Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Our Commitment    

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.    

Who we are  

As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research and team-based health care delivery.   

What we want  

The Director will report directly to the IBT Executive Director and be charged with cultivating a unit- wide entrepreneurial mindset, accelerating intellectual property (IP) development and commercialization, and building scalable programs and partnerships to translate research into real-world impact. This position will oversee all facets of innovation strategy and operations, including resource integration, performance optimization, strategic communications, business development, and cross-institutional collaboration. The Director will work closely with other IBT directors and university leadership to optimize efforts, align priorities, and synergize educational and technological initiatives. 

What you need to know  

Salary: Will be commensurate based on the selected hire’s education and experience.   

Apply! Submitting a cover letter, resume/CV to assist us with the review process. You may upload these documents to the application under CV/Resume.

Location: Houston, TX -- TAMHSC

Schedule: Full Time--40 Hours/week

Required Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in Higher Education or related applicable field 

• Ten years of relevant management experience. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• PhD or MBA 

• Experience in higher education and collaboration with academic institution faculty. 

• Proven engagement with biotech and Texas Medical Center institutions. 

• Demonstrated success in fundraising and/or building advisory boards. 

• Deep knowledge of entrepreneurial frameworks and commercialization pathways 

• Extensive experience leading multi-million-dollar initiatives and building high-performing teams across research, industry, and academia. 

• Proven success leading entrepreneurship programs, startups, or accelerators. 

• Deep expertise in startup formation, venture capital, and innovation ecosystems. 

• Exceptional interpersonal and collaborative leadership skills. 

• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and mentor multidisciplinary teams. 

• Strong network development with biomedical KOLs and subject matter experts. 

• Broad familiarity with biomedical research domains and healthcare technologies. 

• Advanced organizational, analytical, and strategic planning abilities. 

• Demonstrated ability and experience with senior and executive leadership engagement. 

• Strong understanding of regulatory environments and biomedical industry standards. 

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral 

• Track record of driving complex projects and leading transformational change. 

• Proven ability of a visionary mindset with personal accountability and commitment to results. 

Responsibilities 

Develop and Lead a World-Class Innovation & Entrepreneurship Engine 

• Design and launch a centralized, first-in-class hub that integrates and expands existing resources and catalyzes new biomedical innovation. 

• Foster a culture of innovation across the research continuum—from basic science to clinical application. 

• Collaborate with executive leadership to establish and equip a regional Technology Transfer Office to streamline IP protection, licensing, and commercialization activities. 

• Create and manage collaborative spaces for co-working, ideation, and startup incubation. 

•  Develop and scale novel accelerator and incubator programs for faculty, students, and alumni ventures. 

• Facilitate access to funding, mentorship, legal expertise, and industry partnerships. 

Participate in the Design and Delivery of High-Impact Educational Programs 

• Lead the creation and implementation of a portfolio of co-curricular and curricular entrepreneurship initiatives, including accelerators, pitch competitions, and founder workshops. 

• Partner with faculty to integrate experiential entrepreneurship into new and existing courses. 

• Launch credit-bearing courses and certificate programs in partnership with university departments. 

• Develop marquee events to elevate IBT’s entrepreneurial brand and visibility. 

• Forge industry partnerships to deliver real-world challenges and capstone opportunities for students. 

• Champion an entrepreneurial mindset across IBT and the broader Texas A&M community. 

• Develop and implement targeted strategies to engage faculty, postdocs, and students in innovation initiatives—through research collaborations, mentorship programs, startup participation, and co- designed educational experiences. 

Integrate with Strategic IBT and Texas A&M Initiatives 

• Ensure alignment with initiatives such as ENMED, GCC REACH, Cancer Therapeutics Training Program, and other innovation and entrepreneurship programs across the broader Texas A&M health science ecosystem. 

• Collaborate with Texas Medical Center institutions and academic partners to build interdisciplinary entrepreneurial networks, including clinical research and physician-led ventures. 

Build and Engage Strategic Networks and Advisory Boards 

• Recruit and activate high-impact mentors, advisors, and alumni from industry, venture capital, and corporate innovators. 

• Leverage advisory boards to inform strategic direction and enrich program offerings. 

Develop Strategic Business Models and Marketing Plans 

• Create and implement sustainable revenue-generating commercialization strategies. 

• Define compelling value propositions for institutional and external stakeholders. 

• Deploy a comprehensive marketing plan to elevate IBT’s visibility across Texas and beyond. 

• Continuously benchmark peer institutions and industry leaders to inform strategy, identify emerging best practices, and maintain a competitive edge in biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Operational Management and Fundraising 

• Oversee strategic planning, staffing, and daily operations of the innovation engine. 

• Provide comprehensive budgetary oversight for the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Engine, including financial planning, resource allocation, and performance monitoring. 

• Partner with IBT leadership to secure funding from grants, sponsors, and philanthropy. 

• Identify and mitigate legal, financial, and reputational risks associated with IP commercialization, startup incubation, and strategic partnerships. 

• Develop and report on key performance metrics (e.g., patents filed, capital raised, startups launched, student participation). 

 Why Texas A&M University?   

We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration.  Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you.  Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes.   

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums  

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays   

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month  

• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas   

• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time  

• Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more   

• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee  

• Living Well, a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees  

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered, or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.