This position is currently on hold.
Tracing its heritage back to 1743, the University of Delaware is a state-assisted, privately governed institution with an enrollment of approximately 24,000, and a workforce of 4,500 faculty and staff. The University offers degrees in a broad range of disciplines across seven colleges, and is a land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant institution.
The Associate Vice President will participate in the innovation and entrepreneurship activities of the six major multidisciplinary research institutes that report directly to the Vice President for Research, Scholarship & Innovation. The Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships works with and across the University’s eight colleges to enhance economic impact by bringing together the collective and integrated talents of the University, and Delaware’s businesses, academic and entrepreneurial communities. It actively encourages, participates in and coordinates, as required, commercialization of research across campus. The Associate Vice President will lead University of Delaware’s efforts in technology transfer, and the associated agreements and special programs that may be required to achieve those transfers.
The office facilitates productive research-based partnerships and access to resources including capital, financial and legal counsel and business connections. It catalyzes University research-based interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation and commercialization. The Associate Vice President will manage the following functions: Technology Transfer, Start Up Resources (including the Small Business Development Center), Government Contracting and Special Programs. For more information on these functions see: https://www.oeip.udel.edu.
Key Responsibilities
The Associate Vice President will provide visionary leadership aligned with the University’s priorities concerning innovation and entrepreneurship. Key responsibilities and goals for the position are to:
- Refine the responsive and engaging process that links University innovation with opportunities and the needs of potential partners in government, industry, national labs and academic sectors.
- Encourage and support faculty innovation and entrepreneurship by developing and maintaining simple and clear processes that support inventors through the full pipeline from discovery through commercialization to produce economic and societal benefit from University of Delaware’s intellectual property portfolio.
- Engage, foster, develop and grow strategic partnerships and collaborations that enhance the University’s research competencies, reputation and economic impact.
- Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary research and serve to connect and support diverse stakeholders in developing and commercializing transformational science.
- Develop and implement a strategic plan for aligned with the University of Delaware President’s vision for innovation and entrepreneurship that includes success metrics.
- Provide leadership in naming, redefining, and resourcing the Office, including Office goals and strategy.
Preferred Qualifications
The desired candidate will be experienced and accomplished in leading a technology development and commercialization organization, including commercialization of university-based discoveries and academic-industry partnerships; successful in negotiating, closing and stewarding complex agreements; and successful in identifying and developing a broad base of new innovation funding sources.
The position requires technical Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Ph.D. or J.D. encouraged, with 10+ years’ related, business experience.The review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.
