Director, Business Development

Location: College Station, Texas, United States. This security-sensitive position is restricted to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents and requires domestic and occasional international travel.

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Company

Texas A&M Innovation commercializes research and intellectual property, supports new ventures, and builds industry relationships across the Texas A&M University System.

What you will do

• Develop and execute outbound, sector-based industry engagement strategies aligned with research strengths, technology roadmaps, and available intellectual property.
• Build executive-level relationships with corporate R&D, open innovation, corporate development, and business unit leaders.
• Match university technologies and research capabilities to corporate needs and advance qualified opportunities through licensing, sponsored research, joint development, and strategic partnership discussions.
• Shape commercial strategies, deal structures, partnership models, and market rationales in collaboration with Licensing, New Ventures, Strategic Partnerships, and Sponsored Research teams.
• Represent the Innovation Office at conferences, summits, corporate events, trade associations, and industry consortia.
• Recruit, develop, and lead a growing team while managing operating expectations, CRM practices, budget, travel, and conference participation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical or scientific field, or a business degree combined with demonstrated technical depth.
• At least eight years of professional experience, including five or more years in industry-facing business development, partnerships, licensing, strategic alliances, or corporate R&D leadership.
• Experience using CRM systems and structured pipeline data to manage relationships and opportunities.
• Track record of closing commercial agreements such as licenses, joint development agreements, sponsored research programs, or strategic partnerships.
• Working knowledge of technology commercialization, patents, licensing structures, and technology development cycles.
• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency is required.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree such as an MS, MBA, PhD, or JD.
• Experience in a university technology transfer office, national laboratory commercialization group, corporate R&D partnerships function, or similar organization.
• Familiarity with sponsored research agreements, master research agreements, cooperative research and development agreements, and related engagement vehicles.
• Experience recruiting, building, or leading a business development or partnerships team.
• Sector expertise in energy, agriculture, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, defense, life sciences, or digital technologies.

Culture & Benefits

• Health benefits, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Defined benefit retirement plan through the Teachers Retirement System of Texas, with alternative contribution options where applicable.
• Tuition assistance and wellness programs supporting work-life balance.
• Collaboration across a research-intensive university system spanning universities, a health science center, and state agencies.

Hiring process

• Submit a complete employment application; a cover letter and resume may also be required.
• Employment is contingent on credential verification, a criminal history investigation, and completion of required institutional checks.