Director of University Partnerships

Idaho National Laboratory • Idaho Falls, ID

7h • $137,076 - $337,428 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of University Partnerships serves as the Laboratory's senior steward of relationships with our Strategic University Partners (SUPER) and other university partners. Reporting to the Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology, this role provides executive-level management of a portfolio of academic partnerships that touch nearly every function of the Laboratory's research enterprise. This is a senior position requiring the gravitas, credibility, and professional standing to engage with Vice Presidents and Vice Provosts for Research, Deans, and other senior academic leaders at major research universities. The successful candidate will represent the Laboratory Director and Deputy Laboratory Director in high-level external engagements and will elevate the Laboratory's university partnerships from a set of formal agreements into genuine, sustained strategic relationships that deliver mutual value in research, talent, and mission impact.

Requirements

• Level 5: Master's degree and 8 years of experience or PhD and 6 years of experience.
• Level 6: Master's degree and 12 years of experience or PhD and 10 years of experience.
• Advanced degree in a scientific, engineering, or related discipline strongly preferred
• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in research leadership, research administration, sponsored programs, strategic partnerships, or a closely related field, with substantial experience in a research-intensive setting (national laboratory, major research university, federal research agency, or comparable)
• Demonstrated record of engaging with senior academic leaders (Vice Presidents/Vice Provosts for Research, Deans, department chairs, institute directors)
• Demonstrated experience building and stewarding complex, multi-stakeholder relationships across organizational boundaries at the executive level
• Deep working knowledge of the U.S. research enterprise, including the roles, cultures, incentives, and decision-making structures of DOE national laboratories and research universities, and fluency in federal research funding mechanisms
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to represent the Laboratory professionally and credibly to the most senior external audiences
• Demonstrated ability to convene and coordinate senior stakeholders across functions and institutions without direct authority
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a diverse portfolio of concurrent high-stakes priorities

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with DOE national laboratory operations, programs, or partnerships
• Familiarity with strategic university partnership frameworks such as SUPER or comparable constructs
• Experience with academic-industry-lab collaborations
• Established relationships within the U.S. research university community

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact between the Laboratory and designated SUPER and other university partners
• Maintain a coherent, current view of the full portfolio of activities with each partner institution, including active collaborations, joint appointments, student and post-doctoral engagements, proposals in development, and commercialization activities
• Develop and maintain trusted working relationships with counterpart offices at partner institutions (typically Vice Presidents/Vice Provosts for Research, Deans, department chairs)
• Anticipate and proactively address friction points in partnership execution
• Coordinate university engagement across the Office of the Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology portfolio
• Partner with chief scientists, principal investigators, and program managers to align university engagement with Laboratory scientific and mission priorities
• Convene internal working groups as needed to develop coordinated approaches to specific partners, opportunities, or challenges
• In collaboration with Laboratory leadership, develop and execute partnership strategies for each SUPER and other key university partner, tailored to the strengths and priorities of both parties
• Identify opportunities to deepen partnerships through new joint activities, including but not limited to collaborative research initiatives, jointly pursued proposals, and coordinated talent pipelines
• Support the negotiation, renewal, and stewardship of partnership agreements in coordination with the appropriate Laboratory offices
• Develop and maintain metrics that characterize the health and impact of each partnership, including joint publications, joint proposals and awards, personnel flows, and commercialization outcomes
• Provide regular reporting to Laboratory leadership and partner institutions on the state of the university partnership portfolio
• Represent the Laboratory at university partnership events, reviews, and convenings

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401(k) with a 4.2% employer contribution and up to 4.8% match (regular positions) or self-contribute access (postdoctoral positions)
• Paid time off (personal leave)
• Employee Education Program (tuition assistance for eligible positions)
• Comprehensive Relocation Package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior