Associate Director, Technology Transfer

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Job Summary

The Associate Director, Technology Transfer will perform a broad range of technical and business functions related to the commercialization of technology created at Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (together the "Institute"). The successful candidate will work directly with the Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships (OTTCP) leadership team to formulate long-term goals/vision. In addition to their regular duties related to patenting and licensing, the Associate Director, Technology Transfer will be responsible for managing key projects related to the operations of the office, including financial, IT, and other matters. The Associate Director, Technology Transfer will have strong technical skills combined with business acumen and will be familiar with the fundamental principles of intellectual property ("IP"). The successful candidate must be self-directed and comfortable in a fast-paced environment characterized by a high degree of ambiguity and uncertainty.

Essential Job Duties

• Confer with Institute faculty, staff, and students to understand and evaluate the commercial potential of inventions arising from their research.
• Encourage invention disclosures from researchers and identify areas where new IP or other forms of marketable technology may arise, allowing the Institute to position itself to transfer the technology successfully.
• Make patent filing decisions and manage external attorneys during patent prosecution.
• Establish commercialization plans for intellectual property and identify potential interested commercial partners.
• Formulate and negotiate IP license agreements between the Institute and external entities.
• Formulate and negotiate other IP-related agreements to which the Institute is a party, including inter-institutional agreements, collaboration agreements, non-disclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, and sponsored research agreements.
• Advise researchers on issues pertaining to software, including copyright protection and open source or other licensing.
• Develop and implement best practices within OTTCP regarding the management of software developed at the Institute.
• Monitor and maintain existing license agreements and relationships with existing licensees.
• In conjunction with OTTCP's Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs), advise Institute entrepreneurs on available options for start-up companies and assist/counsel entrepreneurs during startup formation.
• In conjunction with OTTCP's EIRs, review funding proposals, startup pitches, and make funding recommendations as part of Institute's Rothenberg Innovation Initiative (RI2) and Caltech Seed Fund programs.
• In conjunction with OTTCP administrative/operations/finance staff, review legal bills from outside counsel for patent prosecution and other legal work.
• Provide miscellaneous administrative support in the management and maintenance of the Caltech/JPL IP portfolio.
• Support OTTCP leadership team in strategic planning and oversight of operations.
• Coach and develop junior licensing professionals.
• Participate in mentorship and education of OTTCP summer student interns

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in science or engineering.
• Registered patent agent.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong negotiating skills; ability to understand constraints of deal stakeholders (faculty, licensees, etc.) and successfully map into an overall strategy to ensure successful deal outcomes.
• Ability to excel in an unstructured work environment with a minimum of management oversight.
• Ability to grasp inventions in a wide range of fields outside own area of technical expertise.
• Ability to comfortably communicate and form positive working relationships with people as varied as top scientists, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, attorneys, CEOs, and other business people.
• Ability to comfortably communicate and form positive working relationships with i) Caltech faculty, students, staff, ii) co-workers within OTTCP, and iii) colleagues across other Institute departments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in industry, venture capital, or at a start-up company.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in technology transfer in an academic environment.

Required Documents

• Resume