Senior Associate Director, PCI Ventures

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Senior Associate Director, PCI Ventures

Job Profile Title

Associate Director, Technology Licensing Senior

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of PCI Ventures, the Senior Associate Director will serve as the scientific and entrepreneurial lead for PCI Ventures, including providing oversight over its commercialization advisors. Working closely with Penn faculty, researchers, and expert network the Senior Associate Director will evaluate high-potential technologies, develop and shape commercialization strategies, identify critical technical and market risks, and create milestone-based development plans for each team, designed to position them for successful company formation and beyond. The Senior Associate Director will also provide mentorship and guidance to members of the PCI Ventures team, helping to strengthen their capabilities in technology assessment, commercialization strategy, and venture development.

The Senior Associate Director will provide day-to-day leadership to the advisors, set expectations for the quality and rigor of venture-building work, and review and pressure-test project strategies and recommendations. Together with the Executive Director, the Senior Associate Director will develop and maintain PCI Ventures’ venture-building frameworks and operating practices.

The Senior Associate Director will also lead front-end triage for early opportunities, including office hours for teams that are not yet ready for full PCI Ventures engagement, and will coordinate with Penn’s I-Corps program when additional customer discovery is appropriate. The role will not ordinarily maintain a standing project portfolio but will step into projects as needed to provide continuity during senior commercialization advisor transitions, vacancies, or periods of high workload.

The Senior Associate Director will serve as deputy and second-in-command to the Executive Director, represent PCI Ventures internally and externally, and make routine operating decisions when the Executive Director is unavailable. The position will also lead the onboarding and training of new senior commercialization advisors.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Scientific and commercial strategy development: Work with faculty, researchers, and senior commercialization advisor to evaluate technologies, develop commercialization theses, identify key technical and commercial assumptions, and define milestone-based plans for advancing venture opportunities.
• Senior commercialization advisor leadership and quality oversight: Directly supervise the senior commercialization advisors, and provide day-to-day coaching, review project work, and ensure consistent quality and rigor across venture-building activities.
• Venture-building frameworks and operating practices: Partner with the Executive Director to develop and maintain PCI Ventures’ commercialization frameworks, playbooks, milestone practices, and project-review processes.
• Early-stage triage and I-Corps coordination: Hold office hours for early teams, assess readiness for PCI Ventures engagement, and coordinate with Penn I-Corps when additional customer discovery is needed.
• Project coverage and continuity: Step into projects as needed during senior commercialization advisor transitions, vacancies, or workload gaps and provide senior scientific and commercial support.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Masters degree and 5-7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required; PhD strongly preferred.
• Personally has done the kind of science that Penn faculty are trying to commercialize
• Has deep product development experience, having learned through experience, not just intellectually, what it takes to move a technology from proof of concept to something manufacturable at scale.
• Was part of the founding team of a venture-backed startup, which meant raising capital, building a team, navigating regulatory pathways, and finding early customers.
• Took a technology from concept to a market-ready product, integrating the science, engineering, and validation needed to get there.
• Has worked across startups, research institutions, government, and industry, so they know how each of these worlds thinks, and how to translate between them.
• Has been on both sides of the table, as a founder seeking capital and as an institutional leader helping others commercialize. They know what investors need to see and what scientists need to hear.

Application Requirement

• A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Provost's Center

Pay Range

$135,327.00 - $200,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay