Director of Translation and Commercialization

Department: Office of Research and Innovation- 282000

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, commercialization, research administration, economic development, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex initiatives, partnerships, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing programs, budgets, personnel, and organizational priorities.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and strategic planning skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Terminal degree (PhD, EdD, DBA, or equivalent) preferred.
• Juris Doctor (JD) preferred.
• Ten (10) or more years of leadership experience in innovation, commercialization, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, research administration, or economic development.
• Experience developing innovation ecosystems, translational research initiatives, startup support programs, or commercialization infrastructure.
• Experience working within higher education, research institutions, or innovation-focused organizations.
• Supervisory experience, including performance evaluation, and mentorship.
• Experience with financial state financial systems and regulations.
• Budget planning, monitoring, and management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Director of Translation and Commercialization supports the Office of Research and Innovation's efforts to translate research, scholarship, creative activity, and innovation into public, community, and economic impact. Working closely with the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation and other university leaders, this position helps advance App State's growing innovation ecosystem through technology transfer support, industry and community partnerships, entrepreneurial engagement, and commercialization facilitation.

This position serves as a strategic implementation partner and relationship-builder who helps faculty, staff, students, and external collaborators navigate pathways from discovery to application. The Director builds processes with detailed understanding of roles and responsibilities across the university, and provides operational leadership, coordination, and subject matter expertise while helping execute the broader research and innovation vision established by university leadership.

Technology Transfer and Commercialization Support

• Support and coordinate university technology transfer and commercialization activities, including invention disclosures, intellectual property evaluation, licensing pathways, market assessment, and commercialization planning.
• Serve as a resource for faculty, staff, and student innovators seeking guidance related to intellectual property, commercialization opportunities, startup exploration, and translational pathways.
• Coordinate with the Office of General Counsel, external partners, inventors, and university leadership to support appropriate review, protection, and management of university intellectual property.
• Assist with the development and implementation of processes, workflows, templates, and guidance related to invention disclosures, agreements, licensing activity, and commercialization tracking.
• Support negotiation and administration of agreements related to innovation and industry engagement, including confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, licensing agreements, and related partnership documents.
• Maintain awareness of federal, state, UNC System, and institutional policies related to intellectual property, technology transfer, sponsored research, and commercialization activities.

Industry, Community, and Innovation Partnerships

• Help cultivate and maintain relationships with industry partners, entrepreneurs, economic development organizations, community stakeholders, investors, alumni, and regional innovation networks.
• Facilitate connections between App State researchers and external collaborators to support sponsored research, applied problem-solving, workforce development, and innovation partnerships.
• Represent ORI at regional meetings, industry events, entrepreneurial programs, and economic development convenings to strengthen external engagement and partnership opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with campus and external stakeholders to identify opportunities that align university expertise and capacity with regional and industry needs.
• Support public-private partnership development and other initiatives that strengthen App State's role as a regional innovation and economic development partner.

Entrepreneurship and Translational Ecosystem Development

• Help develop accessible pathways that support faculty, staff, and student innovators in exploring the broader application and impact of their work.
• Connect innovators with entrepreneurial and commercialization resources including customer discovery programs, mentor networks, accelerators, incubators, SBIR/STTR support programs, and translational funding opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Center for Entrepreneurship and other campus units to strengthen coordination between research, innovation, entrepreneurial support, and external engagement efforts.
• Support startup and venture development activities where appropriate, including market exploration, commercialization strategy, and partner identification.
• Contribute to the continued development of App State's innovation ecosystem through practical, faculty-centered support and relationship building.

Faculty Support, Education, and Internal Collaboration

• Provide responsive, service-oriented support to faculty, staff, students, and administrators related to innovation, commercialization, and external partnership development.
• Develop and deliver workshops, presentations, and educational resources related to intellectual property, commercialization, industry engagement, customer discovery, and innovation development.
• Collaborate closely with Sponsored Programs, Grants Resources and Services, Research Protections, General Counsel, Advancement, Academic Affairs, and other university units.
• Assist with proposals and initiatives that include commercialization, industry engagement, translational research, entrepreneurship, or economic development components.
• Participate in committees, working groups, and collaborative planning efforts related to research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and public impact.

Strategy, Operations, and Reporting

• Support implementation of strategic priorities and operational goals related to translation, commercialization, innovation partnerships, and entrepreneurial development.
• Assist with tracking and reporting outcomes related to invention disclosures, partnerships, agreements, commercialization activities, external engagement, and related impact metrics.
• Prepare reports, presentations, briefing materials, and recommendations for ORI leadership and university stakeholders.
• Support management of operational processes, budgets, vendor relationships, memberships, and related administrative functions associated with innovation and commercialization activities.
• Demonstrate professionalism, sound judgment, collaborative leadership, entrepreneurial thinking, and a strong commitment to faculty service and public impact.