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 the community at large. Works under general supervision with broad latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

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 the 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.

About CASFER
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.

How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply using the link below.

The application takes approximately 7–10 minutes to complete. A résumé is required, and a cover letter is optional.

Application Link:https://form.jotform.com/262384946898076

Requirements

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.