Job Details

Assistant Director, Commercialization

Position Number: 9825421
Location: Salt Lake City, United States
Position Type: Economic and Business Development

Assistant Director, Commercialization

Job Summary

An Assistant Director of Commercialization's role at the Technology Licensing Office (TLO) at the University of Utah is to develop relationships with University faculty to promote innovation that has strong commercial potential with the ultimate goal of monetizing these innovations through licensing transactions, which generate downstream revenue through a variety of contractual obligations. The majority of their time will be spent meeting with faculty and developing relationships with potential licensees. Education of TLO's mission is a core theme of faculty interactions, the intent of which is to produce higher quality, curated invention disclosures across all University colleges, institutes, and departments. Based on their domain expertise and industry relationships, Assistant Director of Commercialization also provide awareness to faculty of technology solutions that are most valued by global markets to influence their research efforts.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

The department may choose to hire at any of the below job levels and associated pay rates based on their business need and budget.

Responsibilities
The Assistant Director of Commercialization in this position will be responsible for:

Developing relationships with faculty and actively engaging them in the commercialization process
Identifying faculty at the University who have developed and/or are interested in developing new research tool or medical device assets through reviewing the scientific literature, attending faculty seminars, etc.
Managing a portfolio of medical device technologies
Supporting a portfolio of research tools including animal models, cell lines, reagents, screening assays, and research tools.
Evaluating medical device and research tool invention disclosures for their commercial potential
Working with faculty, the Director of IP and outside IP counsel on patenting, copyright and trademark decisions
Marketing research tool and medical device technologies to industry
Engaging industry partners for potential licensing deals
Communicating industry feedback to faculty
Executing licensing transactions to industry
Representing the University at industry conferences, from time-to-time, that are relevant to technology transfer activities

On a day-to-day basis, the Assistant Director of Commercialization will actively support and manage a portfolio in the medical device and research tool space. Portfolio management involves a variety of activities including but not limited to:

Faculty engagement:

Assisting faculty who aren't familiar with TLO's process to complete invention disclosures
Encouraging faculty to disclose inventions, highlighting the advantages of how disclosing can help technology transition to the market
Maintaining regular interactions with faculty to learn about upcoming innovations, discussing market gaps, making appropriate connections with TLO services and otherwise ensure the highest probability of successfully commercializing a technology
Mentoring faculty on future work to pivot their research towards commercialization

Invention Disclosure evaluation:

Evaluating a medical device or research tool technology for its commercial potential, provide recommendations on the development of a technology and implement steps toward licensing.
Understanding the future development and funding needed to advance a medical device or research tool technology to a value inflection point

IP Management:

Working with IP counsel in evaluating prior art searches for IP potential of a technology
Working closely with IP counsel to establish and manage an IP prosecution strategy

Marketing:

Marketing medical device or research tool technologies for licensing consideration by industry and other commercialization partners
Engaging with industry on a regular basis to expand TLO's networks, keep abreast of market trends, get feedback on technology potential and identify licensing opportunities
Attending relevant trade shows to promote the technology portfolio
Hosting corporations at TLO to promote University research, faculty engagement and licensing opportunities

Licensing:

Engaging with industry on a regular basis to keep abreast of market trends and licensing opportunities
Working with TLO stakeholders to advance medical device and research tool technologies through a licensing transaction to industry

This job description is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Minimum Qualifications
EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:
II: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

III: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

IV: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 8 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly related work experience.

V: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 10 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences

Bachelor's degree in life sciences or a related field required; advanced degree in life sciences or bioengineering preferred.
Three to five years of experience in technology transfer, preferably within a university or industry technology transfer office.
Two or more years of industry experience in the life sciences, preferably in an area relevant to the assignment (Research Tools, Medical Devices, or Diagnostics).
Previous university administrative or research experience, or familiarity with the university environment, preferred.
Experience in business development and marketing preferred.
Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to communicate and present written and oral materials clearly and professionally.
Strong customer service orientation and interpersonal skills.
Self-motivated, able to work independently with minimal supervision, and effective as a team member.

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN46200B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Monday -- Friday
Department: 00642 - Technology Licensing Office
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: $84,000 - $120,000
Close Date: 12/11/2026
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit <a href=""https://apptrkr.com/9825421"">https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/209181