| | As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a “Great College to Work For” for six consecutive years.
UW CoMotion® is committed to creating an environment of inclusiveness where every person feels welcomed and valued. We believe that attracting and retaining a diverse staff is crucial to provide excellent and innovative services to UW researchers.
The mission of CoMotion® is to partner with the UW community on their innovation journey, providing tools, connections, and acumen to transform ideas into economic and societal impact.
The CoMotion® Innovation Development group provides services including intellectual property strategy and management, project development guidance, portfolio management, and license, confidentiality, and material transfer agreements.
UW CoMotion® has an outstanding full time opportunity for an Innovation Manager.
The ideal candidate has a passion for helping researchers extend the impact of their innovations; enjoys managing a large and diverse portfolio; is creative and a problem solver; is transparent and collaborative; is able to adapt to a variety of working styles among the portfolio teams; and enjoys both taking initiative in independent work as well as coordinating and contributing to the strong team-culture of the Innovation Development group and CoMotion.
Bringing a strong life science technical background to the table, a deep understanding of the path to market, and effective skills in connecting and mentoring, the Life Science Innovation Manager enjoys advising a broad portfolio of teams in their project development efforts, connecting the teams to needed resources, while managing the intellectual property and licensing activities.
Within the Innovation Development group, the Innovation Managers use their technical expertise and business acumen to support researchers in their journey to launch ideas into the marketplace, guiding innovators to needed resources, advising on customer discovery activities and start-up formation, making intellectual property protection decisions, and negotiating agreements including intellectual property licenses both to existing companies, and to UW spin-outs. Innovation Managers also participate in CoMotion's outreach activities, including giving talks to faculty, students, and research groups, and working with external parties to to assist in promoting understanding of university innovation transfer processes.
This position brings a strong life science technical background to the table, a deep understanding of the path to market, and effective skills in connecting and mentoring. The Life Science Innovation Manager advises a broad portfolio of teams in their project development efforts, connecting the teams to needed resources, while managing the intellectual property and licensing activities.
This position provides expert guidance to UW teams interested in transferring their life science innovations to organizations and end-users. It is critical to be responsive to the complexities of balancing the University’s goals and policies with the needs and goals of the UW team in transforming these innovations into marketable products and services.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Marketing and Project Development for UW innovations
Identifying and supporting marketing of the project through presentations at technology showcases and local events; Reviewing and revising business pitches to attract investment in projects.
Preparing informational materials regarding UW innovations.
Responsible and accountable for opportunity generation and managing a successful technology portfolio.
Developing plans for effective transfer of technology to existing companies or a new business venture.
Negotiating and Drafting licenses for UW intellectual property
Using business acumen, negotiation and presentation skills to market and license UW innovations.
Identifying potential licensees.
Initiating contact with licensees, drafting and negotiating license agreements.
Encouraging and evaluating new projects and innovation disclosures
Managing the biomaterials licensing portfolio.
Assessing new innovations generated by University faculty and researchers for their potential IP and marketability.
Recommending whether or not to commercialize innovations.
As appropriate, work with CoMotion's IP specialists to coordinate the protection of UW's proprietary rights in innovations via patent, copyright, or trademark.
Working proactively with entrepreneurs, investors, and investigators to catalyze promising commercialization projects
Identifying commercialization gap funding sources and facilitating applications for those awards and post award project guidance.
Connecting with industry experts, CoMotion Advisors, community angel investors, local technology associations.
Working with Deans, Chairs, Directors, Faculty, Staff and Students to determine intellectual property protection and commercialization needs and implement strategies to meet those needs.
Providing service to university and broader community
Educating UW community and private sector about commercialization and intellectual property.
Conducting presentations to schools and departments regarding commercialization, communicate UW policies on patents, inventions, and copyrights.
Participating in local and regional business groups.
Serving as faculty resource for questions on UW policies related to conflict of interest, outside consulting, and other relevant issues.
REQUIREMENTS:
Masters Degree in Life Science, Bioengineering, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering or related field and some experience or coursework in business, marketing or law.
Two years experience in scientific research, corporate R&D, product or business development. Or a combination of education and experience.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
DESIRED:
Ph.D. in Life Science discipline.
Commercialization experience in an academic or corporate environment focused on technology licensing.
Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills.
Strong project management abilities and desire to move opportunities forward by creating a strategy and bringing together the resources to make it happen.
Strong advocacy skills for promising technologies.
Good business sense.
Ability to interact effectively in both the academic and corporate cultures.
Ability to absorb technical details of new technologies.
Effective at setting priorities and obtaining closure.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with other colleagues.
Ability to think creatively, then translate into viable action plan.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. |
