Business Development and Licensing Associate, Plant Varieties and Research Materials

   

The Center for Technology Licensing at Cornell University seeks a Business Development & Licensing Associate to join our team at Cornell’s main campus in Ithaca, NY. This position will have a focus on plant varieties and research materials. Well-qualified candidates will have a background in plant sciences and prior experience in industry or academic technology transfer.
 

The Role
As an Associate for Plant Varieties and Research Materials, you will contribute your service-minded perspective to our collaborative environment that is advancing technology commercialization and partnerships. Under direction of the Business Development Director and in collaboration with the Plant Varieties Associate Director, you will support the management of the growing plant varieties portfolio as well as material transfer agreements and data use agreements. You will be responsible for dozens of plant license agreements each year and a high volume of MTAs for plants, especially during growing and planting seasons.  

Key responsibilities will include:

• Drafting and negotiating plant evaluation agreements for the evaluation and testing of Cornell plant materials for future commercial license agreements

• Drafting and negotiating routine plant license agreements, amendments, and non-disclosure agreements

• Engaging in outreach efforts to plant breeders, researchers, and students to increase education on plant IP and licensing and to gain visibility to new plant varieties

• Interacting with licensees to follow up on milestones and support extensions and amendments as needed

• Coordinating with the CTL Contract & Finance team

• Lending technical expertise and managing Cornell breeders’ efforts to secure domestic and international IP rights for plant varieties

• Drafting, negotiating, and managing outgoing material transfer agreements (materials include plants, mammalian cell lines, and plasmids)

• Conducting due diligence and making recommendations to the Office of Sponsored Programs on agreements for incoming plant material

About Us

The Center for Technology Licensing (CTL) is Cornell University’s technology transfer office. CTL’s mission is to bring the University’s scientific discoveries, technological innovations, and medical advances to the marketplace for societal benefit and to foster new venture creation and growth to support economic development within New York State and across the nation. The office manages a broad array of technologies for Cornell’s various campuses, including the Ithaca campus, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), Cornell Tech in New York City, and Cornell AgriTech in Geneva.

To bridge the gap between lab and market, business ideas, and successful startups, CTL also manages the university gap funding series and works closely with the university’s incubators and accelerators to advance commercialization, new ventures, and partnerships. CTL is a part of Cornell Research & Innovation.

What We Need
Send us a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements. Your letter is an important component of your application and should be submitted for full consideration. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in plant sciences (or strong knowledge in plant sciences)

• Strong interest in academic technology transfer with 3-5 years’ experience in industry or academic tech transfer offices

• Proven team player with ability to interact with a wide range of people in a professional and ethical manner, including colleagues, faculty, students, business development professionals, lawyers, and investors

• Excellent communication skills – listening, presenting, and writing – with proven sensitivity and ability to manage confidential information

• Service-minded, detail-oriented individual who thrives in a demanding and collaborative environment that encourages critical, strategic thinking with proven ability to also work and learn independently

• Experience working directly with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds

Additionally, although not required, we would like to see evidence of:

• Experience with industrial research and development in plant sciences or technology acquisition activities

• Experience in plant-related agriculture sector

• Prior work with technology startups or venture investment activities

• Exposure to, or hands-on experience, with customer relationship management (CRM) software platforms, particularly in the context of technology marketing or R&D partnerships are a plus

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is located in Ithaca, New York on the campus of Cornell University. The position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that would allow the flexibility to work from outside the office up to two days a week. Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.

• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.

• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions, we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell.

• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell.

   

University Job Title:

Technology Licensing Professional I

   

Job Family:

Administration

   

Level:

F

   

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

   

Pay Range:

$89,016.00 - $103,452.00

   

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

   

Company:

Endowed

   

Contact Name:

Kathy McKee

   

Contact Email:

[email protected]

   

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

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Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

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2026-08-20