Position Overview
MIT.nano is seeking a Manager of Initiatives and Consortium to perform complex and diverse duties related to the START.nano venture accelerator program and the MIT.nano Consortium. The Manager of Initiatives and Consortium will develop, plan and execute START.nano program activities and will engage with current members and identify potential members of the MIT.nano Consortium.
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The Manager of Initiatives and Consortium will be responsible for the day-to-day management of START.nano in all its aspects, from overseeing the application process to communicating with participants to organizing events and meetings. In addition, this individual will shape new ideas and strategy for START.nano, work with the Programs team, Technical team, and faculty director to strengthen the program. Will be responsible for identifying and recruiting potential Consortium members through meetings, tours, and the preparation of research briefings and presentations.
The Manager of Initiatives and Consortium will facilitate productive and growing relationships between MIT.nano and corporate and industry member organizations from the U.S. and abroad. Will develop an understanding of the strategic technology and business challenges of portfolio companies; maintain knowledge of MIT research, activities, and resources and accurately match them to the needs of MIT.nano member companies; maintain productive relationships and encourage collaboration with MIT departments, laboratories, and faculty; identify new opportunities for company-MIT interaction and collaboration; proactively identify and bring developments and opportunities of potential value to the attention of member contacts
START.nano responsibilities include:
- Develop and oversee the application and review process, including tracking applications, developing the review process, and managing the steps to admit the next cohort of startups into START.nano program.
- Point person for START.nano startups, answering their questions, and serving as an interface for them with MIT.nano staff.
- Mentor START.nano companies providing advice and direction.
- Plan and oversee START.nano events.
- Plan START.nano marketing and outreach activities to participants and the broader community; maintain the START.nano web pages and relevant online content.
- Maintain a database of participants, supporters, and partners and help develop a system to track program data.
- Develop/codify a conflict-of-interest policy and prepare a review process.
- Develop strategy related to fundraising, partnerships, equipment, and other enhancements to the program.
- Lead meetings to strengthen or expand the program through collaboration, such as with industry, venture capital firms, MIT DLCs, potential collaborators, and donors.
MIT.nano Consortia responsibilities include:
- Serves as the day-to-day steward of the MIT.nano Member Consortium.
- Develops a strategy for our Membership Consortium to support MIT.nano’s mission.
- Responsible for growing the depth and breadth of Members’ engagement with MIT.nano.
- Must maintain a deep understanding of Members’ needs and interests and of MIT research, activities and resources in order to identify opportunities for Member-MIT interaction and collaboration.
- Responsible for creating content-driven workshops, seminars and professional development programs for Members based on the considerations of their interests.
- Responsible for implementing and managing the various programs with MIT.nano partners; programs may include engagement activities and events, and research-related activities and deliverables.
- Regularly monitors and reports on progress against the relationship engagement.
- Collaborates with MIT.nano technical and programs teams to deliver Consortium programming, support MIT.nano events and conferences, and contribute to existing and new initiatives that strengthen MIT.nano’s operations.
- Manages MIT.nano Member Portal on MIT.nano’s website which includes regularly updating the curated list of news and events, posting meeting notes and agendas, and creating new pages / content to increase the benefit and use of the portal.
Other duties as needed or required.
Qualifications:
Minimum experience required:
Master’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Material Science Engineering and at least 8 years of experience working in a technical or business role related to semiconductor manufacturing, fabrication, or hard tech startups; must have a deep understanding of semiconductor fabrication, microelectronics, or materials science; experience with semiconductor device design, MEMS, or photonics; ability to translate technical needs from startups and industry into feasible projects; understanding of the challenges and requirements faced by large-scale tech corporations; experience with product development lifecycles, from concept to prototype to production; knowledge of challenges faced by hardware startups, such as scaling prototypes, securing funding, and navigating intellectual property (IP) issues; ability to guide startups in using the fabrication facility effectively for prototyping and testing; entrepreneurial mindset or personal experience in a startup environment; exceptional written and verbal communication to articulate technical capabilities to diverse audiences.
Preferred:
PhD in in Electrical, Mechanical, or Material Science Engineering strongly preferred.