Assistant Vice Chancellor for Office of Technology, Innovation and Industry Relations (Hybrid)

The University of California, Merced is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The full salary range for this position is $149,600 - $302,400. The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $188,000 - $225,000.

This position is a Hybrid role with a percentage of the time remote and on-site along with a flexible work arrangement, which includes a non-standard work schedule.

This is a renewable contract posiiton which is eligible for full University of California benefits.

The initial applicant review will take place on or about December 16, 2024. Posting will close upon offer acceptance.

The University of California, Merced, is the newest of the University of California system's 10 campuses and the first American research university built in the 21st century. With more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, UC Merced offers an environment that combines a commitment to diversity, inclusion, collaboration and professional development. With bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs, strong research and academic partnerships, and community involvement, the UC Merced campus is continually evolving and requires talented, knowledgeable and dynamic educators, researchers, management and staff.

Ranked among the best public universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, UC Merced is uniquely equipped to provide educational opportunities for highly qualified students from the San Joaquin Valley and throughout California. The campus enjoys a special connection with nearby Yosemite National Park, is on the cutting edge of sustainability in construction and design and supports the economic development of Merced and the region.

The Merced 2020 Project, a $1.3 billion public-private partnership unprecedented in higher education and completed in 2020, nearly doubled the physical capacity of the campus, enhancing academic distinction, student success and research excellence. UC Merced also operates the Downtown Campus Center, a $33 million, three-story administrative building located in the heart of Merced.

The university's mission of educational excellence and rigorous inquiry is powered by three schools and numerous research institutes and centers that seek scientific and social solutions for the Valley, California and the world. In partnership with UC San Francisco, UC Merced is preparing the way for a rigorous medical education program.

The course of UC Merced's evolution is piloted by a long-range strategic plan. Enacted in 2021, the 10-year blueprint is guiding how the values of equity and justice influence our pathway to earning Carnegie R1 research status, growing enrollment, upholding our identity as a minority-serving institution, and operationalizing how commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion are enacted in each campus unit.

The Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) at UC Merced (UCM) has established a new Assistant Vice Chancellor (AVC) position that will report to the Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development (VCR). The incumbent is expected to establish strategic vision for and lead UC Merced's Office of Technology, Innovation, and Industry Relations (OTIIR), foster the growth of incubators and start-up accelerators, empower undergraduate and graduate students and faculty innovators, and work closely with angel investors and the venture capital community to enhance external partnerships. Additionally, they will work with the External Relations office to forge relationships for external support with the respective industry stakeholders and represent the campus at UC system-wide, national, and international venues.

The AVC of OTIIR oversees the patenting, marketing, and licensing of UC Merced's Intellectual Property (IP) assets and is responsible for developing strategies to align campus-based discoveries with local and regional business communities to support research, innovation, and entrepreneurship activities and build long-term relationships to support translational research and economic growth. Facilitates engagements and creates a forum to foster entrepreneurial awareness for the following UC Merced stakeholders:

• Students and researchers who are interested in learning about entrepreneurship, launching their own business, or seeking exposure to corporate partners.
• Innovators seeking funding or a connection with and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs.
• Investors and philanthropists who seek to financially support UC Merced's programs, inventions, and start-ups.

Department Overview:

The UC Merced Office of Technology, Innovation, and Industry Relations is responsible for several functions:

1. IP Management.
2. Industry Agreements & Licensing.
3. Industry Alliances.
4. Commercialization, Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

UC Merced's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Philosophy:

Our philosophy is not to attempt to recreate innovation & entrepreneurship ecosystems at more established institutions but to leverage its strengths to create an ecosystem unique to its mission, research expertise & geographical location. This includes developing a strategy to support sustained social investments.

OTIIR Primary Goals:

1. Scale staffing levels to meet the needs of the campus' rapid expansion and support the essential rudimentary functions of a small Technology Transfer and Business Development office. The core functional areas requiring an immediate infusion of human capital are licensing, equity management, finance/auditing, and marketing.
2. Advocate for permanent institutional Proof of Concept (PoC) funds to seed innovation and entrepreneurship through engagement with UC Merced's leadership and President Drake's Council on Entrepreneurship.
3. Implement a rebranding effort to change the campus culture, which will, in turn, improve trust and confidence in the department's ability to meet the needs of UC Merced's innovators.
4. Complete the launch of the wet lab incubator during the Fall of 2024. (5) Secure permanent funding to cover the implementation and annual cost of the new Intellectual Property Management Solution (IPMS) MVP model. (6) Attracting corporate, philanthropic & social investment in developing institutional (UC Merced) and regional (San Joaquin Valley) Intellectual Property. (7) Implement a strategic alignment review to ensure priorities are aligned with those of the research community and the campus' strategic plan.

TECHNOLOGY FOCI/CONCENTRATIONS

UCM has a broad multidisciplinary focus across a research portfolio of more than $50M annually and welcomes all opportunities to translate basic research into impactful products and services. Strengths include.

