Technology Transfer

PhD Career Insights | Technology Transfer Officer

Technology transfer officers help translate new innovations coming from the lab into products that will improve people’s lives. They manage the intellectual property of the research and partner with outside companies to bring these new ideas to market.

Interested in Tech Transfer? Check out our overview of this career for more information on this career and the skills you will need to succeed.

Tech Transfer (PDF)

What would I do?

Build relationships with university scientists and understand the research going on at the institution
Help researchers understand the potential commercial applications of their research and describe their value to external partners
Help researchers make their research more commercially attractive
Evaluate invention disclosures for patentability and commercial potential
Build relationships with commercial partners
Identify and facilitate funding for further research on promising inventions
Market emerging technologies
Work with patent lawyers to file patent applications on behalf of the university and manage patent prosecution
Draft and negotiate licenses, collaboration agreements, inter-institutional agreements, and other contracts related to the commercial development of intellectual property with both commercial partners and collaborating institutions
Help establish start-ups and spin-offs
Manage existing licenses and monitor/maintain license compliance

What is the salary range?

~$55-65K for licensing assistant
~$75-110K for licensing associate
~$95-160K for assistant/associate director
~$120-$200K+ for director/executive director

How can I gain skills and experience for a career in Technology Transfer?

From an associate director of technology commercialization: "Internships, internships, and more internships... I can’t stress this enough for folks that want to go straight from an academic lab to tech transfer. We generally won’t even look at anyone fresh out of grad school or a postdoc who doesn’t at least have internship experience even if they have done everything else on your list. I also recommend the NIH tech transfer fellowship program."

Watch a free webinar from AUTM
Do informational interviews at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures
Attend events sponsored by JHTV
See if you can patent or license your research
Talk to peers and mentors who have gone through the licensing process
Become a student member of the Association of University Technology Managers
Take classes at Carey Business School
Take courses from the Licensing Executive Society
Read the monthly Technology Transfer Tactics newsletter
Consider joining an NSF I-Corps team
Take Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer (475.612) from JHU AAP
Take Commercializing your invention or idea (663.654) from the Whiting School of Engineering

Where can I find out more about Tech Transfer careers?

PhD Career Guide: Technology Transfer
A Typical Day at the University of Waterloo Technology Transfer and Licensing Office - Science
Innovation: The Big Idea of Technology Transfer - Nature
Technology Transfer: Applying the PhD Away from the Bench
Career Options Series: Technology Transfer
Transferring Skills to Tech Transfer – Science

Where could I work?

Universities
Research Centers
Federal Laboratories
Stand-alone technology transfer firms
Trade Organizations
State Commerce and Commercialization Departments

What skills should I have?

Flexibility
Business experience
Ability to multitask and manage a large workload
Strong negotiation skills
Strong communication skills with scientists and non-scientists and the ability to manage conflict
Ability to sell an idea
Ability to quickly learn about science outside your area of expertise
Demonstrated interest in the field of technology commercialization, intellectual property, licensing or entrepreneurship
Willingness to coordinate the efforts of many different people
Understanding of intellectual property and contract law

Sample Job Titles

Licensing and Patenting Associate
Licensing and Patenting Manager
Technology Transfer Specialist
Technology Transfer Policy Specialist
Royalties Assistant
Royalties Coordinator
Marketing Coordinator
Monitoring and Enforcement Officer
Senior Licensing and Patenting Manager
Senior Advisor for Licensing
Senior Advisor for Intellectual Property Transactions
Senior Technology Transfer Policy
Advisor; Senior Royalties Administrator
Senior Monitoring and Enforcement Officer
Senior Expert Monitoring and Enforcement
Senior Advisor for Monitoring and Enforcement

Tech Transfer Fellowships, Organizations, and Groups

Fellowships
NIH Technology Transfer Fellowship National Cancer Institute Technology Transfer Center Fellowship
Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures: The Commercialization Academy Internship (US Citizens only)

Professional Organizations
Association of University Technology Managers
Alliance for Technology Transfer Professionals
Licensing Executives Society International

LinkedIn Groups
Technology Transfer - Valorisation
Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, Monetizing IP, Commercialization & Patent Office
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network, Science & Technology Policy and Management