Innovation Officer
Position Overview
The Innovation Officer (IO) is a strategic innovation thinker with an understanding of academic and business environments. Experienced in all facets of technology strategy, product development, startup culture, and business growth through innovation, they are a seasoned leader who has cultivated teams across multiple disciplines bridging industry and academia.
The IO is responsible for developing a culture of innovation throughout EARTH, its member institutions, and laboratories that fosters and attracts successful innovators and entrepreneurs and that drives the translation to commercialization of technologies emerging from EARTH laboratories. THE IO works closely with the Industrial Liaison Officer and entrepreneurship and technology transfer personnel at EARTH member institutions.
An ideal candidate for this position is someone eager to make a difference in academia by strengthening university entrepreneurial mindsets and mentoring research faculty and students.
POSITION GOALS
Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) are essential to the quality of life for all humans. HVACR systems are widespread throughout society, enabling transportation and preservation of fresh foods, storage of medicines, and cooling of buildings. However, most refrigerants used today are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have high global-warming potential (GWP), with 2000-4000 times the impact of CO2. Combined with high leak rates and high energy consumption, HFCs account for 7.8% of total greenhouse-gas emissions.
To address this challenge, a new NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC): Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) will create a “sustainable refrigerant lifecycle” to address technical, environmental, and societal challenges facing the HVACR industry. EARTH is a multi-institution, multi-disciplinary team from the University of Kansas, University of Notre Dame, University of Hawai'i, University of Maryland, University of South Dakota, and Lehigh University.
The IO is responsible for developing a culture of innovation throughout EARTH, its member institutions, and laboratories that fosters and attracts successful innovators and entrepreneurs and that drives the translation to commercialization of technologies emerging from EARTH laboratories. THE IO works closely with the Industrial Liaison Officer and entrepreneurship and technology transfer personnel at EARTH member institutions.
An ideal candidate for this position is someone eager to make a difference in academia by strengthening university entrepreneurial mindsets and mentoring research faculty and students.
POSITION GOALS
- Drive new growth opportunities by identifying, prioritizing, developing, and helping to launch new HVACR products, services, and business models.
- Build and grow innovation capabilities across EARTH’s academic institutions and laboratories by enhancing organizational, technical and people-driven capabilities, that ensure a steady stream of innovations.
- Be the champion of innovation, evangelizing innovation internally and externally to enhance ERC EARTH’s ability to attract resources and creative talent to accelerate the commercialization of EARTH technologies.
Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) are essential to the quality of life for all humans. HVACR systems are widespread throughout society, enabling transportation and preservation of fresh foods, storage of medicines, and cooling of buildings. However, most refrigerants used today are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have high global-warming potential (GWP), with 2000-4000 times the impact of CO2. Combined with high leak rates and high energy consumption, HFCs account for 7.8% of total greenhouse-gas emissions.
To address this challenge, a new NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC): Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) will create a “sustainable refrigerant lifecycle” to address technical, environmental, and societal challenges facing the HVACR industry. EARTH is a multi-institution, multi-disciplinary team from the University of Kansas, University of Notre Dame, University of Hawai'i, University of Maryland, University of South Dakota, and Lehigh University.
Job Description
40% Identify, develop, and execute a high-impact EARTH innovation strategy and roadmap.
25% EARTH Collaboration and Engagement
20% EARTH Innovation Outreach
15% Education and Training
- Act as the innovation champion for the entire multi-campus organization. Promote an EARTH-wide culture of innovation and entrepreneurial mindset.
- Facilitate timely, successful commercialization of innovation initiatives.
- Monitor the EARTH project portfolio and how it spans near term sustaining and longer-term disruptive initiatives focused on HVACR product, service, process, and business model innovation across the HVACR supply chain.
- Track and report on innovation metrics and business impact on a regular basis.
- Develop strategy for, manage, and sustain the EARTH Acceleration Teams. This will include activities such as:
- Facilitate Acceleration Team meetings between industry leaders, campus entrepreneurship and tech transfer personnel and EARTH researchers.
- Assist EARTH faculty and students with connecting with resources for navigating intellectual property processes, startup roadmaps (e.g., opportunity scanning, customer discovery, competitive benchmarking, business modeling, attracting investment) and corporate licensing.
25% EARTH Collaboration and Engagement
- Work with campus entrepreneurship and technology transfer organizations to enhance their engagement with EARTH. Create a Cross EARTH Academic Partner Innovation Steering Committee that will drive activities to support an entrepreneurial mindset.
- In concert with the ILO and the EARTH Industry Advisory Board (IAB) bring industry guidance and recommendations into EARTH projects.
- Together with the EARTH ILO, serve as points of contact between EARTH partners institution’s entrepreneurship and technology transfer representatives and industry members.
- In collaboration with the ILO and the respective Technology Transfer Offices, engage with the IP Advisory Board, gaining market insights from EARTH’s Gold Members.
20% EARTH Innovation Outreach
- Participate in Outreach to the broader HVACR community through:
- Working with the ILO to develop and execute a Road Show Strategy that showcases EARTH innovations at national and international conferences and workshops.
- Co-author newsletters and promotional materials with other EARTH staff.
- Identify external assets and companies that may accelerate HVACR innovation and market access through partnerships and investments.
- Develop and execute external engagement strategies that expand EARTH innovation opportunities and potential partnerships.
- Establish EARTH as a recognized innovation leader among state and federal agencies, national societies, and industry groups to build the EARTH brand.
15% Education and Training
- Develop startup and commercialization process workshops as well as seminars on professional development topics such as teamwork, communication, IP, and others.
- Educate and train teams on innovation and commercialization processes.
Position Requirements
This position works primarily on-site at one or more of the partner institutions, but remote work may be considered per mutual agreement between the EARTH director and selected candidate. Travel will be required to partner institutions and other stakeholders. Due to complex state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in the following states: California. We appreciate your understanding and invite interested individuals from eligible states to apply.
Required Qualifications
- B.S. in business, engineering or science related field.
- Minimum 6 years of relevant experience in innovation and technology commercialization, as evidenced by application materials.
- Demonstrated success in fostering a culture of innovation, attracting investment, and accelerating growth, as evidenced by employment history.
- Knowledge of commercialization in academic settings, of innovation processes in large companies, and of entrepreneurial startup challenges, as evidenced by application materials.
- Outstanding interpersonal and written communication skills, as evidenced by application materials.
Preferred Qualifications
- Attainment of a senior leadership position related to innovation management, as evidenced by employment history.
- Broad network of personal contacts in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and technology sectors.
- Experience coaching and mentoring innovators and entrepreneurs and multidisciplinary teams, as evidenced by application materials.
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes, chemical process economics, technology strategies, and managerial procedures in startups and large commercial enterprises, as evidenced by application materials.
- Experience with successful scale-up or commercialization of new technology, as evidenced by application materials.
- Graduate degree or equivalent operational experience in business or innovation related field.
Additional Candidate Instructions
In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:
- Cover letter addressing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
- Resume
- Contact information for three professional references
Contact Information to Applicants
Heather Abernathy
habernathy@ku.edu
785-864-4512
habernathy@ku.edu
785-864-4512
Advertised Salary Range
$100,000 - $130,000
Work Schedule
Monday - Friday 8am-5pm
Application Review Begins
Friday November 15, 2024
Anticipated Start Date
Sunday December 15, 2024