DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AI & LIFE SCIENCES, University Research

Boston Universitys office of Corporate Research and Contracting is a central resource for companies seeking to engage with the University on research initiatives and related contracting activities. Formerly the office of Industry Engagement the office of Corporate Research and Contracting has been rebranded and sharpened to focus on the management and facilitation of industry-funded research and research contracts including industry-sponsored research agreements material transfer agreements data transfer agreements and other research-related agreements with industry and non-industry partners. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Corporate Research and Contracting the Director of Business Development AI and Life Sciences will be responsible for identifying developing and advancing new corporate research partnerships with companies in artificial intelligence data science biopharma digital health and related life sciences sectors. This role will build meaningful and sustainable relationships with industry partners that lead to increased investment in Boston University research aligned with corporate priorities and University strengths. The Director will work closely with faculty researchers Technology Development schools and colleges and corporate partners to translate BUs research capabilities into strategic partnership opportunities. The position will focus on prospecting and relationship development understanding industry research priorities matching company needs with faculty expertise supporting the development of sponsored research opportunities and helping move prospective collaborations from initial engagement through agreement execution. The office of Corporate Research and Contracting is a fast-paced collaborative environment where creativity flexibility responsiveness and teamwork are this role the Director will help bring BU research out of the lab and into partnership with companies working to solve important scientific technological and societal challenges.

• Bachelors degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in business development corporate partnerships research administration technology transfer sponsored research life sciences artificial intelligence biotechnology pharmaceuticals digital health data science or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage relationships with companies faculty senior leaders researchers and cross-functional teams.
• Experience working with corporate-sponsored research programs academic-industry partnerships technology commercialization research collaborations alliance management or related partnership models.
• Knowledge of one or more relevant sectors including artificial intelligence machine learning data science biotechnology pharmaceuticals therapeutics diagnostics digital health computational biology or life sciences research.
• Familiarity with research agreements intellectual property considerations technology transfer sponsored programs and/or university-industry collaboration models.
• Entrepreneurial strategic and dynamic individual with a commitment to advancing scientific research and building high-impact partnerships.
• Proven ability to gain credibility and trust across multiple layers of sophisticated organizations including universities corporations faculty executives legal and contracting teams and research administrators.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to translate complex research capabilities into compelling partnership opportunities for industry audiences.
• Strong interpersonal listening organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced mission-driven environment.
• Demonstrated integrity sound judgment creativity persistence and commitment to teamwork.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field.
• Performed business development for an AI and/or life sciences company
• Experience in university corporate relations industry-sponsored research alliance management business development or innovation partnerships.
• Experience developing research partnerships involving interdisciplinary teams across engineering computing medicine public health biology chemistry neuroscience business or related disciplines.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color natural or protective hairstyle religion sex age national origin physical or mental disability sexual orientation gender identity genetic information military service pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition or because of marital parental or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.