Major Northeastern University
Vice President Research & Technology Initiatives
SPEC BRIEF
Assignment #05-004-006

~ Position Filled ~

This is an extraordinary opportunity for the right person to make a major contribution to the growth and development of the university as well as for his or her own career in a setting unparalleled in terms of access to the best minds engaged with this kind of exciting and stimulating work.

The new Vice President Research & Technology Initiatives will have an opportunity to significantly grow the levels of sponsored research and contracts as well as to nurture the development of current and new research aimed at creating intellectual property to be licensed or to form the basis of new enterprises. The institution is known around the world for its breakthrough research in many important fields such as: polymers and other engineered materials, wireless telecommunications, computers, healthcare/ biosciences and many others. The VP of Research & Technology Initiatives will be the university's leadership focal point for innovation and invention working in close collaboration with faculty, student and alumni principal investigators, supporting staff, senior administration as well as outside public and private funding agencies and advisors.

The key objective of the job is to move the university rapidly forward by promoting research in a way that will help build on past success in this area and promote the reputation of the university as an important National center for research. Success from this effort will be judged in terms of how quickly the hired candidate can effectively support developing needs of principal investigators and create new intellectual property that can be brought to market. The outcomes from this effort will serve to bolster the rewards for faculty who engage in this kind of entrepreneurial activity and reassert the institution's proud legacy as a center for the commercialization of new ideas and inventions that benefit the world.

Key Responsibilities

• Intellectual property management including negotiating contracts with law firms, venture capital organizations and the like
• Management of the business incubator.
• Close interaction/collaboration with the office of Finance to monitor billings, accounts receivable and manage broader financial matters related to contract and grant research including A-133 audits and the like
• Ensure maximum indirect cost recovery is obtained
• Develop and manage research incentive program
• Oversee operation of university labs in a safe manner that complies with all government rules and regulations and university guidelines
• Direction of lobbying activities at all levels

QUALIFIED CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE: 

Must Haves Easily/ readily Verifiable

• 15+ years experience in academic/government and/or industry research and technology initiatives nurturing cutting edge "break-throughs" and then winning major research grants and awards to fund them
• Proven academic research leadership/scholarship
• Progressively successful academic administration and/or industry administration appointments that reflect accomplishments complimenting existing and contemplated research initiatives
• A track record of accomplishment built on the development and deployment of innovative and collaborative teams focused on completion of its tasks on time and on budget

Experience (Preferred)

• Distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and service appropriate for appointment as a tenured senior faculty member
• Dean or Department Head at major university and/or
• Head of research for government agency or industry lab
• Entrepreneur who has successfully developed patented intellectual property into successful enterprises

Attributes/ Skill Sets 

• Ph.D. degree in a science or engineering discipline or equivalence of an advanced degree coupled with significant business experience
• In depth knowledge of grant and contract research process from development of intellectual concept investigation through research funding and successful audit

Key Personal Qualities/ Work Style

• A natural leader who knows how to bring teams of people together and support them in their efforts to accomplish important tasks in a highly creative and collaborative manner
• Upbeat - proactive - "can do"
• Enthusiastic - revels in a challenge that will require working with very bright and accomplished individuals
• Reputation for taking action and executing agreed upon initiatives "on time and within budget"

Interested Candidates please email resume/CV in confidence:
Re. Search # 05-004-006

kdk@kulpercompany.com

THIS IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY OFFERING
which is subject to change at the sole discretion of the client.

January 12, 2006