Licensing Manager

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Licensing Managers are part of the licensing team, part of the broader CU Innovations team, and part of the CU Anschutz campus’ team, bringing new technologies to patients. The Licensing Manager’s primary function is to manage the day-to-day operations of a complex portfolio of University intellectual property in the life sciences, including therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. This includes independently evaluating, advancing, partnering and commercializing an intellectual property portfolio. Licensing Managers will work independently with inventors to understand technologies, outside counsel to assess patentability, and colleagues in industry during partnering discussions. Licensing Managers will also work with the BD and marketing teams, including Venture Fellows, to develop marketing strategies, identify potential licensees and contacts within companies in order to partner and commercialize University assets. The role of the Licensing Manager also includes mentorship of more junior team members and helping to guide and support their licensing related work. Licensing Managers will have strong portfolio commercialization skills, including understanding and assessing the intellectual assets developed in a faculty member's lab. They will encourage faculty to disclosure new ideas, inventions and other intellectual assets to CU Innovations. They are also responsible for assessing new inventions for technical merit, patentability, and commercial feasibility, while overseeing the filing and prosecution of patent applications where appropriate. They will independently identify and communicate with potential licensees to market technologies to industry. They are responsible for negotiating, drafting and enforcing options, licenses, IIAs and other revenue generating agreements. Importantly, Licensing Managers must have the confidence and interpersonal skills necessary to communicate with very senior, high-level faculty and executives in the business community. Licensing Managers will confer with campus administrative staff and investigators on intellectual property protection and licensing, and to coordinate procedures to ensure compliance with rules, regulations, laws, university policies, and business contracts. The position requires the use of a variety of communications and computer database tools to track and convey issues and decisions about invention disclosures, patent applications, patent prosecution, patent issuance and maintenance, and all contractual agreements and financial arrangements related to a particular technology.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in life sciences, health, or physical sciences, or in law or business with relevant knowledge of biological/life sciences.
Substitution : A bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field with a master’s degree or PhD in life sciences, health, engineering, or physical sciences, or in law or business with relevant knowledge of biological/life sciences.
4+ years of direct life sciences technology transfer, business development, industry research, licensing/patent management, or related experience at a research university, academic medical center, or in industry.
Demonstrated proficiency in understanding healthcare related inventions, in areas such as therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health.
Confidence and interpersonal skills necessary to communicate with very senior, high-level faculty and licensing staff at other institutions and in the business community
Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
Ability to work independently and in a team environment; to work under pressure with tight deadlines.
Team player and builder; works well in group environments; shares knowledge, expertise; provides assistance and accepts additional responsibility when necessary.
Commitment to values and strong business ethics.
Outstanding customer service skills.
Ability to grasp complex scientific concepts and effectively promote them.
Demonstrated ability to negotiate and close business deals.
Ability to interact effectively in both academic and corporate cultures with scientists, research sponsors, industry representatives and patent attorneys.
Technology and patent case management skills and prioritization abilities.
Effective mentoring and collaboration skills.
Ability to independently represent the Office at the most senior level with University faculty and leadership and Industry partners.
Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.
Self-starter in establishing relationships both internally and externally.
Excellent time management and prioritization skills

Nice To Haves

A graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in life, health, or physical sciences, law or business.
Experience including the development, preparation, negotiation, review, and execution of a wide range of licenses as demonstrated by a deal sheet and consistent management of a portfolio of cases.
Pharmaceutical, medical device, and/or health IT commercialization experience including technology review, patent protection (as appropriate), FDA approval process, reimbursement, and negotiation.
Knowledge of experience working with intellectual property protection methods, licensing practices, contract law, as well as government laws/regulations relating to technology transfer within industry and/or academia.

Responsibilities

Primary function is the management of a portfolio of university intellectual property in the life sciences disciplines.
Portfolio management includes: Understand and assess the intellectual assets in a faculty member's lab, whether patentable or not, encouraging disclosure of new ideas, inventions and other intellectual assets to TTO.
Evaluate and analyze new invention disclosures for technical merit, meet with inventor(s), assess patentability, marketability, commercial feasibility and identify relevant industry contacts.
Encourage the commercialization of innovation through multiple channels including industry collaborations, licensing or the formation of start-up companies.
Develop commercialization strategies including product development and funding plans, identify critical path experiments, and source cross-functional teams.
Develop licensing strategies, identify potential licensees, negotiate terms, draft agreements, and close deals.
Manage patent-related activities, including the filing and prosecution of patent applications.
Assist with the daily operations of the Campus and System Technology Transfer Offices.
Organize educational programs for faculty, inventors, and entrepreneurs and serve as liaisons to the business community.
Provide information and advice to investigators, students, and other campus staff on matters involving intellectual property policies, procedures and decisions.
Mentor and support more junior members of the licensing team as it relates to the licensing and commercialization process.