Sustainability & Revenue Leadership. Lead execution of CASFER's Sustainability Plan for the Innovation Ecosystem, with accountability for achieving approximately $1M/year in industry membership and member-sponsored research. Develop and execute a growth plan with quarterly targets, a qualified pipeline, measurable activity funnel, and regular progress reporting to Center leadership.
Industry Membership Growth. Grow and retain CASFER's industry membership by recruiting new IPAB member companies, maintaining at least 80% member retention, converting in-kind members to paid membership, and building a qualified prospect pipeline through research, partner institutions, and leadership relationships.
Strategic Industry Development. Engage priority sectors aligned with CASFER and CASFER 2.0, including fertilizer and agribusiness, wastewater utilities, manufacturing/OEM and deployment partners, and AI, data-platform, and circular-economy organizations. Present CASFER's value proposition to executive and technical decision-makers.
Business Planning & Commercialization. Lead CASFER's business plan and commercialization strategy, including membership models, member-sponsored research, licensing, and the CASFER 2.0 platform framework. Contribute to diversified revenue through grants, services, pilot projects, licensing, and membership.
Technology Transfer & Commercialization. Develop and lead the Technology Transfer Strategic Plan. Maintain working knowledge of commercialization requirements, technology readiness levels (TRLs), regulatory pathways, and validation milestones needed for market adoption. Lead commercialization and partner discussions while coordinating with researchers.
Proposal Development. Identify funding opportunities and lead or significantly contribute to proposals, including industry sponsorships, commitment letters, non-core research funding, and collaborative federal proposals in coordination with Center leadership.
Industry Membership & IPAB Management. Serve as the primary contact for prospective members, manage IPAB membership agreements in compliance with TTU and NSF requirements, organize IPAB meetings, and ensure appropriate separation between NSF-funded research and company-sponsored projects.
Technology Marketing & Partnerships. Promote CASFER technologies through presentations, demonstrations, lab tours, testbeds, and industry events. Coordinate with testbed teams to support technology evaluations and deployment opportunities.
Technology Transfer & Intellectual Property. Serve as liaison among inventors, partner technology commercialization offices, and IP counsel. Support licensing activities and maintain the Center's intellectual property portfolio and database across partner institutions.
Metrics, Reporting & Compliance. Manage CRM systems and innovation metrics, maintain membership records, dues, and invoicing, prepare NSF innovation and industry reports, and ensure compliance with NSF requirements.
Workforce Development. Collaborate with Research Team Science and Education & Workforce Development teams to connect students with industry through internships, fellowships, career placement, and translational research opportunities while mentoring students in industry engagement.
Center Leadership & Outreach. Participate in Executive Committee and research thrust meetings, lead industry engagement initiatives, and collaborate with the Media Coordinator to develop marketing materials and outreach content.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a STEM-related field required, plus five years of progressively responsible management experience. Additional education may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis. This position is designated as involving access to critical infrastructure systems and/or research, as defined by Texas Executive Order GA-48. As such, candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive background check prior to employment. Employees are required to comply with all applicable state and federal regulations related to the protection of critical infrastructure. Ongoing employment is dependent upon maintaining eligibility for access and successfully passing periodic security and compliance reviews.
Preferred Qualifications
PhD in science, engineering, or a related STEM field.
Demonstrated success in business development, industry partnership growth, and membership or sponsorship revenue generation — including a track record of recruiting and retaining industry partners and closing agreements.
Experience leading business planning and technology-transfer or commercialization activities, ideally within a university research center, NSF ERC, or comparable innovation environment.
Working knowledge of technology commercialization pathways, TRL frameworks, IP and licensing processes, and regulatory/compliance considerations relevant to agriculture, wastewater, or advanced manufacturing markets.
Demonstrated proposal-writing ability and success contributing to competitive federal or industry-sponsored funding.
Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., "HubSpot") and pipeline management.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the proven ability to present technical and business materials to executives, investors, and technical audiences in a concise and professional manner.
Ability to work independently and lead strategically with minimal direction, functioning as a self-directed partner to Institute and Center leadership.
About Us
About the University
Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
About Lubbock
Referred to as the "Hub City" because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock's Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.
About the College
The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering is home to seven academic departments (chemical, civil & environmental & construction, electrical & computer, industrial, mechanical, petroleum, and computer science), offers over 30 degrees to about 6,600 students, including more than 850 graduate students. Research funding has grown substantially, with over $18 million annual research awards in recent years. The major research strengths are in wind science & engineering, pulsed power and power electronics, microscale and nanoscale devices, and semiconductor materials, engineering medicine, bioengineering, energetics, and polymer materials.
About the Department/School/Area
Texas Tech University Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy (ISCE) is dedicated to developing solutions to major society problems while integrating sustainability, resiliency, and circular economy practices. ISCE provides an infrastructure for collaboration among multiple disciplines. CASFER is an example of a sustainability initiative. The vision of the NSF Engineering research center CASFER is to enable resilient and sustainable food production by developing next-generation, modular, distributed, and efficient technologies for capturing, recycling, and producing nitrogen-based fertilizers. CASFER is led by Texas Tech University with four partner institutions, Georgia Tech, MIT, Case Western Reserve University, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. CASFER has over 30 faculty and researchers and is supporting over 70 graduate students, undergraduate students and post-doctoral researchers.
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