Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Its inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university’s mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With the main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell’s far-flung global presence includes the medical college’s campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City. The Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing position will be located at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing Job Duties:
The Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing will be an experienced professional with a proven track-record who will join CTL’s leadership team in New York City to drive a comprehensive technology commercialization and industry partnership program.
Key Responsibilities:
Serve as the primary liaison to establish rapport relationship with faculty and research staff in designated research areas, including:
- Help faculty and researchers crystallize inventive ideas and disclose inventions, tangible and copyrightable materials to the University.
- Evaluate technologies in various stages of development for their technical novelty, commercial potential, and IP protection methodology and make and present investment recommendations based on the evaluation.
- Formulate value proposition and positioning of individual assets and packages of assets and craft and execute on business development and intellectual property strategies to maximize such value
- Identify faculty and researchers with research programs that benefit from research collaborations before commercialization and work to identify resources to aide such collaboration.
- Communicate and work closely with the Center’s IP Officers regarding IP filing and patent prosecution strategies to best suit the commercialization plans.
- Actively support and pursue potential startup company opportunities for inventors wishing to engage in entrepreneurship activities and navigate/resolve complicated relationships with inventors/investors/and entrepreneurs when spinning out a company.
Continuously assess business needs in target industries by establishing, maintaining, and growing business development contacts with industry and the investment community, including:
- Connect opportunities for commercialization and research collaborations with Cornell’s inventions and/or research programs with synergistic companies, entrepreneurs and investors.
- Actively work to connect inventors with corporate and investor outreach personnel.
- Market technologies and research programs to advance the development of technologies to targeted potential licensees, research sponsors/collaborators, and investors.
- Follow industry trends and attend trade shows, engage with senior business development executives, and continuously assess industry needs for which Cornell research can be leveraged.
- Collaborate with the innovation partnership groups at Cornell for strategic relationships and engagements with industries and investors.
Construct reasonable and fair financial deals for complex intellectual property transactions including IP licenses, industry sponsored research agreements, inter-institutional agreements, corporate financing documents and other related commercial agreements, including:
- Negotiate the financial and non-financial terms and conditions for the agreements with companies or startups to advance the development of products.
- Structure, draft, negotiate, and conclude complex deals, and contribute to the formation of strategies of the Center’s overall licensing and business development objectives.
- Be creative, flexible, and nimble in deal-making as well as adhere to academic principles, with the ability to handle complex transactions.
Partner with the Senior Managing Director to supervise and mentor other licensing officers.
Act as thought partner to senior leadership to develop, design, and lead implementation of new strategies, guidelines, and processes to support office mission, including activities, in partnership with senior leadership, such as
- Developing and setting activity metrics
- Revamping job descriptions and leading recruitment activities
- Developing formalized IP investment review process including scorecards and other tools to aide decision making
- Identifying and building new partnerships, networks and opportunities
Target Salary: $185,000-$200,000
Here is the Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing Position Specification with further details.
Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing Qualifications
Forward thinking, team player with prior experience assessing inventions, developing business and negotiating contracts in the technology transfer, venture, or corporate biotech field.
The professional is expected to manage and solve problems in challenging situations independently with limited supervision.
Requirements:
- An advanced degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, protein chemistry and/or cell biology.
- 5-7 years of industry experience in business development and technology management experience in industry, venture, or an academic technology transfer office.
- Proven ability to interact with a wide range of people in a professional and ethical manner, including faculty, students, business development professionals, and lawyers with excellent communication skills and proven sensitivity and ability to manage confidential information.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple complex competing priorities and align divergent stakeholders.
Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing Applicants
Weill Cornell Medicine has exclusively retained Gardner Innovation Search Partners to manage this search. Gardner Innovation Search Partners is the top technology transfer recruiter in the world, and is committed to presenting a diverse slate of candidates who possess the skills, expertise, and enthusiasm to thrive in this role.
Interested applicants should send their resume and any questions to:
Lisa Rooney, Recruiter
lisa@gardnerisp.com
(740) 251-7390
Glen Gardner, Recruiter
glen@gardnerisp.com
(614) 354-8400
Tom Sweetman, Recruiter
tom@gardnerisp.com
(614) 563-2389
Gardner Innovation Search Partners is committed to diversity in both people and ideas. Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in
employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations.
