Department
SIP Polsky Business Development & Licensing
About the Department
The Polsky Center brings the power of ideas in the laboratory, classroom, and community to the world. Through education, resources, and programs, the Polsky Center commercializes discoveries, partners with companies, and attracts venture capital. The Polsky Center runs a top-ranked business accelerator, the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge; operates a 34,000 square-foot, multi-disciplinary co-working space called the Polsky Exchange; manages the George Shultz Innovation Fund that invests in early-stage ventures; and offers a state-of-the-art Fabrication Lab for prototyping new products. Finally, the Polsky Center houses the University of Chicago’s technology transfer unit, which manages all University-based intellectual property originating from faculty research and discoveries that can be licensed to industry partners and investors.
Job Summary
As a member of the Business Development and Licensing team, the Senior Manager establishes and fosters strong relationships with faculty members across the University who are engaging in translational research, and works with industry partners and investors to bring new discoveries to the market. The Senior Manager is responsible for a diverse portfolio and works as part of the Polsky Center’s Technology Ventures team of patent, contract, business development, and entrepreneurship specialists who protect and license inventions to existing companies and startups.
This role supports the program development related to identification, investigation, and negotiation of licensing opportunities for permission to use intellectual property rights, including trademarks, patents or technology. Solves straightforward problems related to the transfer and use of intellectual property. Provides professional support to faculty to transform ideas and discoveries into patents, licenses, products, services, and ventures.
Responsibilities
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…