Job Details

Director, Business Development and IP Licensing

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network ( is a group of nonprofit research institutes that bring together scientists, engineers, and physicians with the goal of pursuing grand scientific challenges on 10- to 15-year time horizons. The CZ Biohub Network focuses on understanding underlying mechanisms of disease and developing new technologies that will lead to actionable diagnostics and effective therapies.

Our Vision

• We pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments.
• We enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas.
• The technologies developed at the CZ Biohub Network facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond.

Diversity of thought, ideas, and perspectives are at the heart of CZ Biohub Network and enable disruptive innovation and scholarly excellence. We are committed to cultivating an organization where all colleagues feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution.

The Opportunity

The Director of Business Development and IP Licensing will be a key leader in driving the strategic growth of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network. This individual will be responsible for identifying and executing new business opportunities and working with each of the Biohubs (San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and the Chan Zuckerberg Imaging Institute) to oversee the licensing and commercialization of intellectual property. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in life sciences, exceptional negotiation skills, and a proven track record in business development and IP management within academia or the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.

What You'll Do

Business Development:

• Develop and implement business strategies to expand the reach and impact of the BH Network's intellectual property portfolio. Form a deep understanding of the existing portfolio.
• Build and maintain relationships with industry partners, academic institutions (not least of which are the 9 Biohub Network partner universities), Biohub-spinout founders and funders, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activities to inform business development strategies. Understand that, when they exist, competitors comprise a diverse set of non-profit, academic, and industry research entities and combinations thereof.

IP Licensing:

• Work with the BH Network's intellectual property team to oversee and manage the Network-wide IP portfolio.
• Develop and implement IP licensing strategies to maximize the value of the BH Network's innovations.
• Understand that value in this context consists of a mix of financial, as well as societal good and founder-friendly criteria.
• In partnership with the legal team, negotiate and manage licensing agreements, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Strategic Leadership:

• Collaborate with senior leadership to align business development and IP licensing activities with the BH Network's overall mission and objectives. Senior leadership sits across multiple organizations.
• Create and foster relationships with the diverse cadre of intramural (i.e., within each Biohub/CZII) and extramural (i.e., Investigators at partner universities) researchers, so as to understand the science and engineering being pursued to advise on IP strategies.
• Represent the BH Network at industry conferences, meetings, and other events.
• Prepare and present reports on business development and IP licensing activities to the executive team.

What You'll Bring

• Advanced degree (Ph.D., MBA, JD, or equivalent) in life sciences, engineering, business, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in business development and IP licensing, preferably within academia or the life sciences industry.
• Strong understanding of intellectual property law and commercialization processes, including for non-profit organizations.
• Proven track record of successfully negotiating and managing complex business agreements.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Compensation

The Redwood City, CA base pay range for this role is $192,000.00 - $264,000.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process.

What We Provide

• Resources to disrupt and innovate at the frontiers of our knowledge of biology and disease.
• An environment where nothing is considered impossible, where bold and creative thinking are the norm, and where a collaborative culture allows teams of people from multiple disciplines to accomplish more than any single person can achieve alone.
• Competitive compensation and benefits commensurate with experience.

If you're interested in a role but your previous experience doesn't perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.

We offer a robust benefits program that enables the important work Biohubbers do every day. Our benefits include healthcare coverage, life and disability insurance, commuter subsidies, family planning services with fertility care, childcare stipend, 401(k) match, flexible time off, and a generous parental leave policy. In addition, we honor our commitment to career development and our value of scholarly excellence through regular onsite opportunities to learn from the world's leading scientists.

The CZ Biohub Network is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity of thought, ideas, and perspectives. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive organization where all Biohubbers feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution. Therefore, we provide employment opportunities without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this website or directly to managers. The CZ Biohub Network does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. The CZ Biohub Network will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with the CZ Biohub Network.