Managing Director for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) - Penn Engineering

University of Pennsylvania

13d • $95,136 - $135,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Managing Director for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) is based at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and supports the multi-university partnership with Purdue University, the University of California - Merced, and the University of Florida. The Center aims to ensure food, energy, and water security by advancing technology to increase crop production while minimizing the use of energy and water resources and the impact of agricultural practices on the environment. IoT4Ag’s mission is to create and translate to practice Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for precision agriculture and train a workforce that will address the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security for decades to come.

The Managing Director is responsible for the Center’s operations and management, including facilitation of strategic planning and priority-setting, annual event planning, and reporting to NSF. The Managing Director also supports and oversees data collection and communications and interfaces with Penn financial services. The Managing Director works collaboratively with Center leadership and its broader cohort of faculty, students, and staff from all partner universities to oversee, coordinate, and manage day-to-day Center operations via its research, education, and innovation activities.

A priority of this role is to support industry engagement and partnership development for IoT4Ag, serving as an interface between the Center’s researchers and external industry partners. The role will support growing and managing the Center’s industry membership program, identifying opportunities for research collaboration and technology translation, and ensuring that industry perspectives inform the Center’s research and innovation activities. The successful candidate will have strong relationship-building, business development, and communication skills and the ability to translate complex technical research into compelling opportunities for industry engagement.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in business, engineering, or related field and five to seven years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated financial management, data collection, and reporting experience.
• Highly organized - able to manage a CRM, organize meetings/events, and coordinate between multiple parties.
• Business development - Experience identifying prospects, developing value propositions, and converting companies into active members or research partners.
• Technical fluency & communication - Ability to understand the ERC’s research and translate complex technical capabilities into compelling opportunities for industry.
• Collaboration - Ability to work effectively across faculty, students, university leadership, industry partners, and NSF stakeholders.
• Program and event management - Ability to organize industry advisory board meetings, workshops, conferences, and other engagement activities.
• Initiative and independent execution - Self-directed, entrepreneurial approach with the ability to prioritize opportunities, manage multiple relationships, and travel regularly.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with and assist Center leadership and advisors to develop, refine, and implement IoT4Ag’s vision, strategy, and programmatic priorities
• Oversee, coordinate, and manage day-to-day Center research and innovation activities.
• Plan and manage the Center’s annual retreat, annual NSF site visit, seminar series, and internal project review process.
• Manage relationships with IoT4Ag’s Scientific and Industry/Ag-Systems Advisory Boards, including planning and facilitating Advisory Board meetings with an eye toward leveraging their collective expertise and resources to advance the Center’s mission.
• Oversee data collection, ensure its accuracy, and support reporting mechanisms to meet NSF requirements and prepare reports and materials for the NSF.
• Interface with Penn financial services to review and manage Center budgets, awards, membership income, and expenses.
• Oversee development and dissemination of external collateral, including communications, press releases, web content, and promotional materials.
• Support recruiting and retaining industry members, developing relationships with and facilitating connections between companies and Center Faculty.
• Organize industry meetings, workshops, and advisory board activities
• Interact with university tech transfer offices.
• Represent IoT4Ag externally and communicate its research capabilities and value proposition to prospective partners.
• Travel is required to the IoT4Ag annual retreat and NSF site visit, and regularly, to include attendance at industry conferences, trade shows, partner meetings, and other events to develop relationships, recruit new members, and represent the Center. Some travel may include evenings and weekends.

Benefits

• excellent healthcare
• tuition benefits for employees and their families
• generous retirement benefits
• a wide variety of professional development opportunities
• supportive work and family benefits
• a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources
• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits
• flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars
• exceptional tuition benefits
• tuition assistance here at Penn
• tuition assistance at other institutions for dependent children
• generous retirement plans
• pre-tax or Roth basis retirement savings
• substantial amount of time away from work
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• wellness and work-life resources
• Professional and Personal Development
• access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities
• Discounts and Special Services
• free and discounted admission and memberships to arts and cultural centers and museums
• savings on other goods and services
• Flexible Work Hours
• Penn Home Ownership Services
• Adoption Assistance

What This Job Offers

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