Job Description
Director of Innovation and Academic Programs Position Overview The Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation ( MHIBI ) seeks a collaborative, strategic, and innovative leader to serve as Director of Innovation and Academic Programs. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Global Health Innovation and Executive Director of MHIBI , this position provides strategic direction, operational oversight, and programmatic leadership for academic innovation initiatives, entrepreneurship programs, commercialization activities, and interdisciplinary innovation training efforts. The Director of Innovation and Academic Programs serves as a key partner to faculty, students, institutional leaders, industry collaborators, healthcare partners, and entrepreneurial stakeholders to advance innovation, product development, venture creation, and translational research objectives. This position is responsible for developing and implementing innovation-focused educational programs, supporting commercialization efforts, managing strategic partnerships, overseeing program operations, and driving continuous improvement to strengthen the innovation ecosystem across the institution. Key Responsibilities Provides strategic leadership for academic programming within the MHIBI , with a particular emphasis on the Healthcare Innovation ( HCI ) track. Supports the coherence and growth of the HCI curriculum. Helps oversee Practicum II experiences, ensuring projects align with real-world innovation, commercialization, and clinical impact. Leads the development of the Institute for Biomedical Innovation Founders Club. Establishes and manages a structured process for student product development from ideation through validation and early commercialization. Oversees the growth and quality of student-led products and ventures, ensuring alignment with responsible AI principles and institutional standards. Develops and convenes an Advisory Board for Commercialization, engaging industry, clinical, and entrepreneurial leaders to support student and faculty ventures; collaborates with internal and external partners to advance venture acceleration, mentorship, and commercialization pathways; and works closely with faculty, leadership, and innovation partners to drive and support scale-up initiatives. Builds and advances the Institute’s brand around AI-enabled innovation and commercialization. Leads the development of white papers, frameworks, and applied resources that showcase the Institute’s thought leadership and student and faculty work. Curates and disseminates innovation resources to students, faculty, and external partners. Establishes governance and oversight mechanisms for student-generated products, ensuring ethical, regulatory, and institutional compliance. Collaborates with Institute leadership on long-term academic strategy, program evaluation, and continuous improvement. Serves as a visible leader and ambassador for the Institute’s academic innovation mission. Works with established Training Academy programs to integrate team science curriculum into current offerings. Develops team science training modules for new and emerging leadership programs within CCTS , including the Collaborative Research and Effective Teamwork Essentials ( CREATE ) program and the Clinical Trialist Development Program ( CTDP ). Collaborates with training grant directors, particularly pre-doctoral T32 leadership, to design and deliver team science workshops that expand trainees’ knowledge of team science principles.
Required Qualifications
M.D./ Ph.D., M.D., D.O., Ph.D. or equivalent The successful candidate must qualify for a faculty appointment in the Heersink School of Medicine (Rank and Tenure Status are commensurate with experience) Demonstrated experience leading complex initiatives and collaborating across stakeholders Experience developing and managing strategic programs and partnerships
Preferred Qualifications
Demonstrated success building external partnerships Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills Commitment to advancing institutional priorities and supporting organizational goals
Director of Innovation and Academic Programs Position Overview The Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation ( MHIBI ) seeks a collaborative, strategic, and innovative leader to serve as Director of Innovation and Academic Programs. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Global Health Innovation and Executive Director of MHIBI , this position provides strategic direction, operational oversight, and programmatic leadership for academic innovation initiatives, entrepreneurship programs, commercialization activities, and interdisciplinary innovation training efforts. The Director of Innovation and Academic Programs serves as a key partner to faculty, students, institutional leaders, industry collaborators, healthcare partners, and entrepreneurial stakeholders to advance innovation, product development, venture creation, and translational research objectives. This position is responsible for developing and implementing innovation-focused educational programs, supporting commercialization efforts, managing strategic partnerships, overseeing program operations, and driving continuous improvement to strengthen the innovation ecosystem across the institution. Key Responsibilities Provides strategic leadership for academic programming within the MHIBI , with a particular emphasis on the Healthcare Innovation ( HCI ) track. Supports the coherence and growth of the HCI curriculum. Helps oversee Practicum II experiences, ensuring projects align with real-world innovation, commercialization, and clinical impact. Leads the development of the Institute for Biomedical Innovation Founders Club. Establishes and manages a structured process for student product development from ideation through validation and early commercialization. Oversees the growth and quality of student-led products and ventures, ensuring alignment with responsible AI principles and institutional standards. Develops and convenes an Advisory Board for Commercialization, engaging industry, clinical, and entrepreneurial leaders to support student and faculty ventures; collaborates with internal and external partners to advance venture acceleration, mentorship, and commercialization pathways; and works closely with faculty, leadership, and innovation partners to drive and support scale-up initiatives. Builds and advances the Institute’s brand around AI-enabled innovation and commercialization. Leads the development of white papers, frameworks, and applied resources that showcase the Institute’s thought leadership and student and faculty work. Curates and disseminates innovation resources to students, faculty, and external partners. Establishes governance and oversight mechanisms for student-generated products, ensuring ethical, regulatory, and institutional compliance. Collaborates with Institute leadership on long-term academic strategy, program evaluation, and continuous improvement. Serves as a visible leader and ambassador for the Institute’s academic innovation mission. Works with established Training Academy programs to integrate team science curriculum into current offerings. Develops team science training modules for new and emerging leadership programs within CCTS , including the Collaborative Research and Effective Teamwork Essentials ( CREATE ) program and the Clinical Trialist Development Program ( CTDP ). Collaborates with training grant directors, particularly pre-doctoral T32 leadership, to design and deliver team science workshops that expand trainees’ knowledge of team science principles.
Required Qualifications
M.D./ Ph.D., M.D., D.O., Ph.D. or equivalent The successful candidate must qualify for a faculty appointment in the Heersink School of Medicine (Rank and Tenure Status are commensurate with experience) Demonstrated experience leading complex initiatives and collaborating across stakeholders Experience developing and managing strategic programs and partnerships
Preferred Qualifications
Demonstrated success building external partnerships Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills Commitment to advancing institutional priorities and supporting organizational goals