Assistant Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Washington State University•Pullman, WA

About The Position

The Assistant Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a full-time, 12-month position on the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Team in Washington State University's Office of Research. The Office of Research advances WSU's research enterprise systemwide, supporting research from pre-award through compliance, development, and commercialization. The Assistant Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for technology commercialization, intellectual property management, entrepreneurship support, industry engagement, and research translation across the WSU system. Working collaboratively with colleges, campuses, research centers, and external partners, the Assistant Director connects discovery, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic impact across the university. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the position plans, organizes, and directs technology management, intellectual property strategy, licensing, startup creation, industry-sponsored research development, translational funding initiatives, and innovation ecosystem partnerships. The Assistant Director directly supervises technology commercialization personnel and serves as a senior leader advancing research translation and economic impact through engagement with academic, industry, government, and community partners. The position is permanent, full-time (100% FTE), 12-month, and overtime exempt. It is located in Pullman, Washington. The monthly salary range is $7,541.56–$11,666.67, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The role is not eligible for work visa sponsorship.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in a relevant field and four years of progressively responsible relevant experience, including at least one year of managerial experience. A master's degree in a related field may substitute for up to one year of required experience; relevant education and professional experience may be combined to substitute for the educational requirement year for year.
Demonstrated effective interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
Demonstrated computer software skills, including use of Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook, Word, Excel, and Access.
Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying laws, rules, policies, and procedures.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree (PhD, MBA, JD, MS, or equivalent) in business, engineering, or science.
Experience in marketing, sales, licensing, negotiating, or business development, and a significant record of successful technology transfer in physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, software, devices, or advanced technology sectors.
An additional two years of experience working with intellectual property administration or technology transfer.
Knowledge of policies and procedures relating to intellectual property within a research university setting.
Knowledge of intellectual property strategy, patent prosecution, licensing, university-industry collaboration, and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Knowledge of current trends in university/industry technology transfer.
Demonstrated success in licensing, startup formation, venture development, industry partnerships, or research translation.
Experience managing technology commercialization and innovation programs within a research university.
Experience in strategic planning, formulation, design, implementation, and tracking.
Experience leading innovation ecosystem initiatives or entrepreneurship programs.
Experience building industry, investor, and community partnerships.
Experience in translational research funding programs.
Experience operating in multi-campus or distributed organizations.
Demonstrated experience advancing research translation, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for technology commercialization, intellectual property management, entrepreneurship support, industry engagement, and research translation across the WSU system.
Plan, organize, and direct activities related to technology management, intellectual property strategy, licensing, startup creation, industry-sponsored research development, translational funding initiatives, and innovation ecosystem partnerships.
Directly supervise technology commercialization personnel.
Collaborate with colleges, campuses, research centers, and external partners to connect discovery, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic impact across the university.
Engage academic, industry, government, and community partners to advance research translation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic impact.
Administer personnel and supervision (35% of job functions).
Manage intellectual property, technology commercialization, industry partnerships, and sponsored research (30%).
Conduct outreach and education (10%).
Manage budgets (10%).
Lead strategic planning (10%).
Perform other duties (5%).