Industry Innovation Director

Industry Innovation Director
Lubbock
45444BR
ISCE

Position Description
Directs, plans, coordinates and
supervises the operations and activities of a specialized unit or small department; develops and implements policies and procedures,
administers the budget, organizes tasks and sets priorities. Serves as liaison with university personnel and community at large. Works under
general supervision with broad latitude for initiative and independent judgement.

About the University
Founded in 1923,
Texas Tech University began with a mission to serve the needs of West Texas, but its impact has always reached far beyond. Today, Texas
Tech, located in Lubbock (pop. 300,000+), is home to a vibrant community of more than 42,000 students.Texas Tech’s 1,800-acre campus
showcases Spanish Renaissance architecture and is home to one of the country’s largest public art collections. Its 13 colleges include a
prestigious School of Law and a distinguished School of Veterinary Medicine. These programs equip students with the skills and knowledge
needed to excel in their respective fields. Built on the values of West Texas – hard work, grit and authenticity – the university graduates
students who are deeply engaged in service to their communities and well-positioned to succeed in the world. Texas Tech is committed to
achieving research and scholarly accomplishments that compare favorably to the member institutions of the Association of American
Universities (AAU). For more than 100 years, Texas Tech has been a premier destination for those seeking a world-class education and a
unique, personalized experience as a member of the Red Raider family.

About the Department and/or College
CASFER (the NSF
Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production) and the Institute for Sustainability and
Circular Economy (ISCE) at Texas Tech University seek an Industry and Innovation Director to lead the Center’s Innovation Ecosystem,
industry partnerships, and commercialization strategy. This is a senior leadership role at the intersection of cutting-edge research,
technology translation, and business development, operating in a collaborative environment of university, industry, and government
partners.

The Industry and Innovation Director is responsible for the growth and financial sustainability of CASFER’s Innovation
Ecosystem. The Director develops and executes the Center’s industry engagement and sustainability strategy, drives new industry membership
and sponsored-research revenue, leads the Center’s business plan and technology-transfer strategy, and builds the mechanisms through which
CASFER research reaches commercial deployment. This role serves as a strategic partner to and force multiplier for the Center Director: it
is expected to operate independently, anticipate needs, and lead, not require day-to-day direction, owning outcomes across membership
growth, revenue, commercialization pathways, and the technology-compliance knowledge base the Center depends on to bring its products to
market.

Major/Essential Functions
Sustainability & Revenue Leadership. Lead execution of CASFER’s
Sustainability Plan for the Innovation Ecosystem, with accountability for achieving approximately $1M/year in industry membership and
member-sponsored research. Develop and execute a growth plan with quarterly targets, a qualified pipeline, measurable activity funnel, and
regular progress reporting to Center leadership.

Industry Membership Growth. Grow and retain CASFER’s industry
membership by recruiting new IPAB member companies, maintaining at least 80% member retention, converting in-kind members to paid
membership, and building a qualified prospect pipeline through research, partner institutions, and leadership
relationships.

Strategic Industry Development. Engage priority sectors aligned with CASFER and CASFER 2.0, including
fertilizer and agribusiness, wastewater utilities, manufacturing/OEM and deployment partners, and AI, data-platform, and circular-economy
organizations. Present CASFER’s value proposition to executive and technical decision-makers.

Business Planning &
Commercialization. Lead CASFER’s business plan and commercialization strategy, including membership models, member-sponsored
research, licensing, and the CASFER 2.0 platform framework. Contribute to diversified revenue through grants, services, pilot projects,
licensing, and membership.

Technology Transfer & Commercialization. Develop and lead the Technology Transfer
Strategic Plan. Maintain working knowledge of commercialization requirements, technology readiness levels (TRLs), regulatory pathways, and
validation milestones needed for market adoption. Lead commercialization and partner discussions while coordinating with
researchers.

Proposal Development. Identify funding opportunities and lead or significantly contribute to proposals,
including industry sponsorships, commitment letters, non-core research funding, and collaborative federal proposals in coordination with
Center leadership.

Industry Membership & IPAB Management. Serve as the primary contact for prospective members,
manage IPAB membership agreements in compliance with TTU and NSF requirements, organize IPAB meetings, and ensure appropriate separation
between NSF-funded research and company-sponsored projects.

Technology Marketing & Partnerships. Promote CASFER
technologies through presentations, demonstrations, lab tours, testbeds, and industry events. Coordinate with testbed teams to support
technology evaluations and deployment opportunities.

Technology Transfer & Intellectual Property. Serve as liaison
among inventors, partner technology commercialization offices, and IP counsel. Support licensing activities and maintain the Center’s
intellectual property portfolio and database across partner institutions.

Metrics, Reporting & Compliance. Manage
CRM systems and innovation metrics, maintain membership records, dues, and invoicing, prepare NSF innovation and industry reports, and
ensure compliance with NSF requirements.

Workforce Development. Collaborate with Research Team Science and Education
& Workforce Development teams to connect students with industry through internships, fellowships, career placement, and translational
research opportunities while mentoring students in industry engagement.

Center Leadership & Outreach. Participate in
Executive Committee and research thrust meetings, lead industry engagement initiatives, and collaborate with the Media Coordinator to
develop marketing materials and outreach content.
Industry Membership Growth. Grow and retain CASFER’s industry
membership by recruiting new IPAB member companies, maintaining at least 80% member retention, converting in-kind members to paid
membership, and building a qualified prospect pipeline through research, partner institutions, and leadership
relationships.

Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a STEM-related field required, plus five years
of progressively responsible management experience. Additional education may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis.

This
position is designated as involving access to critical infrastructure systems and/or research, as defined by Texas Executive Order GA-48. As
such, candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive background check prior to employment. Employees are required to comply with all
applicable state and federal regulations related to the protection of critical infrastructure. Ongoing employment is dependent upon
maintaining eligibility for access and successfully passing periodic security and compliance reviews.

Preferred
Qualifications

• PhD in science, engineering, or a related STEM field.
• Demonstrated success in business development,
  industry partnership growth, and membership or sponsorship revenue generation – including a track record of recruiting and retaining
  industry partners and closing agreements.
• Experience leading business planning and technology-transfer or commercialization
  activities, ideally within a university research center, NSF ERC, or comparable innovation environment.
• Working knowledge of
  technology commercialization pathways, TRL frameworks, IP and licensing processes, and regulatory/compliance considerations relevant to
  agriculture, wastewater, or advanced manufacturing markets.
• Demonstrated proposal-writing ability and success contributing to
  competitive federal or industry-sponsored funding.
• Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., HubSpot) and pipeline
  management.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the proven ability to present technical and business
  materials to executives, investors, and technical audiences in a concise and professional manner.
• Ability to work independently and
  lead strategically with minimal direction, functioning as a self-directed partner to Institute and Center leadership.

Pay
Range
Salary will be determined based on experience.

To apply, visit workattexastech.com

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected
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