Chief Research and Translational Officer

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary range available for this position at the time of its posting. The salary range is between $130,250 and $175,838, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data. 

Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Chief Research and Translation Officer of the National Science Foundation (NSF) NEO-SMART Engine in Northeast Ohio (NEO-SMART) is the senior scientific leader for the Engine's research, development and translation work. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the chief research and translation officer leads NEO-SMART's use-inspired research and development and commercialization and adoption pillars, shaping the Engine¿s technology vision¿materials innovation for manufacturing¿and carrying it through to practice. The chief research and translation officer is accountable for the Engine's research, development, and translation portfolio end to end¿from solicitation, through the projects it funds across a multi-institutional coalition, to demonstration, licensing, and new company formation. NEO-SMART is a U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine, led by Case Western Reserve University and backed by an NSF investment of up to $160 million over ten years. It unites 70+ partners across Northeast Ohio--Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Youngstown--to move materials innovation from the lab to the factory floor: funding use-inspired research and development, commercializing new materials and processes, and building the skilled workforce to make them. The chief research and translation officer is simultaneously an external-facing technical voice¿credible with NSF, national laboratories, and industry research and development leaders--and an internal architect of the systems and partnerships that turn the Engine's research, development and translation agenda into results: pilot and demonstration projects, licensed technologies, new companies, and the publications and patents that establish the science behind them. The ideal candidate combines deep domain expertise in materials or manufacturing with a track record of commercializing materials innovations, and has worked across industry, federal partners, academic researchers, technology transfer offices, and the incubators, accelerators, and venture funders that carry technology to market.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Lead NEO-SMART's use-inspired research and development and commercialization and adoption pillars, setting priorities, sequencing programs, and holding the pillars to their annual and cooperative-agreement commitments. With the chief executive officer, partner university researchers, industry members, and national laboratory partners, define and steward the Engine's multi-year technology roadmap for materials innovation for manufacturing, identifying priority research thrusts, technology gaps, and opportunities aligned with NSF Engine program deliverables and Northeast Ohio's competitive advantage. Serve as a key spokesperson for the Engine¿s science and translation work, representing the research, development and translation portfolio at NSF reviews, site visits, national conferences, and with major industry, government, and philanthropic partners. (45%)
2. Design and manage the Engine¿s research, development and translation funding mechanisms--solicitations, proof-of-concept awards, and seed competitions--including peer review, award selection, and post-award administration across partner institutions. Track active projects against milestones, timelines, and budgets, working with Principal Investigators and partner institutions to course-correct underperforming work. Convene multidisciplinary teams across universities, federal laboratories, and industry, drawing on national laboratory expertise, equipment, and facilities. Mentor early-career researchers engaged in Engine-funded translation work. (20%)
3. Bring industry-defined problems into the research, development and translation agenda so use-inspired work is grounded in real manufacturing challenges with clear commercial pathways. Serve as senior technical liaison to NEO-SMART's industry members and industry advisory groups, translating research outcomes into language that resonates with corporate research and development and operations leaders. Work with the chief operating officer and program leads so research outputs have clear paths to technology transfer, intellectual property creation, licensing, and new company formation. Represent the Engine in national manufacturing and innovation forums as opportunities arise. (20%)
4. Prepare research, development and translation content for NSF annual reports, site visit materials, and cooperative agreement milestone documentation, ensuring research outputs are accurately captured, attributed, and reported. Coordinate with Case Western Reserve University's research security, export control, technology transfer, and Sponsored Projects offices so Engine-funded research meets NSF cooperative agreement terms and applicable federal law and maintain the required documentation. Partner with the chief operating officer and the Engine's independent evaluator on research, development and translation program evaluation, using findings to improve portfolio strategy and resource allocation. Convene the Engine's research community through annual symposia, NEO-SMART working groups, and shared access to testbeds and core facilities. (10%)

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Perform other duties as assigned. (5%)

CONTACTS

Department: Daily contact with the Internal Engine leadership team, including chief executive officer, chief operating officer and staff to guide and direct strategic plans and operations. Regular contact with CWRU's executive vice president for research and economic development and the associate vice president for research. Regular contact with faculty, particularly those leading program initiatives and working groups. 

