways, and finding early customers.
- Took a technology from concept to a market-ready product, integrating the science, engineering, and validation needed to get there.
- Has worked across startups, research institutions, government, and industry, so they know how each of these worlds thinks, and how to translate between them.
- Has been on both sides of the table, as a founder seeking capital and as an institutional leader helping others commercialize.
Responsibilities
- Scientific and commercial strategy development: Work with faculty, researchers, and senior commercialization advisor to evaluate technologies, develop commercialization theses, identify key technical and commercial assumptions, and define milestone-based plans for advancing venture opportunities.
- Senior commercialization advisor leadership and quality oversight: Directly supervise the senior commercialization advisors, and provide day-to-day coaching, review project work, and ensure consistent quality and rigor across venture-building activities.
- Venture-building frameworks and operating practices: Partner with the Executive Director to develop and maintain PCI Ventures' commercialization frameworks, playbooks, milestone practices, and project-review processes.
- Early-stage triage and I-Corps coordination: Hold office hours for early teams, assess readiness for PCI Ventures engagement, and coordinate with Penn I-Corps when additional customer discovery is needed.
- Project coverage and continuity: Step into projects as needed during senior commercialization advisor transitions, vacancies, or workload gaps and provide senior scientific and commercial support.
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
Education
Job description
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer inPhiladelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research,and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranksamong the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & WorldReport survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provideopportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education,all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach toscholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been rankednationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbeswho named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city ofPhiladelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urbancampus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, andrecreational activities. With its historical significance andlandmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety ofatmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home forwork and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includesexcellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and theirfamilies, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety ofprofessional development opportunities, supportive work and familybenefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources,and much more.
Senior Associate Director, PCI Ventures
Associate Director, Technology Licensing Senior
Reporting to the Executive Director of PCI Ventures, the SeniorAssociate Director will serve as the scientific and entrepreneuriallead for PCI Ventures, including providing oversight over itscommercialization advisors. Working closely with Penn faculty,researchers, and expert network the Senior Associate Director willevaluate high-potential technologies, develop and shapecommercialization strategies, identify critical technical andmarket risks, and create milestone-based development plans for eachteam, designed to position them for successful company formationand beyond. The Senior Associate Director will also providementorship and guidance to members of the PCI Ventures team,helping to strengthen their capabilities in technology assessment,commercialization strategy, and venture development.
The Senior Associate Director will provide day-to-day leadership tothe advisors, set expectations for the quality and rigor ofventure-building work, and review and pressure-test projectstrategies and recommendations. Together with the ExecutiveDirector, the Senior Associate Director will develop and maintainPCI Ventures' venture-building frameworks and operatingpractices.
The Senior Associate Director will also lead front-end triage forearly opportunities, including office hours for teams that are notyet ready for full PCI Ventures engagement, and will coordinatewith Penn's I-Corps program when additional customer discovery isappropriate. The role will not ordinarily maintain a standingproject portfolio but will step into projects as needed to providecontinuity during senior commercialization advisor transitions,vacancies, or periods of high workload.
The Senior Associate Director will serve as deputy andsecond-in-command to the Executive Director, represent PCI Venturesinternally and externally, and make routine operating decisionswhen the Executive Director is unavailable. The position will alsolead the onboarding and training of new senior commercializationadvisors.
- Scientific and commercial strategy development: Workwith faculty, researchers, and senior commercialization advisor toevaluate technologies, develop commercialization theses, identifykey technical and commercial assumptions, and definemilestone-based plans for advancing venture opportunities.
- Senior commercialization advisor leadership and qualityoversight: Directly supervise the senior commercializationadvisors, and provide day-to-day coaching, review project work, andensure consistent quality and rigor across venture-buildingactivities.
- Venture-building frameworks and operating practices:Partner with the Executive Director to develop and maintain PCIVentures' commercialization frameworks, playbooks, milestonepractices, and project-review processes.
- Early-stage triage and I-Corps coordination: Hold officehours for early teams, assess readiness for PCI Venturesengagement, and coordinate with Penn I-Corps when additionalcustomer discovery is needed.
- Project coverage and continuity: Step into projects asneeded during senior commercialization advisor transitions,vacancies, or workload gaps and provide senior scientific andcommercial support.
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
- Masters degree and 5-7 years of experience or equivalentcombination of education and experience is required; PhD stronglypreferred.
- Personally has done the kind of science that Penn faculty aretrying to commercialize
- Has deep product development experience, having learned throughexperience, not just intellectually, what it takes to move atechnology from proof of concept to something manufacturable atscale.
- Was part of the founding team of a venture-backed startup,which meant raising capital, building a team, navigating regulatorypathways, and finding early customers.
- Took a technology from concept to a market-ready product,integrating the science, engineering, and validation needed to getthere.
- Has worked across startups, research institutions, government,and industry, so they know how each of these worlds thinks, and howto translate between them.
- Has been on both sides of the table, as a founder seekingcapital and as an institutional leader helping otherscommercialize. They know what investors need to see and whatscientists need to hear.
- A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered forthis position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you toupload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Provost's Center
$135,327.00 - $200,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications,experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to therequirements of the position, and in alignment with salary rangesbased on external market data for the job's level. Internalorganization and peer data at Penn are also considered.
The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer.Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race,color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer ismade. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to therequirements of the job.
- Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Pennoffers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health,dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and yourfamily's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spendingaccounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent careexpenses with pre-tax dollars.
- Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuitionbenefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can gettuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are alsoeligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
- Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans tohelp you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, andSupplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on apre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investmentoptions through TIAA and Vanguard.
- Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with asubstantial amount of time away from work during the course of theyear. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personalaffairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time withfamily-whatever your personal needs may be.
- Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with GenworthFinancial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible familymembers) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of thecosts of long-term care services received at home, in the communityor in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, youwon't have to provide proof of good health or be subject tounderwriting requirements. Eligible family members must alwaysprovide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
- Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed tosupporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competingdemands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a widevariety of programs and resources to help you care for your health,your family, and your work-life balance.
- Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides anarray of resources to help you advance yourself personally andprofessionally.
- University Resources: As a member of the Penn community,you have access to a wide range of University resources as well ascultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of theUniversity's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit ourarboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on atPenn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latestmusic or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the PennRelays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a memberof the Penn community, you're right in the middle of theexcitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of theseactivities for free.
- Discounts and Special Services: From arts andentertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find greatdeals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts andcultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admissionand memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoysubstantial savings on other goods and services such as new carsfrom Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movietickets, and admission to theme parks.
- Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offercreative approaches for completing work while promoting balancebetween work and personal commitments. These approaches involve useof non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or jobstructures.
- Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivableloan for eligible employees interested in buying a home orcurrently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used forclosing costs or home improvements.
- Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligibleemployees on qualified expenses in connection with the legaladoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for upto two adoptions in your household.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay
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