Assistant Director, Technology Licensing

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

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The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Assistant Director, Technology Licensing

Job Profile Title

Assistant Director, Technology Licensing

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of Licensing for Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM), this position leads the identification, evaluation, protection, marketing, and licensing of PSOM technologies that have commercial potential. The individual proactively develops and strengthens relationships with PSOM investigators and industry partners, facilitates research collaborations with companies, and negotiates option, license, and related agreements for intellectual property and tangible research materials with both established and start up entities. The role also supports post agreement relationship management with company partners and serves as a key, highly collaborative member of the PSOM licensing team, providing excellent service to investigators and external partners while advancing PCI’s mission to translate Penn Medicine innovations into real world impact.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Proactively develop, lead, and sustain strong working relationships with faculty and researchers in targeted PSOM departments.  Meet regularly with investigators to discuss ongoing research and identify technologies with commercial potential, serving as the primary PCI point of contact for assigned investigators and/or departments.
• Evaluate assigned technology disclosures to determine their commercial potential and to develop and recommend well‑articulated, diligently justified “go/no‑go” decisions regarding whether to pursue patent protection.  Present and support these recommendations, along with proposed IP and commercialization strategies, at weekly Patent Investment Meetings (PIM).
• Identify and actively engage with potential industry partners and investors; perform due diligence on prospective commercial partners and conduct technology valuation to inform deal strategy and structure.  Initiate and lead the negotiation of licensing and option agreements, and assist with sponsored research and other research‑related agreements with commercial entities, as required.  Be responsive to the needs of key internal and external PCI clients and help manage relationships with company partners following agreement execution.
• Develop commercialization strategies for assigned technologies and technology portfolios, including assessment of market need, commercial potential, competitive landscape, and appropriate commercialization pathways.  Perform market analysis to identify commercial opportunities, including identification of and outreach to targeted commercial partners and investors.  Prepare non‑confidential marketing materials for assigned technologies, with the assistance of PCI’s Marketing, Communications and Programs (MCP) team, as appropriate.
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