Venture Director - Independent Consultant
About The Position
Venture Director (VD) – Independent Consultant Tokyo (Significant In-Residence Commitment) | Full-Time Consulting Engagement | Up to 36 Months SRI International has been selected by the Government of Japan’s Cabinet Office to help implement the International Research Program (IRP), a flagship initiative under the Global Start-up Campus (GSC). As part of this effort, SRI is seeking senior, independent consultants to serve as Venture Directors (VDs) —a program-manager role with exceptional autonomy and impact. As a Venture Director consultant, you will design, launch, and lead ambitious deep-technology research programs addressing major economic, societal, and environmental challenges. Each VD will have access up to $30M in research funding for the programs they design and oversee. This is a non-employee consulting engagement , structured as a full-time commitment for up to three years, and requires significant time in residence in Tokyo. Independent Consultant / Non-Employee Disclaimer This role is offered exclusively as an independent consulting engagement . Venture Directors will serve as non-employees of SRI International , operating under a consulting agreement for a full-time commitment of up to 36 months. This position does not include employee status or employee benefits.
Requirements
- A senior technologist, researcher, or innovation leader
- 5+ years leading advanced research or deep-tech innovation (academia, industry, national labs, or startups)
- PhD or equivalent technical experience
- Strong track record in technology transition and stakeholder engagement
- Key domains of interest Bio-Health Systems
- Advanced Connectivity & Compute
- Smart Autonomous Systems (AI, robotics, sensors, digital twins)
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with Japan is helpful.
Responsibilities
- Conceive and lead high-risk, high-impact deep-tech research programs
- Select, mentor, and guide multidisciplinary research teams
- Manage multiple project teams simultaneously and make go / no-go funding decisions
- Engage with industry, government, and academic stakeholders in Japan and from around the world
Benefits
- Compensation and travel expenses will be competitive.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
1,001-5,000 employees
