Edtech.com's Summary

James Madison University is hiring an Associate Director of University-Industry Research. The role involves leading the development, management, and expansion of collaborative research partnerships with industry, aligning university research strengths to industry needs and facilitating joint research activities that drive innovation and economic impact.

Highlights

Lead development and management of university-industry research partnerships.
Align university capabilities with industry goals and manage research collaborations.
Oversee industry-sponsored research projects from proposal to impact tracking.
Collaborate with legal and sponsored program teams to manage contracts and intellectual property.
Develop industry-facing communications and represent the university at external events.
Evaluate partnership opportunities using data analytics and commercialization metrics.
Required Master's degree with strategic thinking and systems-level vision for collaboration.
Preferred 5-7 years experience in university-industry engagement or related fields.
Knowledge of technology readiness levels, IP policy, commercialization pathways, and federal research regulations.
Reports to the Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation; works closely with corporate relations and economic development offices.

Associate Director of University-Industry Research Full Description

Working Title:Associate Director of University-Industry Research

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Research Development (RD)

Department:100305 - Research and Scholarship

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 10/10/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Associate Director of University-Industry Research leads efforts to develop, manage, and expand collaborative research partnerships between the university and industry partners. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation while working closely with JMU’s Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and the Office of Economic and Community Development, the Associate Director plays a pivotal role in aligning institutional research strengths with industry needs, facilitating joint research activities, and stewarding long-term strategic partnerships that drive innovation and impact.

Impact: This position supports the university’s mission of innovation, public impact, and economic development by increasing the volume, diversity, and success rate of industry-funded research. The Associate Director will be instrumental in fostering a culture of collaboration, reducing transactional friction, and enabling translational research that addresses real-world challenges.

Duties and Responsibilities:

#1: Strategic Partnership Development
• Identify and cultivate research partnerships with industry stakeholders, including Fortune 500 companies, Small to Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), and innovation-driven startups.
• Support strategic, long-term engagements by aligning university capabilities with industry goals, considering proximity, research readiness levels, and commercialization potential.
• Serve as the liaison between academic researchers, corporate partners, and university stakeholders, building trust-based, reciprocal relationships.

#2: Research Collaboration Management
• Oversee the life cycle of industry-sponsored research projects, from proposal development and contract negotiation to execution and impact tracking.
• Collaborate with sponsored programs, research to impact, and legal teams to streamline agreements and manage IP, using flexible and industry-friendly models where appropriate.

#3: Communications and Outreach
• Lead or support the creation of industry-facing content that articulates the university’s research strengths and commercialization potential.
• Represent the university at external events, industry consortia, and trade shows to promote research collaboration opportunities.

#4: Data and Program Evaluation
• Use bibliometrics, funding analytics, Technology Readiness Level (TRL) mapping, and commercialization metrics to evaluate partnership opportunities and measure impact.
• Contribute to internal reports and dashboards that assess the health of the university’s industry partnership portfolio.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:
• Strategic thinking and systems-level vision for industry-university collaboration.
• Capacity to navigate academic and commercial priorities and timelines.
• Understanding of technology readiness levels, IP policy, and commercialization pathways.
• Comfortable working across interdisciplinary teams and managing multiple concurrent projects.
• Master's degree.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Advanced degree in a research-intensive discipline (STEM, business, public policy, etc.).
• At least 5–7 years of experience in university-industry engagement, sponsored research administration, technology transfer, or corporate Research & Development.
• Familiarity with contracting, licensing, and federal research regulations (e.g., Bayh-Dole Act).
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across academic and corporate cultures.
• Strong written, interpersonal, and project management skills.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.

Original Job Description