Director, EnGen & Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)

Job Title

Director, EnGen & Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

School of Engineering Medicine

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Houston, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

What we want

The Director, EnGen & Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR), serves a dual leadership role within the Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed), overseeing the strategic direction, operations, and growth of EnGen, EnMed’s on-site incubator, while actively driving the commercialization of high-potential innovations emerging from students, faculty, and affiliated partners.

This position operates at the intersection of academic innovation and venture creation. As Director of EnGen, they are responsible for incubator strategy, tenant engagement, program development, and ecosystem integration. As Entrepreneur-in-Residence, they play a hands-on role in identifying, evaluating, de-risking, and advancing technologies toward commercialization through licensing, startup formation, or strategic partnerships.

This position will translate early-stage innovation into real-world impact by building structured pathways from discovery to deployment, while fostering a culture of entrepreneurship across EnMed.

What you need to know

Responsibilities

EnGen Leadership and Incubator Operations

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of EnGen, ensuring alignment with EnMed’s mission to advance innovation at the intersection of medicine and engineering.

• Develop and execute a comprehensive incubator strategy that supports tenant companies across stages of development, including programming, mentorship, and resource allocation.

• Coordinate and deliver high-value programming for EnGen tenants, including workshops, expert sessions, networking events, and translational support services.

• Serve as the primary liaison between tenant companies and EnMed resources, facilitating access to clinical, engineering, regulatory, and business expertise.

• Lead the development of systems, processes, and metrics to evaluate incubator performance, tenant progress, and overall impact.

• Work closely with EnMed leadership and the Office of Innovation to align incubator efforts with institutional priorities.

• Provide leadership and mentorship to EnGen staff and affiliated personnel to ensure effective execution of programming and support services.

 

Academic Integration and Student Engagement

• Partner with EnMed faculty to ensure students have structured access to expertise within EnGen tenant companies.

• Integrate incubator resources into the educational experience, enabling experiential learning opportunities tied to real-world innovation challenges.

• Support student project teams by connecting them with domain experts, industry mentors, and translational resources.

• Foster a seamless interface between the academic curriculum and the incubator ecosystem to enhance student exposure to entrepreneurship and commercialization.

Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) – Venture Development and Commercialization

• Serve as a hands-on Entrepreneur-in-Residence to identify and advance high-potential innovations emerging from EnMed students and faculty.

• Collaborate closely with the Texas A&M University System Office of Innovation, including the New Ventures team, to develop and implement structured pathways for commercialization.

• Perform diligence and evaluation of student and faculty projects to assess commercial potential, technical feasibility, and market opportunity.

• Lead and facilitate licensing discussions for EnMed-generated intellectual property, including:

  • Licensing to newly formed startup entities

  • Licensing to established strategic or corporate partners

• Develop and execute de-risking strategies for selected technologies, including technical validation, regulatory planning, and market development.

• Work selectively on a portfolio of high-potential opportunities, with the goal of advancing technologies to:

  • Venture-backed startup formation

  • Strategic licensing agreements

  • Further internal development

• Where appropriate, participate directly in venture formation efforts, including team building, early-stage development, and potential transition into a founding or leadership role.

Student-to-Startup and Innovation Pipeline Development

• Establish and maintain a structured pipeline for identifying, tracking, and advancing innovation projects with commercialization potential.

• Support the transition of student and faculty projects from academic efforts into incubator-supported ventures.

• Provide mentorship in areas such as business model development, pitch strategy, fundraising preparation, and market validation.

• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure continuity across the innovation lifecycle.

 

Partnership and Ecosystem Development

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with accelerators, investors, healthcare systems, industry partners, and service providers.

• Facilitate collaborations that enhance EnGen’s capabilities and expand opportunities for tenant companies and EnMed innovators.

• Support the development of partnership frameworks, agreements, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen the innovation ecosystem.

• Represent EnMed and EnGen in external engagements, positioning the program as a leader in healthcare innovation and translation. 

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare, technical discipline, or an applicable field.

• 10 years of related experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, venture development, or startup leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree such as MD, PhD, or equivalent in a healthcare or technical discipline

• Familiarity with the Biodesign process and healthcare innovation frameworks

• Experience working within or alongside academic medical centers or innovation programs

• Track record of successful technology commercialization, including startup formation or licensing

• Experience working with university technology transfer or innovation offices

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet applications.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong public speaking, organizational, leadership, and supervisory skills.

• Ability to maintain attention to detail and utilize sound judgment.

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.