Commercialization Director - NCTI

National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI):

The National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI) is a national initiative dedicated to helping innovative technology companies transform breakthrough ideas into commercial success. Supported through a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative and led by the University of Central Florida, NCTI serves as a national hub connecting entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, government partners, and commercialization experts to accelerate innovation, business growth, and economic impact. NCTI is designed to help promising deep-technology companies navigate the journey from scientific discovery and technological advancement to sustainable market success.

As a new institute, NCTI offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology commercialization on a national scale. Through strategic partnerships, individualized commercialization support, and a collaborative innovation ecosystem, the institute is advancing solutions that help high-potential companies overcome commercialization barriers and bring transformative technologies to market. NCTI combines the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of a startup with the resources and credibility of a leading research university, creating an environment where innovation, partnership, and impact drive meaningful results.

The Opportunity:

The National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI) is seeking a Commercialization Director to help shape a first-of-its-kind national initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). In this highly visible leadership role, you will work directly with innovative technology companies, helping founders navigate the path from promising innovation to commercial success. Serving as a trusted advisor, you will evaluate market opportunities, guide commercialization planning, connect companies with specialized resources, and help position emerging ventures for sustainable growth and investment readiness.

This opportunity is ideal for a commercialization professional, startup leader, founder, investor, or innovation ecosystem builder who thrives where strategy and execution intersect. The most successful candidate will bring real-world experience advancing technology-based innovations, a strong entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to challenge assumptions while helping companies unlock their next stage of growth. As part of NCTI's founding leadership team, you will help create a national model that could influence how deep-technology commercialization support is delivered across the country.

• This is a Contracts & Grants (C&G) funded position. Employment is subject to availability of funding and may cease at the time funding for this employment is depleted. This position is approved for the first 18 months of the 24-month grant period.

• Classification Title: Program Director II

Responsibilities:

• Support cohort selection and lead onboarding: provide substantive input to the national solicitation and the weighted, quantitative review rubric used by the independent Selection Board; participate in structured finalist interviews; and lead cohort onboarding and entry orientation for the six to eight selected companies. (The Project Manager administers the solicitation, application intake, and Selection Board logistics under activities S1 to S3).

• Lead diagnostic triage and Individualized Commercialization Plans (S4, S5): lead the structured triage of each selected company across technical development, market validation, business formation, regulatory status, and capital readiness, anchored to the TRL, MRL, CRL, and IRL readiness frameworks; coordinate founder and team assessments, including the Start-up Entrepreneur Competency Model and professionally administered behavioral assessments; and co-develop each company's ICP with the company and its lead advisor, including gap diagnosis, baseline readiness scores, the 90-day/6-month/12-month milestone schedule, tranche-linked budget, named resource and advisor assignments, and explicit investor-readiness targets.

• Deliver concierge support and manage the portfolio (S5, S6, S7): work directly with participating companies on a standing cadence to maintain progress against each ICP; recruit, vet, match, and manage each company's embedded lead advisor - typically a senior, sector-matched commercialization executive - and manage the ongoing fit of each match; match diagnosed company needs to the institute's national resource portfolio (built and maintained by the Partnerships Director), including I-Corps, ART, NSF Engines, national laboratories (Oak Ridge, Sandia, PNNL), GrowFL, the Edward Lowe Foundation, the UCF Business Incubation Program, and the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership; broker fabrication, pilot-production, and manufacturing capacity where a company's ICP requires it; organize cohort community events - entry orientation, the in-person midpoint convening, and company participation in the annual investor showcase - coordinating with the Education Director, who delivers the educational peer roundtables; and prepare companies for structured investor access (deep dives, pitch preparation, capital-strategy readiness, curated introductions) in partnership with the Partnerships Director.

• Support governance and milestone accountability (S7): serve on the commercialization-support review committee (chaired by the Executive Director, with a Strategic Board designee and RTI observer), which verifies milestones, confirms continued research participation, and authorizes tranche releases independently of delivery staff; prepare complete, auditable milestone-verification materials and present progress against agreed milestones at each checkpoint; update each company's support plan at checkpoints based on progress data; and prepare and run the structured re-engagement review process for companies whose ICP implementation stalls, with decision authority resting with the Executive Director.

• Fulfill research and data responsibilities (S8, M2): record a standardized milestone entry for each company at entry, each checkpoint, and exit - these records feed the national longitudinal registry and constitute core study data; support the external evaluator's (RTI International) data collection, including implementation-fidelity documentation, case narratives, and structured interviews; and contribute practitioner insight to the research program's analysis of which interventions, in what combinations, move deep-technology companies to investment-grade status.

• Document the commercialization delivery model (triage instruments, ICP templates, advisor-matching process) for the pilot's transferable playbook; incorporate evaluator formative findings into delivery improvements.

• All other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 8+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive experience working with startups, emerging growth companies, incubators, accelerators, venture capital firms, or innovation-focused economic development organizations.

• Experience supporting the commercialization of technology-based innovations, including market validation, customer discovery, product launch planning, or go-to-market strategy development.

• Experience advising founders, executives, or entrepreneurial teams on business growth, commercialization planning, funding readiness, or investor engagement.

• Experience evaluating commercial feasibility, market opportunities, and growth strategies for technology, engineering, life sciences, or other innovation-driven ventures.

• Experience developing and managing commercialization support programs, innovation initiatives, or entrepreneurial ecosystems that accelerate market adoption of emerging technologies.

• Experience collaborating with investors, industry partners, research organizations, or technology transfer entities to advance commercialization outcomes.

• Proven ability to identify growth opportunities and help organizations scale their impact and market presence.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

• The anticipated starting salary for this position is $145,000 annually. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

• Significant domestic travel is required (company site visits nationwide, the in-person midpoint convening, board convenings, annual showcase).

• The selected candidate must comply with NCTI conflict-of-interest and nondisclosure protocols, including disclosure of any financial interest in applicant or cohort companies, given the position's role in approving participant funding.

• All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you'll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You'll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you'll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you'll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks!UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program

• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays

• Retirement savings options

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions

• Education assistance

• And more...For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide.

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Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

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The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

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For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.

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