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Associate Director, Physical Sciences Licensing

University of Pennsylvania

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Posted:

May 23, 2025

Location:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Associate Director, Physical Sciences Licensing

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title
Associate Director, Physical Sciences Licensing

Job Profile Title
Associate Director, Technology Licensing

Job Description Summary
The Associate Director, Physical Sciences Licensing, will be a dedicated team member of the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) within the Engineering, Physical and Applied Sciences Office and will report to the Executive Director, Physical Sciences Licensing. The Associate Director will assume primary responsibility for directly facilitating the technology transfer, development and commercialization of assigned technologies from faculty/departmental clients; assisting designated School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), School of Design and Wharton School of Business researchers, along with researchers from other schools if applicable, with the establishment of new commercialization agreements and business development relationships; supporting the establishment of R&D collaborations with industry partners to advance early stage discoveries; and managing relationships with key stakeholders internal and external to Penn to proactively enable technology transfer. The Associate Director will provide high quality services including invention receipt and capture, patentability assessment, market outreach (in-depth marketing support both strategic and tactical), business development (structuring, drafting and negotiating commercialization agreements) and shall deliver the highest quality customer service. The Associate Director will also be a devoted team player who strongly supports the efforts of both the Engineering, Physical and Applied Sciences Office as well as the entire PCI organization.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Develop, lead and maintain strong working relationships through regular meetings with faculty and administrators in SEAS and SAS, along with School of Design and Wharton as applicable. Manage patenting, marketing, licensing IP and IP matters related to sponsored research for assigned faculty.
Assist Executive Director-Physical Sciences Licensing with formulating, implementing and adjusting direction of physical sciences licensing group. Deputize in the absence of the Director - Physical Sciences Licensing.
Identify, establish and lead industry relationships for technology development and commercialization, in collaboration with SEAS and SAS, and School of Design and Wharton as applicable, faculty and other PCI staff; market technologies to established companies.
Identify and analyze the commercial potential of research programs and discoveries; develop commercialization strategies and marketing activities for technologies arising from SEAS and SAS, School of Design and Wharton as applicable, and any joint technologies between SEAS/SAS and the Perelman School of Medicine for assigned faculty.
Assist Executive Director-Physical Sciences Licensing with implementation of new initiatives and programs for SEAS and SAS, and School of Design and Wharton as applicable.
Participate in the licensing aspects of new start-up ventures, with primary focus on SEAS, SAS, School of Design and Wharton as applicable, and joint technologies between SEAS/SAS and the Perelman School of Medicine.
Draft and negotiate license agreements, including deal documentation, with primary focus on SEAS and SAS, and School of Design and Wharton as applicable.
Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Masters or Ph. D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree and 5 year to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. The Associate Director shall preferably have a Ph.D. in a physical sciences or engineering related field with 5+ years of experience in technology transfer, business development or equivalent intellectual property/corporate contracts experience. A successful track record of working in both academic and corporate environments is preferred.
Highly advanced professional discipline. The candidate must be a dedicated team player, have outstanding customer service skills, exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, demonstrated technical skills and business acumen, and must be able to interact effectively in academic and corporate cultures. This candidate should be knowledgeable of intellectual property and licensing practices, proficient at multitasking and be an independent self-starter with a strong work ethic. The Associate Director must be able to manage and prioritize a large and diverse set of relationships, tasks and projects, and to be able to identify and manage inventions in fields outside of their area of technical expertise. Strong negotiation skills are desired along with the ability to excel in a relatively independent and flexible work environment.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

The PCI has retained Gardner Innovation Search Partners, a national executive search firm, to assist with this important recruitment. Please direct all inquiries, nominations, and applications electronically and in confidence to:

Lisa Rooney - Gardner Innovation Search Partners

https://gardnerisp.com/associate-director-physical-sciences-licensing-university-of-pennsylvania/

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Provost's Center

Pay Range
$109,000.00 - $140,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job's level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

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), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.
To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/3600-Civic-Center-Boulevard---9th-Floor/Associate-Director--Physical-Sciences-Licensing_JR00101270

Internal Number: 6231886

About University of Pennsylvania

Penn has a long and proud tradition of intellectual rigor and pursuit of innovative knowledge, begun by Benjamin Franklin in 1740. That tradition lives today through the creativity, entrepreneurship, and engagement of our faculty, students, and staff. Academic life at Penn is unparalleled, with an undergraduate student body of 10,000 from every U.S. state and around the world. The entering class of 2015 is the most talented and diverse in Penn's history. Consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the country, Penn welcomes an additional 10,000 students to our top-ranked graduate and professional schools.

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Associate Director, Physical Sciences Licensing

University of Pennsylvania

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