Managing Director for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) - Penn Engineering at The University of Pennsylvania

Job description

University Overview The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023. Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play. The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more. Posted Job Title Managing Director for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) - Penn Engineering Job Profile Title Director C, Research Job Description Summary The Managing Director for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) is based at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and supports the multi-university partnership with Purdue University, the University of California - Merced, and the University of Florida. The Center aims to ensure food, energy, and water security by advancing technology to increase crop production while minimizing the use of energy and water resources and the impact of agricultural practices on the environment. IoT4Ag’s mission is to create and translate to practice Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for precision agriculture and train a workforce that will address the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security for decades to come. The Managing Director is responsible for the Center’s operations and management, including facilitation of strategic planning and priority-setting, annual event planning, and reporting to NSF. The Managing Director also supports and oversees data collection and communications and interfaces with Penn financial services. The Managing Director works collaboratively with Center leadership and its broader cohort of faculty, students, and staff from all partner universities to oversee, coordinate, and manage day-to-day Center operations via its research, education, and innovation activities. A priority of this role is to support industry engagement and partnership development for IoT4Ag, serving as an interface between the Center’s researchers and external industry partners. The role will support growing and managing the Center’s industry membership program, identifying opportunities for research collaboration and technology translation, and ensuring that industry perspectives inform the Center’s research and innovation activities. The successful candidate will have strong relationship-building, business development, and communication skills and the ability to translate complex technical research into compelling opportunities for industry engagement. Job Description Job Responsibilities The Managing Director works closely with the Center’s Faculty and Staff Directors and is responsible for the following: Center Operations and Management Work collaboratively wi