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Innovation Impact Catalyst Manager

Oregon State University

Innovation Impact Catalyst Manager

Oregon State University

Department: VP for Research (RIP)

Appointment Type: Professional Faculty

Job Location: Corvallis

Recommended Full-Time Salary Range: $68,400 - $82,200

Job Summary:

The Division of Research and Innovation is seeking an Innovation Impact Catalyst Manager. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE ), 12-month, professional faculty position.

The Office of Research Integrity (ORI ), within the Division of Research and Innovation, supports OSU’s commitment to exceptional research by collaborating with faculty, staff, and students to help ensure that research is conducted ethically, to high professional standards, and in compliance with regulatory requirements, and directly support the research goals of Oregon State University’s strategic plan: https://leadership.oregonstate.edu/provost/strategic-plan.

The Innovation Impact Catalyst Manager serves as senior execution and commercialization leader for the Innovation Impact Program (IIP ) and Advantage Accelerator (AA). This role strengthens, scales, and continuously improves OSU’s innovation and entrepreneurship faculty engagement, venture outcomes through program and execution and improvement, while advancing high-potential research, and guiding startups toward measurable societal and economic impact.

This position intentionally overlaps with program-level curriculum delivery including, Iterate, Regional I-Corps, Accelerate, and related programing to ensure alignment with university and Advantage goals, faculty and researcher engagement, real-world venture outcomes, evolving investor and industry expectations, and consistent curriculum quality. Distinct from program-manager roles, the Catalyst focuses on researcher recruitment, curriculum strategy, instruction, real-time refinement, and later-stage venture support, while navigating complex commercialization pathways. Operating between program execution and IIP /AA strategy, this role reduces operational pressure on the EDIE and Assistant Director and ensures OSU’s innovation programs remain rigorous, credible, and outcome-driven, including successful cohort recruitment and clear venture progress in market development, product development, and funding readiness.

Why OSU?

Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job!

Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves — we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

FACTS :

• Top 1.4% university in the world

• More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined

• 1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.

• 2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties

• 7 https://hr.oregonstate.edu/work-life/diversity-and-cultural-resources that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone

• 100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates

• 35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color

• 217k+ alumni worldwide

• For more interesting facts about OSU visit: https://oregonstate.edu/about

Locations:

Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport.

Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state-of-the-art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package:

Oregon State University offers a https://hr.oregonstate.edu/benefits/prospective-employee with benefits eligible positions that is designed to meet the needs of employees and their families including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.

• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.

• Retirement savings paid by the university.

• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.

• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.

• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.

• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical illness insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.

Oregon State University is deeply committed to the principles of a Health Promoting University. This commitment drives a collaborative approach across OSU’s safety and well-being programs, reducing silos and coordinating efforts to enhance employee safety and well-being. By prioritizing resources that support the health of both employees and students, OSU fosters a culture of care and a healthier campus environment where everyone can thrive.

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Future and current OSU employees can use the https://hr.oregonstate.edu/benefits/new-employees/benefits-calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU .

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Researcher Engagement (30%)

• Engage faculty, postdocs, and research staff whose work shows strong commercialization potential.

• Help researchers translate innovations into viable market pathways while respecting and aligning with their academic priorities.

• Coordinate closely with the Advantage Accelerator and other Advantage colleagues to be the initial point of contact for faculty to ensure that information regarding processes, procedures, timelines, incentives, and expectations are aligned across programs and stakeholders.

Venture & Technology Portfolio Leadership (25%)

• Lead engagement with high‑potential startups and technologies, particularly those emerging from Accelerator programs, based on OSU intellectual property, or requiring deeper commercialization support.

• Identify barriers that hinder venture advancement and coordinate solutions across OSU units, external partners, and relevant stakeholders.

Curriculum Leadership & Instruction (25%)

• Co-lead the delivery of curriculum for Advantage Accelerator programs (e.g., Iterate, Regional I-Corps, Accelerate), with a focus on venture-development concepts, rigorous market validation, and investor or partner readiness.

• Continuously evaluate curriculum effectiveness and recommend updates based on participant outcomes, ecosystem feedback, and best practices in innovation and entrepreneurship education.

Funding Strategy & Commercialization Pathways (10%)

• Provide strategic input into innovation funding programs including AID and other impact-aligned mechanisms.

• Support teams as they prepare for non-dilutive funding opportunities, early-stage investment, and strategic or industry partnerships.

• Contribute to portfolio-level strategy related to capital efficiency, funding readiness, and long-term impact.

Team Leadership, Mentorship, Ecosystem Engagement and Representation (10%)

• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to interns, supporting their professional development and contributions to the program.

• Serve as a senior escalation point for complex program or participant issues, both for cohort teams led by this person and for teams directly supervised by this person.

• Support cross-team coordination and collaboration without assuming day-to-day program administration responsibilities.

• Maintain strong relationships with investors, industry partners, and economic development organizations to support venture progression.

• Represent OSU Advantage in targeted ecosystem engagements, strengthening the university’s visibility and influence within the innovation community.

What You Will Need

• Undergraduate degree in business, science, engineering, public policy, or related field

• 2+ years of experience in:

• Innovation and entrepreneurship

• Commercialization or venture development

• Startup ecosystems or innovation based economic development

• Demonstrated experience delivering or designing innovation-focused curriculum or training

• Strong working knowledge of:

• Lean startup methodology

• Customer discovery

• Startup financing pathways

• Excellent communication skills across academic, technical, and entrepreneurial audiences

• Demonstrated commitment to broad participant engagement in innovation systems

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse backgrounds and perspectives and work inclusively with internal and external partners.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Graduate degree in business, science, engineering, public policy, or related field

• Experience instructing or mentoring founders, researchers, or startup teams

• Experience with deep tech, regulated, or capital-intensive ventures

• Familiarity with university-based accelerators or tech transfer environments

• Experience refining curriculum based on participant outcomes and ecosystem needs

Working Conditions / Work Schedule

Based in Corvallis

• Occasional evening/weekend work for programs and events

• Up to ~15% travel across OSU campuses and partner locations

• Hybrid, but mandatory 3 days in office/campus

Special Instructions to Applicants

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

1) A resume/CV; and

2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

You will also be required to submit the names of at least three professional references, their e-mail addresses and telephone numbers as part of the application process.

For additional information please contact: Molly Arnowil at Molly Arnowil@oregonstate.edu

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

Starting salary within the salary range will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience. OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. This job has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities. If you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our https://hr.oregonstate.edu/careers/background-checks website including the https://hr.oregonstate.edu/careers/candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at employee.relations@oregonstate.edu

To apply, please visit: https://apptrkr.com/7043327

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