Licensing Associate

Department: Office Rsrch Innov and Econ Impact

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) at George Mason University (Mason) is responsible for protecting intellectual property (IP) rights of inventions by faculty, researchers, and students at Mason. OTT also accelerates and facilitates the commercialization of university research and technology.

About the Position:

The Licensing Associate reports directly to the Director of OTT and assists in all aspects of protecting and commercializing new technologies developed at Mason. This position manages a docket of technologies, builds strong faculty relationships, conducts technology assessments, manages and protects intellectual property rights, develops collaborations and licenses with industry, and promotes new ventures and economic development.

Responsibilities:

• Solicits, screens, and evaluates innovation disclosures;
• Prepares technology descriptions for distribution and posting on OTT website;
• Develops and recommends intellectual property protection strategies of selected disclosures;
• With concurrence of the Director, authorizes patent applications;
• Facilitates communication between patent attorneys and inventors;
• Develops and implements strategies/plans for marketing inventions and technologies to industry;
• Conducts technology market research of selected technologies;
• Identifies potential commercial applications and business partners for Mason innovations;
• Communicates industry feedback to faculty as needed;
• Drafts, negotiates, and executes licenses, and other related contracts such as license agreements, confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, joint invention agreements, research collaboration agreements, and inter-institutional agreements;
• Participates in University Technology Transfer outreach and education;
• Promotes the mission and business of OTT by developing positive relationships with Mason faculty, staff, students, legal Counsel, prospective and actual licensees, and colleagues;
• Works collaboratively across various stakeholders within the University;
• Dockets assigned technology and license activity;
• Provides continuous management of existing licensing agreements for performance and compliance; and
• Performs other duties within the scope of the position, as required by OTT or the University.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field;
• Experience engaging researchers regarding their innovations;
• Experience using advanced features in Word and Excel;
• Experience writing about technical innovations;
• Working knowledge of intellectual property;
• Ability to understand complex technology;
• Ability to communicate complex technical innovations to non-technical individuals;
• Ability to handle a wide variety of projects simultaneously to meet deadlines and be productive within a dynamic and ever-changing environment;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with management, peers, academics, and other professionals including external agencies with varied interests and perspectives;
• Self-starter with ability to work independently as well as in a team; and
• Strong customer service skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in a related field;
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO) Registered Patent Practitioner;
• Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP);
• Certified Licensing Professional (CLP);
• Technology transfer experience;
• Experience in technical and business communications;
• Experience drafting and negotiating license agreements within a university/non-profit institution;
• Experience in technology evaluation, especially in a research and educational institution;
• Entrepreneurial experience with commercializing early stage research and/or technologies;
• Experience in intellectual property processes including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets;
• Experience working collaboratively with researchers or technical staff in intellectual property and licensing matters;
• Advanced technical knowledge in sustainability, physical science, life science, chemistry, engineering, allied science or related field;
• Technology marketing skills;
• Patent drafting and prosecution skills;
• Ability to perform technical feasibility, competitive landscape, and market analyses; and
• Business and entrepreneurial knowledge.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Licensing Associate at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume.

Posting Open Date:  February 26, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  March 25, 2024

Open Until Filled?:  Yes

About the University:

George Mason University, the largest university in Virginia, has been recognized as one of America’s top 50 public universities and is among the top 100 institutions (both public and private) nationwide.

Mason is a Tier-1 research university, the highest designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Our research addresses critical global challenges and serves as an engine of innovation for the region and state. Notable areas of research are conducted in BioHealth, Digital Innovation, and Sustainability. Mason’s faculty members have received prestigious accolades, including twice winning the Nobel Prize.