• Ag Tech
• Climate Tech
• Clean Tech
• Life Sciences

Key Responsibilities of the Position:

1. Provides oversight and leadership for UC Merced's intellectual property, licensing and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Works with campus stakeholders to develop and implement strategic initiatives to ensure transparency of processes and user-friendly access to resources. Oversees and develops campus level coordination with industry contacts and participates in regional business associations on behalf of the university. Supports campus innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) efforts through exploring, developing and managing mentorship, incubation, and other mechanisms for facilitating UC Merced's entrepreneurship and startups.
2. Responsible for the oversight and work output of the OTIIR office. Through subordinate managers, the incumbent oversees the development and delivery of training content for technology transfer and licensing activities, curricula for workshops, conferences, websites, and social media. Supervises the lead administrators for business development and intellectual property. Develops and oversees the strategies to leverage the marketing of UC Merced's IP through the InPart platform and TreMonti consulting group. Manages the annual operation budget and patent prosecution allocation and monitors the distribution and flow of income from fees, royalties, and patent cost reimbursement. Tracks key performance indicators to measure outcomes and societal impact and lead the department's annual strategic planning process.
3. Serves as an ambassador for the university with industry, including assisting faculty and researchers in seeking funding support from industry, federal & state sponsors or philanthropy, and augmenting connections between External Relations colleagues and industry partners. Oversees and develops campus-level coordination of industry consortia and participates in regional business associations on behalf of the campus. Maintains and cultivates external relationships with industry, investment capital firms & investor groups.
4. Represents and amplifies the presence of UC Merced in UC System-wide meetings and forums on technology transfer policies, industrially sponsored research, and commercialization. Serve as the campus Lead for the system-wide initiative to launch and maintain a new Intellectual Property Management System. Works with the VCR to align system functionality with campus-level service offerings.
5. Oversees UC Merced's Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) programs, e.g., Blackstone LaunchPad, NSF I-corp, etc., through innovation awareness programming, mentorship, and new venture incubation.
6. Serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on intellectual property, patent prosecution, licensing, business development, and I&E-related policies and procedures. Serves as the delegated authority to execute agreements on behalf of the university. Serves as an advisor to the VCR and resource for senior management on matters pertaining to intellectual property, patent, and licensing.

*LI-RM1

• Bachelor's degree in business, Scientific field, Engineering, or equivalent combination of education and years of experience (required); and
• Advanced degree from an accredited university in Business, Scientific field, Engineering, or equivalent (preferred); and
• Doctorate from an accredited university in Business, Scientific field, Engineering, or equivalent (preferred); and
• 10 years of directly related progressively responsible experience in a related position with comparable scope and influence, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience (required).
• Ability to evaluate and address intellectual property (IP) rights protection, business startup considerations, and technology transfer-related issues.
• Skill in evaluating the commercial potential of research results, securing and managing intellectual property (IP) rights, marketing inventions, software, and biological or tangible materials, drafting, negotiating, and managing IP licenses, Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), and IP terms in research and collaboration agreements.
• Ability to support companies in sponsoring research and licensing technologies.
• Skill in facilitating the administration of federal and state laws related to research, conflict of interest, intellectual property (IP), contracts, and employment.
• Ability to collaborate with external patent attorneys to file patent applications.

Background check required.

How to Apply:
An online application is required for each position to apply.The University of California, Merced is aware that some web-based application processes may be cumbersome for differently abled applicants. Where appropriate, alternative accommodations will be provided. For applicants with disabilities who need additional assistance using TAM, or reasonable accommodations during the interview or search process, please contact ucmjobs@ucmerced.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
The University of California, Merced is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, pregnancy, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or other protected categories covered by the UC Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Policy. UC Merced intentionally promotes and maintains a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace by demonstrating it neither condones nor tolerates employment practices that discriminate against or harass any person or specific group of persons on the basis listed above. We seek candidates who will support our vision to cultivate a vibrant, equity-minded, inclusive excellence university community. When applying to UC Merced, we strongly encourage you to reflect on our Principles of Community and our 2021 strategic plan.

Vaccination Program Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. For new University of California employees, the applicable deadline is 14 days after their first date of employment.

Smoke and Tobacco Free Policy:
The University of California, Merced is a smoke and tobacco free workplace. Information and the Smoke and Tobacco Free policy is available at http://smokefree.ucmerced.edu.

E-Verify:
All employers who receive Federal contracts and grants are required to comply with E-Verify, an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA). E-Verify electronically verifies employment eligibility by comparing information provided on the I-9 form to records in the DHS and SSA databases. Certain positions funded by federal contracts/subcontracts requires UC Merced to notify job applicants that an E-Verify check will be conducted and the successful candidate must pass the E-Verify check.

Pay, Benefits & Work Schedule:
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University of California visit: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/