Overview
The Fellowship year is November 1st through March 31st. Fellows receive a $100K salary plus benefits over the 17 months.
Working under the supervision of Yale Ventures directors for the full duration of their fellowships, Blavatnik Fellows provide valuable business and market-oriented assistance to Yale faculty members seeking financial support from The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale. Serving as an ad hoc consultant to a number of faculty innovators over the course of their year-long fellowship, Fellows play a key role in articulating the potential business case and quantifying the magnitude of unmet medical needs which faculty are seeking to remedy. This work entails not only an aptitude and enthusiasm for understanding the novel science behind Yale’s many innovations, but also a penchant for framing the market opportunities which such inventions may create. In the course of a Fellow’s work, there will also be numerous opportunities to better understand the intellectual property landscape, working in close contact with Yale Ventures business development directors. Fellows will interact closely with Yale Ventures’ entrepreneur-in-residence network, a highly curated volunteer group of more than 200 external business and scientific experts working in biotech, pharma, and consulting. Fellows will also help refine early stage pitch decks for investor consideration, working closely alongside scientific founders. Over the course of their fellowships, Fellows will build long-lasting networks of professional connections which invariably influence their careers, exposing them to a wide range of more-experienced entrepreneurs and investors working in the life science industry.
This is a 17 month fellowship which will include an initial 5-month placement in the Blavatnik Fund operations team building COO-relevant skills. This extended Blavatnik Fellowship, offers the unique opportunity to support the Blavatnik Fund’s portfolio of projects and work as part of the Blavatnik team for an additional 5 months of the fellowship. This will involve identifying qualified contract research organizations, compiling statements of work and facilitating the execution of contracts. On completion of this training, they will join the incoming FY27 cohort for the 12-month fellowship.
More information about the fellowship and previous fellow cohorts can be found here: Blavatnik Fellowship | Yale Ventures
Required Skills and Abilities
- Critical/strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Highly organized and detail oriented. Knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and AI tools.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated ability to facilitate a team-based approach to complete projects with tact and diplomacy, while interacting with internal and external contacts and staff at all levels.
- Proven ability to work successfully within a team environment and as an individual contributor. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Must be flexible to adjust work schedule to allow for team priorities to be met.
- Demonstrated ability to manage several projects concurrently while balancing competing priorities and deadlines. Possess extreme flexibility in work focus. Proven ability to switch among several different projects without any adverse effects.
- Comfortable and confident enough to manage projects that are outside one’s current area of expertise. Willing to learn new things and ask questions to obtain required information. Ability to redirect efforts to stay on course, resolve conflict and provide the voice of reason when necessary.
Preferred Education and Experience
- Preferred candidates will possess at least one of the following: PhD in the life sciences/chemistry/pharmaceutical sciences/data sciences; OR a medical degree; OR an MBA with experience in evaluating life science commercialization opportunities
- Sufficient acumen in the life sciences to effectively interface with a wide variety of faculty exploring novel concepts in therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical devices.
- Research and/or work experience in a health-related field is strongly preferred.
Principal Responsibilities
- Pre-Proposals: In support of faculty considering submission of early stage technologies (pre-proposals): Assist in the evaluation and refinement of Yale innovations being considered as potential Blavatnik projects. Review pitch decks, coordinate with staff and consulting entrepreneurs-in-residence on the framing of commercialization opportunities, conduct market research using industry tools to assess markets and competitors.
- Finalists: In support of faculty whose projects are selected as "Finalists": Work collaboratively and diplomatically with a small set of faculty investigators, staff and consultants to prepare a detailed development proposal for board consideration. Work closely with subject matter experts on an expanded commercialization plan, including building a deeper picture of the competitive landscape, as well as furnishing a review of the data package to date. Help consolidate feedback from prospective investors to build one or more go-to-market strategies.
- Active Projects: In support of faculty selected as recipients of Blavatnik funding: Working with just a few principal investigators, become a part of the on-the-ground development team in advancing high value technologies through external partner organizations. Facilitate strong relationships, unity and focus with managers, directors and team members to achieve project goals. Effectively communicate logical project phases to participants, identify obstacles, recommend and implement solutions. Support several projects and utilize team-building skills to facilitate timely completion of projects.
- Track all projects and their associated deliverables using appropriate tools. Monitor and report on the progress of the project, including problems and solutions. Intervene where necessary to keep projects on track in consultation with staff and faculty principal investigators.
- Provide detailed information and written reports for decision-making and feedback to staff and Blavatnik Fund board members. Compile and present status reports to management, keeping them abreast of projects with summary updates.
- Present project detail/status to staff and leadership at regular meetings when necessary.
- May perform other duties as assigned.
Required Education and Experience
Masters’ Degree and three years of experience in biopharma or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
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