Technology Portfolio Manager

Position Summary

Reporting to the Head, Technology Portfolio, the Technology Portfolio Managers (TPM) work with KAUST researchers, other KAUST units, as well as universities and companies around the world to fulfill the mandate defined by the KAUST Intellectual Property (IP) Policy. The TPMs constitute a critical core element of the TTO of the KAUST Innovation Division. The TTO manages the University’s IP to ensure that knowledge and technologies created at KAUST are effectively protected, commercialized and transferred from the laboratories to the marketplace to promote economic development and thereby achieving the widest public benefit.

The TPM is expected to be someone who is able to “connect the dots” from a technical, legal and business perspective in the day-to-day management of KAUST’s intellectual property and people. The TPM should conduct his/her daily duty in IP lifecycle management with unwavering compliance with well-defined departmental procedures and meticulous record-keeping and capable of working independently with minimal oversight, contributing substantively to the objectives and operations of the department. The TPM will be working closely with the Head of Technology Portfolio to achieve the objectives.

Major Responsibilities

• Management of a diverse portfolio of research technologies with various faculty, students and post docs.
• Active outreach with research faculty, students and post docs on discussing their research and encouraging disclosure of ideas and inventions for Intellectual property (IP) protection
• Complete IP lifecycle management from the idea conception, protection, impact creation, commercialization and planned abandonment
• Reviewing and evaluating invention disclosures for the purposes of developing IP strategy and overseeing the implementation of IP strategy as well as to evaluate technology for patentability and commercialization potential. These can involve activities such as to performing technical prior art searches, market research as well as matters such as ownership/inventorship, and other obligations, etc.
• File and protect the invention disclosures of faculty by selecting and coordinating with  attorneys to help prepare and file patent applications in accordance with IP strategy
• Review and manage IP filings through various office actions with the various patent offices
• Advising faculty on IP protection, commercialization path ways within KAUST Innovation and discussing specific ways to help commercialize their technology
• Guide and assist in the commercial assessment of KAUST technologies
• Guide and work with faculty on technology development and deployment initiatives with the Technology Transfer office
• Creation of marketing material, marketing and active business development of technologies to the industry internationally
• Working with office of sponsored research on the IP terms in sponsored research agreements and suitability of background IPs for the project.
• Identification, preparation and participation in targeted events to help promote KAUST technologies for licensing
• Actively marketing portfolio technologies for the purposes of securing licenses, options assignments of technology
• Discuss and negotiate NDA’s, MTA’s, option agreements, license agreements etc.
• Coordinate these agreements with KAUST legal and other team members.

Other Responsibilities

• Lead on several tasks to jointly organize IP related events such as open houses, technology showcases etc.
• Help and work with team on enhancing processes related to proof-of-concept proposals, invention disclosure forms, marketing etc.
• Maintain metrics related to performance of invention disclosures, faculty, licenses, NDA, MTA’s etc.
• Help in ensuring the management of license agreements and revenue collection
• Actively updating the database to ensure up-to-date information is captured

Qualifications

• Doctorate degree preferred but Master’s degree required with proven, strong knowledge in physical sciences, chemistry or biology or similar domains
• Strong interest in academic technology transfer
• Minimum of 6 years of practical experience in technology transfer preferably in an academic technology transfer office
• Proven team player with ability to interact with a wide range of people in a professional and ethical manner, including colleagues, faculty, students, business development professionals, lawyers, and investors
• Excellent communication skills – listening, presenting, and writing – with proven sensitivity and ability to manage confidential information
• Service-minded, detail-oriented individual who thrives in a demanding and collaborative environment that encourages critical, strategic thinking with proven ability to also work and learn independently
• Capable of “connecting the dots” from a technical, legal and business perspective in decision-making regarding the management of the technology
• Familiar with technology transfer database in particularly Wellspring’s Sophia and other patent analytics tools is preferred
• Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) accreditation is preferred