Career Opportunities in OTC - Office of Technology Commercialization

As part of our efforts to provide education and professional opportunity for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and recent graduates we have internship and fellowship programs that provide exposure to technology transfer and the commercialization of University intellectual property.

Internships

OTC Internship

The OTC internship program is an eight-month unpaid position for graduate students and/or post-doctoral fellows who wish to learn more about intellectual property and technology commercialization. The internship runs during the academic year, from August to May, and requires a commitment of approximately 8-12 hours per week. Interns will participate in a formal training series covering the basics of technology transfer, conduct market assessments and direct marketing efforts for select technologies, and gain exposure to ongoing negotiations between OTC and industry partners.

Intern Training

Beginning in September, we offer a monthly series of internal training sessions for interns, new OTC employees and visiting technology transfer professionals. These sessions, which last from two to three hours, cover essential topics in the technology transfer profession: Technology Transfer and Public Policy, Intellectual Property Basics, Market Analysis, Patent License Anatomy, Negotiating License Terms, Startup Company Basics, Confidentiality and Material Transfer Agreements, and Sponsored Research Agreements. Interns will then have the opportunity to participate in some or all of these activities. Generally interns begin with marketing analysis and move on to other areas as time permits.

OTC Internship Requirements

Potential interns must satisfy the following requirements:

Associated with UNC as either a student or post-doctoral fellow
Strong technical background
Commit to 10 hours of work a week, at least five of which will be at OTC
Commit to the entire 8- to 12-month program
Have internship approved by current Principal Investigator (if applicable)

For More Information

Currently, OTC accepts three to four interns per year, with internships beginning in August. To apply for an internship, or to inquire further about the program, please contact:

Peter Liao
Commercialization Manager
Office of Technology Commercialization
peter.liao@unc.edu

Application Process

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to the contact listed above.

UNC School of Law Externship Program

Second and third year UNC law students can obtain course credit at OTC through the Externship Program. Experience can be obtained with patent and contract law, and technology transfer. OTC does not manage trademark, trade secret and has limited opportunities in copyright. Students not eligible to sit for the patent bar may not be eligible. For information on eligibility please see the USPTO site.

Application Process

http://www.law.unc.edu/academics/externship/

OTC Fellowships

The OTC fellowship program is a one year paid position for graduates who wish to gain hands on experience in intellectual property and technology commercialization. The fellowships require a commitment of 40 hours per week for up to one year with option for an additional year contingent upon funding and performance. The Fellowships are offered in two areas of specialization, Commercialization and Transactional.

Commercialization Fellows

Commercialization fellows focus on technology commercialization activities including assessing new technologies, creating marketing summaries, actively marketing technologies, and interacting directly with university researchers. Some experience can also be gained in negotiating intellectual property agreements. This is an ideal position for a recent PhD graduate or post-doc who wants to transition from the laboratory to a business-focused role in technology transfer.

Transactional Fellows

These fellows focus on business transactions including intellectual property licenses, material transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements and other intellectual property management agreements. Some experience can also be gained in assessing new technologies and interacting directly with university researchers. This is an ideal position for a recent law graduate with a scientific background or a recent PhD graduate or post-doc with and interest in the subject matter.

Application Submission

When positions are open they will be posted here and also at Careers at Carolina as temporary staff (EHRA).

KickStart Venture Services Innovation Fellowship

We are continually developing and launching startup companies based on UNC-Chapel Hill intellectual property. The Innovation Fellowship Program is intended to tap student potential in forming University startups and retain highly trained talent in North Carolina. The intended targets for the fellowship are recently graduated PhDs who are interested in working full-time within a newly formed startup company in need of technical and scientific expertise to further their commercialization efforts.

Application Submission

For eligibility and other important information regarding the application process, please see the RFA.

Applications are solicited each spring. Please contact Tim Martin with any questions.