Director, Research Translation and New Ventures - Research Translation and Entrepreneurship

Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint a Director, Research Translation and New Ventures reporting to Senior Research Scientist and Vice Provost of Research Translation and Entrepreneurship.

As part of the Provost organization, the Research Translation & Entrepreneurship (RTE) Office supports the academic strategy through transforming ideas into practical applications and commercialization of research outputs to benefit the society; as well as nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem capable of introducing startups and entrepreneurs that can make positive impact.

The Director, Research Translation & New Ventures will report to the Vice Provost – RTE. A major objective of the role is to support the RTE office in commercialization and translation of faculties research outputs and intellectual property to market products and licensing opportunities and build a robust deal flow. The Director will build a technology portfolios through working closely with faculties understanding their academic and research works. Capable of liaising and coordinating with other offices such as Legal Office, Research Office and Technology Opportunities and Ventures to protect intellectual property or facilitate development of startups and collaboration opportunities. Another aspect of the role is to reach out to local investors and industries and attract funding and collaboration opportunities and promoting NYUAD research work.

 Key Responsibilities: 

• Work closely with faculties, researchers and students to attract, assess, evaluate innovative ideas and work with the objective of building a commercially viable deal-flow
• Develop go-to-market strategies and pathways to commercial ideas in coordination with faculties and investigators ensuring compliance of these strategies with university relevant policies and procedures
• Identify relevant opportunities that can potentially lead to creation of university startups and be capable of advising university entrepreneurs in finding growth opportunities
• Lead innovation initiatives and events that can support office objectives such as workshops, conferences and meetings in the campus and locally
• Support promoting NYUAD and RTE as leader in the innovation ecosystem of Abu Dhabi and UAE through participating and presenting in relevant local events
• Manage research translation and proof of concept projects with external entities that can lead to a successful commercial outcome including but not limited to finding relevant collaborator, establishing technological milestones, and developing prototype specifications and establishing robust testing regimes preferably with potential licensees, investors or partners
• Engage with external companies in attracting research fund that can support faculties in translating their research
• Build, docket and monitor a portfolio of these ideas, IP and new ventures; building commercial portfolio of these ideas that can be reported to the Vice Provost and other stakeholders
• Create a deal strategy and timely project management plan to translate the university discoveries and ideas including but not limited to reaching out to local industries, investors and potential collaborators
• Support the office in developing technology marketing briefs and displays that can support commercialization strategies
• Making sure advising faculties and researchers in IP related matters and ensuring any IP is shared with the TOV office to ensure compliance with university IP Policy
• Ability to maintain and update innovation records, KPIs and metrics that can be used for reporting purposes and performance of the office for stakeholders
• Support entrepreneurship training targeted for faculties, researchers, and students in establishing new startups and ventures

Required Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree in an academic field of relevance to NYUAD, preferably in Science or Engineering

Preferred Education:

• Master’s degree in areas of Computer Science, Electric Engineering or relevant field/s

Required Experience: 

• 10+ years of experience in research commercialization area with background in intellectual property. Evidence of generating deal flow, licensing and creating startups within university setting
• A detailed knowledge and experience in assessing IP, inventions and new ventures
• Mentoring and guiding entrepreneurs and faculties in establishing commercialization roadmaps and business models
• A degree in engineering/science with research experience’ preferably’ in areas of electric engineering, computer science, and/or AI with demonstrated experience in commercializing software-based technologies and acceleration of related research-driven startups
• Structuring business milestones and investment terms to accelerate adoption of new technologies by the market
• An in-depth understanding of IP licensing and commercialization terms and contract structures
• Negotiation skills in achieving business/investment deals on university IP and technologies

About NYUAD

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.