Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

University of Florida • Gainesville, FL

3d

About The Position

The University of Florida College of Pharmacy seeks a visionary entrepreneurial leader to build a sustained culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across its education, research, and clinical missions. The Director will lead the Pharmacy Innovation Leadership Laboratory (PILL), develop partnerships with industry and venture capitalists, expand commercialization opportunities, and support faculty and student innovators. The role develops programs and infrastructure to translate ideas and discoveries into products, ventures, and health solutions.

The Director will develop and execute an innovation strategy, lower barriers to invention and commercialization, and serve as an advocate and coach for the college community. The role leads commercialization and external engagement, including industry and investor partnerships, faculty-led startups, industry-sponsored research, university technology-transfer activity, and fundraising for entrepreneurship and innovation programs. It also advances entrepreneurship education and programming, provides hands-on guidance and mentorship, integrates content into curricula, and tracks and reports performance metrics.

The position is classified as Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Clinical Professor. Candidates for the faculty rank must be qualified for associate professor and have a distinguished record of achievement beyond that level, including recognition as a national or international authority or as an outstanding teacher in their field or specialization. Salary is commensurate with experience and education. The College of Pharmacy cannot provide sponsorship. Applications should include a resume or CV and a letter of interest; the stated application deadline is December 6, 2026, at 11:55 p.m., with review continuing until the position is filled or a competitive applicant pool is established.

Requirements

• Terminal degree (PharmD, PhD, MD, or equivalent) in pharmacy, biomedical sciences, engineering, or a related field; candidates without a terminal degree but with exceptional qualifications and demonstrated experience will also be considered.
• Demonstrated experience in successful entrepreneurship and innovation, conducting translational research, and achieving commercialization.
• Proven ability to lead culture change and influence faculty, staff, and senior leadership.
• Strong knowledge of intellectual property, technology transfer, and product development.
• Working knowledge of startup formation, capitalization, funding stages, and regulatory and market access considerations.
• For the faculty rank, qualification for associate professor and a distinguished record of achievement beyond that level, with recognition as a national or international authority or as an outstanding teacher in the field or specialization.

Nice To Haves

• 10 or more years of experience launching or leading startups, translational programs, or industry partnerships.
• Familiarity with pharmaceutical development, digital health, medical devices, diagnostics, or regulatory pathways.
• 10 or more years of experience with venture capital, corporate partnerships, or academic leadership roles.
• Track record of securing philanthropic or external funding for innovation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a strategy to embed a sustained culture of innovation within the college’s research, education, and clinical missions.
• Foster an environment that lowers barriers to invention, product development, and commercialization.
• Advocate for and coach faculty, staff, trainees, and students pursuing innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Build partnerships with industry, venture capital, nonprofits, and health systems to support licensing, startups, and co-development.
• Support formation and growth of faculty-led startups, including governance, fundraising, and early-stage operations.
• Expand industry-sponsored research and strategic alliances.
• Partner with UF Innovate and university offices to accelerate disclosures, patents, startups, and licensing activity.
• Represent the College as its lead innovation ambassador to industry, investors, alumni, foundations, and the broader innovation ecosystem.
• Lead fundraising for entrepreneurship and innovation programs, including creation and stewardship of an endowment.
• Champion experimentation, translational thinking, and responsible risk-taking.
• Create and disseminate structured pathways for identifying, refining, and advancing ideas with commercial or translational potential.
• Collaborate across colleges to enhance and coordinate coursework emphasizing scientific entrepreneurship.
• Design incentive models aligning innovation and commercialization with promotion, tenure, and professional advancement.
• Provide hands-on guidance on intellectual property creation, market validation, and funding strategies.
• Develop mentorship networks connecting faculty innovators with entrepreneurs, clinicians, and industry experts.
• Integrate entrepreneurship and innovation content into PharmD, graduate, and postdoctoral curricula.
• Develop an entrepreneurship and innovation seminar series and shared resources supporting product development, regulatory strategy, and market access.
• Track college-wide entrepreneurship and innovation programs, including proof-of-concept funding, accelerators, pilot grants, and fellowship tracks.
• Track and report entrepreneurship and innovation performance metrics and maintain a dashboard, website, and regular communications to College of Pharmacy stakeholders.

Benefits

• Health insurance, including access to state- and university-sponsored benefits programs for individuals, families, and domestic partners, with voluntary options including vision, dental, and long-term disability insurance.
• Retirement options including the Florida Retirement System Pension Plan, State University System Optional Retirement Program, Florida Retirement System Investment Plan, and Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan.
• Generous paid leave plan, access to a sick-leave pool, maternity/paternity leave, and leave payouts.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed