Office Director - Technology Transfer

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is seeking an Office Director for Technology Transfer in Golden, CO. This role involves leading the Technology Transfer Partnerships Office, managing research agreements and licensing programs to advance NREL’s mission. Responsibilities include overseeing a team, negotiating partnerships, and managing intellectual property. NREL emphasizes collaboration, professional development, and a commitment to energy innovation.
Posting TitleOffice Director - Technology Transfer

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeRegular

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Hours Per Week40

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Working at NREL

Join the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NREL, you’ll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Learn about NREL’s critical objectives: NREL's Mission and Vision.

Job Description

NREL's Technology Transfer Office is part of the Innovation, Partnering and Outreach (IPO) Directorate at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. This position leads the Technology Transfer Partnerships Office which is responsible for negotiating sponsored research agreements and licensing programs with partners that advance NREL’s strategy and mission.

Sponsored research agreement functions include management, negotiation and ongoing oversight of NREL externally sponsored research activities including Cooperative Research and Development (CRADAs), Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP), Agreements for Commercializing Technology (ACT) and other agreements. Licensing functions include early identification of important laboratory innovations, record of invention evaluation, patenting prioritization, technology strategy development, license negotiation, license maintenance and royalty distribution.

As the Director of the Technology Transfer Office, you will lead a team that works closely with partners and researchers in the Science and Technology Directorate’s to negotiate and execute partnerships and licenses that meet NREL and directorate strategies. The Technology Transfer Office works closely with other IPO Offices including the Strategic Partnerships Office (SPO), Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC), and the Business Management Office (BMO) as part of the IPO Leadership team.

The Technology Transfer Office Director will have direct line management responsibility for as many as thirty permanent and temporary staff.

Key functions of this position include:
• Directs the development, commercialization and transfer of impactful laboratory technologies
• Directs the establishment of CRADA, SPP, and ACT agreements for the laboratory
• Manages the licensing and technology partnership agreement program, staff and budget
• Provides oversight, guidance and input to research centers that are involved in the technology transfer process and the management of intellectual property
• Oversees the negotiation of non-disclosure agreements, inter-institutional agreements, licenses, option agreements, material transfer agreements, sponsored research agreements, and other types of IP and research related agreements subject to review by the Office of General Counsel as to legal form
• Represents the Lab in TTO-related interactions with the Golden Field Office, the DOE entity charged with overseeing NREL
• Sets patent filing priorities and provides direction to inside counsel on patent, copyright and trademark filings
• Build effective teams and effectively leads, develops and directs personnel with diverse skills, work styles and values, both directly and through subordinate management. Creates strong morale and spirit; shares wins and successes
• Keeps abreast of key issues affecting respective Center/Office industry discipline(s)
• Trains and develops junior staff in intellectual property, licensing, and CRADA/SPP/ACT negotiations
• Oversight of NREL’s “Privately Funded Technology Transfer Program”
• Responsibility for the NREL patent budget, licensing income and royalty sharing programs
• Management and continued development of the NREL Intellectual Property Information System
• Builds, maintains and improves business processes and information systems underpinning the commercialization, technology transfer and partnership programs
• Works collaboratively with intra-lab business partners including Science and Technology researchers, Strategic Partnerships Office, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, Finance and Legal organizations
• Conducts special projects as assigned by the Associate Laboratory Director for Innovation, Partnering and Outreach

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Basic QualificationsRelevant Bachelors Degree and twenty years experience; Or relevant Masters Degree and 18 years experience; Or relevant PhD and 15 years experience.
Equivalent relevant experience may be substituted for education.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q Security Clearance

Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen. See DOE O 472.2A for additional information.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of technology transfer and sponsored research contracting
• In-depth understanding of energy, engineering or science industries including marketing, manufacturing, regulatory, and intellectual property matters
• Demonstrated abilities in developing and negotiating agreements for complex, high-impact projects and in developing new concepts and approaches where competing interests exist
• Excellent negotiations skills with respect to licensing and sponsored research agreements
• Excellent interpersonal, conflict resolution, communication, and teaming skills
• A proven record of managing and mentoring a team of professionals including demonstrated leadership, team-development and diplomacy skills
• Solves variety of multi-dimensional problems in absence of guidelines or precedents
• Models and embeds NREL values
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and direct personnel with diverse skills, work styles and values, both directly and through subordinate management

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in performing due diligence on technologies, companies, and industries
• Ten plus years of experience in licensing and business development in energy, engineering and/or science industries
• DOE laboratory system experience preferred

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: Office Director / Annual Salary Range: $169,000 - $304,200

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.
• Based on eligibility rules

Badging RequirementNREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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