University: Contact with all Engines-relevant academic units and their constituent faculty participating in research and education. Regular contact with the office of Research and Technology Management to discuss strategic directions and report on progress in implementing strategic plans. Regular contact with Corporate Relations, Government and Foundation Relations and the associate deans of research from the participating schools and college. Contact directors of relevant research centers across the campus. 

External: Faculty Principal Investigators, sponsored programs offices, and technology transfer offices at NEO-SMART¿s research universities. Regular contact with NSF program directors and with federal agency and national laboratory staff (e.g., DOE, DOD, NASA). Regular contact with NEO-SMART's 70+ partners, with a specific focus on industry, and with the region's incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurial support organizations, and venture funders. Frequent contact with the Engine's independent evaluator and with peer Engine research leads. At least bi-annual contact with industry advisory groups and NEO-SMART working groups on technical direction and progress.

Students: Occasional (graduate students and postdoctoral researchers participating in Engine-funded projects, symposia, and training programs)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The chief research and translation officer supervises a program manager for the research, development and translation pillars. The chief research and translation officer holds programmatic responsibility for the Engine¿s research, development and translation portfolio and recommends allocations within it.

The chief research and translation officer coordinates with staff who contribute to the Engine¿s research, development and translation work without reporting to it: Advanced Manufacturing Fund staff, and staff supporting the pre-competitive research consortium and core facility harmonization.

The chief research and translation officer sets scientific direction for Engine-funded projects led by faculty principal investigators at partner universities. Those faculty do not report to the chief research and translation officer; the chief research and translation officer tracks and reports on the quality and progress of their Engine-funded work and works with principal investigators and their institutions to resolve issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: 12 to 15 years of progressive leadership experience spanning research, development and translation, including at least 5 years leading multi-investigator or multi-institutional portfolios and working with or within industry. Demonstrated expertise in materials science, materials processing, or manufacturing directly relevant to the Engine¿s focus. A track record of developing material innovations and bringing them to market¿through technology transfer, licensing, startup creation, industrial collaboration, or deployment of novel processes at scale. Experience with 'hard-tech' innovation, venture-funded startups, and portfolio management in that context is highly valuable. Proven track record managing federally funded research and translation programs is desirable. Deep networks across industry research and development, academia, and the national laboratory system in the relevant domain are desirable.

Education: Master's degree required; and strongly prefer a Doctoral degree (PhD) in engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, or a closely related field.

REQUIRED SKILLS

1. Ability to set and communicate a compelling scientific vision that attracts industry partners, inspires researchers, and aligns national manufacturing-innovation and economic-competitiveness priorities, grounded in use-inspired research that produces both fundamental knowledge and deployable technology.
2. Strong skills in portfolio management, solicitation administration, peer-review design, milestone tracking, budget monitoring, and coordination across federal awards.
3. Ability to concurrently manage multiple diverse projects and competing priorities.
4. Ability to navigate complex regulatory, political, and institutional environments, and to stay agile and continually learning in a nascent organization.
5. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, able to convey complex research status and outcomes clearly to NSF, industry partners, community stakeholders, and the public. 
6. Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and build coalitions in multi-institutional environments where authority is distributed, with the integrity, professional judgment, and conflict-resolution skills to work effectively with faculty, staff, and representatives from industry, government, and the community.
7. Experience with intellectual property management, licensing, and commercialization, including work with university technology transfer offices, industry partners on joint development and sponsored research agreements, and venture-backed startups.
8. Proven track record of mentoring and developing talent at various levels.
9. Strong analytical skills using data and evaluation findings to inform portfolio strategy, and a willingness to apply artificial intelligence (AI) tools across the work, from portfolio analysis to reporting and program design.
10. Comfort operating in high-ambiguity, entrepreneurial settings, with the discipline to build durable organizational infrastructure while executing near-term goals.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Normal office environment, with regular travel to partner campuses, research facilities, shared testbeds, and industry sites across the region. National travel for NSF program reviews, federal laboratory engagement, and research conferences. Periodic evening and weekend commitments for advisory meetings, events, and partner convenings. This is a grant-funded position contingent on NSF cooperative agreement funding and Engine performance milestones.

This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangement up to two remote days per week at the discretion of the department. New employees may begin a hybrid schedule upon approval from the supervisor, successful completion of an orientation period and signing the remote work checklist certification form.

Case Western Reserve University is an equal opportunity employer.  All applicants are protected under federal and state laws and university policy from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, protected veteran status, disability, age and genetic information.

Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of  Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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