Situated on a beautiful 400-acre, tree-lined campus located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia Tech is a national and global leader. As a top ten public university, multiple Georgia Tech undergraduate and graduate programs in technology, engineering and business are ranked best in class. Its extensive research activities address real world challenges and provide solutions that improve quality of life for all.
Georgia Tech is an engineering research powerhouse. With over $1 billion in sponsored research activity, Georgia Tech is a recognized leader in research, and is one of the South’s largest industrial and engineering research agencies, playing a leading role in the Georgia Research Alliance, a centerpiece of the state’s economic development strategy which expands university research capacity, seeding and shaping startup companies around inventions and discoveries. Research is conducted for industry and government by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, various academic schools and departments, and more than 100 interdisciplinary research units. U.S. News and World Report ranks Georgia Tech in the Top 10 for all areas of graduate programs in Engineering. In addition to the large number of Ph.Ds, Georgia Tech is a leader in degrees to Underrepresented Minorities (URMs), reflecting the school’s diverse culture. GT is the only technological university to place in the top 20 in higher education research and development spending. Georgia Tech secured $4 billion in economic impact, according to data recently released by the University System of Georgia. You can read more here.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Georgia Tech is seeking an extraordinary leader who is a change agent with a service mindset and an affinity for working with stakeholders. They will have a strong domain expertise navigating complex organizations. The Director directs and manages all activities and administrative functions within the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) and will lead the roll out of a new intellectual property policy as well as the development of processes, procedures, and strategies to deliver efficient and effective technology commercialization services to the Georgia Tech research community and those seeking access to Georgia Tech’s intellectual property.
Job Duties:
- Play a leadership role in the Georgia Tech commercialization ecosystem and evolve the Office of Technology Licensing to become a critical catalyst in translating Georgia Tech intellectual property into meaningful impact in the real-world.
- Provide thought leadership with respect to intellectual property in a variety of campus strategic initiatives.
- Actively align the policies, processes, and operations of the Office of Technology Licensing with broader institute commercialization goals and objectives.
- Develop, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures and continuous improvement for technology licensing processes and procedures. Ensure effective, efficient, and transparent processes and communication with constituents.
- Evolve and update licensing policies, procedures, and systems to safeguard the Institute and its affiliated organizations.
- Provide advice, counsel, and education on licensing and intellectual property matters and represent the Institute in national and state organizations and professional associations. Actively engage with and support the Intellectual Property Advisory Committee.
- Develop a standard set of metrics for the Office of Technology Licensing. Responsible for the analysis of appropriate metrics to provide support and feedback to Georgia Tech’s leadership regarding the Institute’s commercialization and industry engagement efforts.
- Support outreach efforts with industry, academia, investment community, entrepreneurs, and potential collaborators to form partnerships to transfer Georgia Tech technology to the marketplace.
- Establish and foster relationships with campus leaders and departments such as school chairs, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRIs), the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Enterprise Innovation Institute, Office of Sponsored Programs, and Corporate Engagement.
- Manage and lead the negotiation of license agreements, option agreements, and other transactional agreements. Serve as an expert to resolve complex negotiations and establish baseline terms.
- Manage a department consisting of professional staff, administrative staff, and students.
- Develop and communicate clear and cohesive processes and expectations for the professionals and staff in the office and foster a collaborative team environment with the office.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Experience:
- Ten or more years’ experience in intellectual property management, law, regulation, and policy with additional expertise in areas such as relevant research administration regulation and policy, patent law, contracts, business, and company formation.
- Work experience in higher education or research organizations.
Education
- Required: Master’s degree
- Preferred: PhD, JD
PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Georgia Tech 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, a non-confidential deal sheet, and any questions to:
Lisa Rooney, Recruiter
lisa@gardnerisp.com
740-251-7390
Glen Gardner, Recruiter
Glen@gardnerisp.com
614-354-8400
Dave Winwood, Recruiter
David@gardnerisp.com
919-673-4080
Gardner Innovation Search Partners is committed to diversity in both people and ideas. Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion here: https://gardnerisp.com/diversity-inclusion/
