Technology Licensing Associate Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job  Summary:

Working under the supervision of the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Business Development, Innovation and Partnerships the Director of Technology Licensing uses advanced intellectual property / technology licensing / transfer concepts and organization objectives to resolve highly complex issues. The person is responsible for a functional unit consisting of IP OFCR professionals involved in licensing intellectual property (IP) rights and other technology transfer related issues.

The unit evaluates opportunities for commercial potential, develops commercialization plans and makes connections with potential commercial partners.  This involves defining the market of potential patients and medical prescribers, valuing the market opportunity, creating a business strategy (including IP strategy), developing new startups as appropriate, and resolving other technology development gaps relevant to the commercialization of UCSF technologies. The team evaluates the commercial potential of research results, explores IP rights protection through outside counsel, (e.g. patents, software, trademarks and other IP assets); engages with outside investors/companies to secure a commercialization partner, develops and negotiates financial termsheets related to licensing transactions including equity terms. Facilitates administration of federal and state laws regarding research, conflict of interest, IP, contracts and employment. Works with external patent attorneys on intellectual property and contract attorneys to negotiate and finalize license agreements.

The Director of Technology Licensing uses skills as a seasoned, experienced business development and licensing professional with a full understanding of industry practices and organization policies and procedures to resolve a wide range of issues. 

Specifically, the individual is responsible for:

1. Leadership Team: The Associate Director will be a key part of the HealthTech Commercialization function, from conceiving strategies to the tactical implementation across the group for success. They will oversee process improvement change efforts and will communicate with campus leadership.

2. Licensing Strategies. The Associate Director defines the direction of commercialization and the appropriate licensing strategies for commercializing research discoveries. They will lead goal setting for the function and implement measurable key performance indicators for year-to-year comparators.

3. Licensing and IP-related Agreements.  As required will lead and oversee agreement template development, such as startup related agreements, with external counsel and law firms (exclusive and non-exclusive agreements) and including those required for UCSF to receive equity. 

4. Portfolio Technology Prioritization.  As part of identifying "promising" technologies to prioritize, leverages their scientific and technology expertise to determine the important features of a technology, a path to generate products/services from the technology and cultivates a commercialization opportunity with potential partners. 

5. Business Development.  Drives Business Development and Licensing workflow ensuring externally facing aspects are of high quality, such as building pitch decks and the presentation of technology opportunities to companies/investors and engaging with executives, business development professionals, venture capitalists to secure commercial development partners to translate UCSF technologies into products or services. Furthermore, Associate Director will use extensive knowledge of the life sciences industry to develop appropriate licensing strategies, deal valuations (including equity terms) to support the negotiation of financial term sheets for patent, copyright, trademark, technology rights, and/or know-how licenses (IP licenses).  Success is determined by number of value deals closed and cycle time.

6. Ongoing relationships.  Nurtures relationships with both faculty innovator and the external investor community to drive product commercialization with the appropriate partners to maximize opportunities for success.
7. Identifies, develops and completes internal development projects:  The role also involves creating and implementing value added projects that contribute to the overall development of the team(s).

Can work without direct supervision and can deal with a variety of different technologies and market variations / uncertainty. Capacity to delegate work and to work in teams to achieve the most efficient use of time, resource and knowledge. 

Department Overview:

UC San Francisco (UCSF) Innovation Ventures strives to translate our scientific discoveries for public use and benefit. Whether it's a new drug molecule, diagnostic, medical device or digital health application, our goal is to ensure the best new therapies and technologies can make their way to the patient as efficiently and safely as possible. 

UCSF Innovation Ventures is comprised of multiple groups specializing in business development, intellectual property, licensing and entrepreneurship. As part of Innovation Ventures, the HealthTech Commercialization (HTC) team is responsible for administering and managing all of UCSF's intellectual property, transferring and commercializing campus technologies for public use and benefit, and generating technology license income for research and education. 

