Licensing & Alliance Management Associate

The Licensing and Alliance Management Associate is responsible for overseeing a modest portfolio of intellectual property (IP) arising from research performed by Salk investigators, including evaluating new inventions, developing licensing opportunities and strategies, negotiating the terms and conditions of agreements, administering patent-related activities, as well as negotiation and management of research collaborations with other non-profit and for-profit entities. This position requires knowledge of negotiation strategies, technology market assessment, intellectual property protection and licensing, and thorough knowledge of contracts and grants relating to alliances.

Who We Are

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values all members of our scientific community. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces perspectives across discipline, professional acumen, and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, the Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature, and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salk's vibrant community has many talented individuals from varied backgrounds, each playing a crucial role in driving our mission forward. From visionary leaders to dedicated administrators and brilliant faculty members, the Institute is united by a shared passion for scientific exploration and innovation.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Aligning with the strategic direction and working closely with the Senior Director, Director of Innovation Partnerships, and Director of Licensing:

• Establish and maintain relationships with Salk scientists; keep up to date on their research programs.
• Evaluate and analyze new inventions, materials and software for patentability and other means of legal protection
• Carry out preliminary market analysis and evaluate commercial potential of technologies, develop and execute marketing and legal protection strategies for inventions and other technologies.
• Identify, develop, and advise on potential collaborations that may enhance commercialization readiness of Salk technologies
• Manage collaboration agreements and oversee alliance programs, in collaboration faculty lab and research accounting team to keep status on track.
• Maintain a network of industry contacts; market to and conduct due diligence on potential licensees and alliance/collaboration partners.
• Draft, review and negotiate IP-related agreements, including technology licenses, MTAs, sponsored research and collaboration agreements, inter-institutional agreements, and various agreements with industry.
• Oversee and support the preparation, filing, prosecution and maintenance of patent applications by outside counsel, and help coordinate participation by the inventors. Keep inventors informed about OTD activities on IP protection and commercialization of their inventions.
• Serve as a resource for faculty, other researchers, and departmental administrators with respect to contracts/agreements, relevant Institute policies, OTD operating procedures and compliance requirements.
• Support resolution of compliance issues of existing agreements in collaboration with OTD leadership.
• Internally process agreements in accordance with OTD operating procedures, including entering agreements in OTD enterprise system/database, and keeping information current.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by OTD leadership.

What we Require

• Required: 7+ years' relevant work experience in academic technology transfer, scientific industry business development & licensing, or a law firm
• Required: Master's degree in a scientific discipline relevant to Salk research, or bachelor's degree plus 3+ years of related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Certificates, licenses, registrations and experience preferred:
  
  
  
  • Patent Agent registration, CLP and/or RTTP certification, or a willingness to complete such registration and/or certification during the first year of employment at Salk.
  • Work experience in an academic or industrial research environment.
  
  
  
  
• Computer skills required: Contract Management Systems; Microsoft Office suite, Adobe suite

What We Can Offer

The expected pay range for this position is $100,000-$145,000 per annum. Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk's pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym "I CARE" provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race (race is inclusive of traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Discrimination is prohibited with any intersectionality of the above-mentioned characteristics, including:

1. Any combination of characteristics.
2. A perception that the person has any of the characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.
3. A perception that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.