Senior Licensing Associate

University of Nevada, Reno; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Annual leave

Sick leave

Fitness center

Discounts for local services

Retirement plan

Job summary

University of Nevada, Reno is seeking a Senior Licensing Associate to support the commercialization of university innovations. You will manage assigned technologies and contribute to evaluation, protection, marketing, and licensing of IP arising from university research.

Engage with industry partners, investors, and entrepreneurs to translate discoveries into real-world impact. You will collaborate with faculty inventors, external advisors, and service providers to support technology

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and five (5) years of related professional experience OR a Master’s Degree and three (3) years of related professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Establish strong rapport with faculty and research staff to maximize IP and commercialization opportunities.
• Lead engagement with faculty to identify promising technologies and facilitate sponsored research and licensing opportunities.
• Evaluate invention disclosures for patentability and commercialization potential.
• Develop commercialization plans including market research and marketing materials; identify potential licensees.
• Assist in structuring license deals and drafting/negotiating term sheets and license agreements.
• Manage IP portfolio and coordinate patent filings and prosecution with counsel.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or related technical field

Master’s Degree in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or closely related technical field

Job description

The University of Nevada, Reno is recruiting for a Senior Licensing Associate, Enterprise & Commercialization. This position is responsible for supporting the commercialization of university innovations. The position manages assigned technologies and contributes to the evaluation, protection, marketing, and licensing of intellectual property arising from university research. The Senior Licensing Associate performs technical, commercial, and competitive assessments of inventions; contributes to commercialization planning; and engages industry partners, investors, and entrepreneurs to help translate research discoveries into real-world impact.

The Senior Licensing Associate works closely with faculty inventors, external advisors, and service providers to support technology development, structure licensing transactions, and assist with startup formation where appropriate.

The role requires strong judgment in intellectual property strategy, market opportunity evaluation, and negotiation of complex agreements. The position also contributes to technology marketing initiatives, and ecosystem engagement efforts that strengthen the university’s innovation pipeline. This position reports to Assistant Vice President, Enterprise & Innovation (AVPEI)

Duties/Responsibilities

• Establish strong rapport with faculty and other research staff; work with team members to provide effective and efficient services to faculty while maximizing IP and commercialization opportunities for the University;
• Lead engagement efforts with faculty to identify promising technologies and facilitate new sponsored research and licensing opportunities;
• Evaluate invention disclosures for patentability and commercialization potential;
• Maximize the commercial potential of technologies by developing a commercialization plan including conducting market research, authoring and publishing marketing materials, and identifying potential licensees;
• Assist in structuring license deals and drafting and negotiating term sheets and license agreements;
• Manage assigned intellectual property portfolio including managing IP protection for inventions in various stages of development; work with patent counsel to coordinate patent filings and prosecution matters.

Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or related technical field and five (5) years of related professional experience; OR a Master’s Degree in engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or a closely related technical field and three (3) years of related professional experience. Related Experience: Experience in university technology transfer, intellectual property management, research commercialization, industry R&D, technical business development or a related field.

Schedule/Travel Requirements

• Occasional local, regional, and national travel
• Variable hours

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD, in engineering, physical sciences or life/biological sciences.
• Ability to assess the potential of a nascent technology for commercial applications including startup opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to develop marketing materials and to implement marketing strategies suitable for a given technology.
• Demonstrated proficiency in identifying potential industry partners and negotiating and closing licenses.
• Exceptional customer service mindset and approach that engenders confidence and trust among faculty and industry partners.
• Ability to function as a member of a diverse team including sponsored projects office, legal counsel, and economic development entities.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to prioritize and manage a diverse technology/IP portfolio.
• Registered Technology Transfer Professional
• Patent agent registration with USPTO

Compensation Grade

Administrative Faculty - C

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Administrative Faculty by Grade. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 19.25% contribution is generously matched by the University. With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow! All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada.

Perks of Working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• Generous annual and sick leave and life insurance – Faculty Benefits
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
• No state income tax!

Grants-in-Aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner. Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

College Information

E&I serves as the focal point of University’s innovation ecosystem. E&I is responsible for managing intellectual properties created by university faculty and researchers and commercializing the IP through licensing and startup ventures. E&I also provide incubation and acceleration support to the entrepreneurial community through the UNR Innevation Center and its programs.

This posting is open until filled