The primary mission of HTC, within UCSF Innovation Ventures, is the transfer of UCSF's life science and medical technologies for public use and benefit while generating income to support campus research and education. HTC is responsible for administering and managing UCSF's intellectual property (IP), transferring campus technologies for public use and benefit, and generating technology license income for research and education. 

This work includes implementing the University of California Patent and Copyright Policies, educating the campus community about intellectual property and tangible research property management, evaluating campus inventions for commercial promise, transferring proprietary research materials from the campus to end-users in the public and private sectors, securing the appropriate intellectual property protection for university technologies, marketing campus intellectual property to industry and investors, establishing the value of campus technologies, negotiating and drafting the appropriate license agreements to transfer these technologies to commercial developers, facilitating the formation of new companies based on UCSF technologies, monitoring existing licensees for compliance, and distributing resulting license income to joint owners, the inventors and the campus. 

In addition, the HTC structures and negotiates strategic research partnerships, including structuring, drafting and negotiating research collaboration and digital health product co-development agreements. HTC also negotiates and approves intellectual property and licensing terms incorporated within all categories of both non-profit and industry sponsored research agreements, provides intellectual property advice as needed to other Innovation Ventures staff, the Office of the Campus Counsel, the Office of Sponsored Research, Supply Chain Management, and any other UCSF administrative unit in need of its intellectual property and business expertise. HTC works in concert with the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) and other UC campus technology transfer offices to further the system-wide goals of the University of California's technology transfer program.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related area  and / or equivalent combination of education / experience.
• Ten (10) or more years of related work experience.
• Ability to lead a team of professionals, set goals and key performance indicators.
• Thorough knowledge of and application of standard principles, theories, and concepts and techniques such as laws, regulations, and practices pertaining to the protection and management of intellectual property, university technology transfer, and general scientific and / or technical skills in subject matter area.
• Ability to market technology to industrial partners.
• Knowledge of various license arrangements.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to work collaboratively with researchers and team members.
• Demonstrated capacity to communicate with diverse audiences and understand the different motivations and drivers of each audience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in related scientific area, PhD, MBA or JD.
• Knowledge of contracts and grants.
• Knowledge of specific aspect of technology area (e.g .therapeutics) / technology licensing.
• Ability to work closely with internal and external stakeholders to close deals.
• Advanced degree in related scientific area.

% of timeEssential Function (Yes/No)Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor)10Yes

Defines the direction of commercialization and the appropriate licensing strategies for commercializing research discoveries. They will lead goal setting for the function and implement measurable key performance indicators for year-to-year comparators.

10YesAs part of identifying "promising" technologies to prioritize, leverages their scientific and technology expertise to determine the important features of a technology, a path to generate products/services from the technology and cultivates a commercialization opportunity with potential partners. 30Yes

Drives Business Development and Licensing workflow ensuring externally facing aspects are of high quality, such as building pitch decks and the presentation of technology opportunities to companies/investors and engaging with executives, business development professionals, venture capitalists to secure commercial development partners to translate UCSF technologies into products or services.  Furthermore, Associate Director will use extensive knowledge of the life sciences industry to develop appropriate licensing strategies, deal valuations (including equity terms) to support the negotiation of financial term sheets for patent, copyright, trademark, technology rights, and/or know-how licenses (IP licenses). Success is determined by number of value deals closed and cycle time.

20YesCoordinates with researchers on commercialization strategy and brings internal and external stakeholders together to close deals.10YesDetermines patentability of institution's inventions and develops patent strategy. Assures licensee meets all licensing obligations for a very substantial, highly complex portfolio; intervenes or initiates action when commitments are not met.10YesRecommends individual exceptions to policy and develops new strategies to meet objectives. Conducts training with faculty regarding licensing policies and procedures.10Yes

Identifies new opportunities and conducts  market and business analysis for them.  Markets new technology to potential partners including investors and established companies. Establishes and provides networking contacts.

Evaluates opportunities and makes connections with potential partners.

Advises on market, business strategy (including IP strategy), business startup and other technology development issues relevant to the commercialization of UCSF technologies.