Senior Manager, Business Development and Licensing

• →Drafts, negotiates, executes, and manages intellectual property licenses and other agreements, such as licenses, options, inter-institutional agreements, material transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements, and negotiation of intellectual property terms in other agreements, as needed.
• →Collaborates with faculty members, researchers, colleagues, and other individuals across campus, along with industry partners, to achieve shared transactional objectives.
• →Screens inventions for commercialization potential. Evaluates and decides which inventions and software to pursue.
• →In partnership with the Technology Development team, provides insights into the commercial aspects of inventions during the intellectual property protection process.
• →In partnership with the Technology Marketing team, assists in the development and execution of marketing outreach for intellectual property assets.
• →In partnership with the IP Compliance and Operations and Finance and Accounting teams, ensures that all agreements are properly recorded in the intellectual property database of record and supports licensee relationship management and compliance activities.
• →Establishes and cultivates strong relationships with inventors, legal counsel, prospective and current licensees, University Research Administration, the Office of Corporate Engagement, and Polsky Center colleagues to promote the University’s mission and its Polsky Center to catalyze ideas into impact.
• →Contributes to BD policy, office processes, templates, metrics, and best-practice development.
• →Mentors junior staff with constructive feedback on agreement workflows, reviews, and drafts.
• →Coordinates cross-functional faculty, startup, and sector-specific business development activities with relevant Polsky colleagues.
• →Works in collaboration with internal team to draft, negotiate, execute, and manage intellectual property licenses and other agreements.
• →Has a moderate/solid understanding of the legal issues concerning patent, copyright, or trademark matters. May provide advice on the patentability of inventions, infringement of patents or copyrights, and the validity of trademarks.
• →Perform other related work as needed.

• Advanced degree in chemistry, materials science, physics, biology, computer science, bioengineering, molecular engineering, chemical engineering, or related discipline.

• Facilitate technology transfer and commercialization, including internship or fellowship programs, in University or Industry setting.
• Significant hands-on expertise in negotiating and drafting complex intellectual property agreements.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to diligence processes and commercial strategy decisions.

• Knowledge of intellectual property.
• Knowledge of industry, deal and partnering trends.

• Build rapport and credibility with faculty members, researchers, their labs, and external partners.
• Excellent analytical and computational skills.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications.
• Attention to detail with clear understanding of how to prioritize workload appropriately.
• Work well under pressure and manage multi-task projects.
• Work independently with a high degree of initiative.
• Work effectively in a hybrid environment and within a team.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Responds promptly and proactively anticipates the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)

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FLSA Status

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Pay Range

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

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