FAST Engine Chief Executive Officer

Department

Division of Research and Innovation

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

The Division of Research and Innovation is seeking a Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) Engine Chief Executive Officer. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position. The Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) NSF Regional Innovation Engine is seeking an entrepreneurial and visionary Chief Executive Officer to lead one of the nation’s premier place-based innovation initiatives. Backed by the National Science Foundation and a coalition of more than 95 partners, FAST is advancing U.S. leadership in AI-enabled semiconductor manufacturing while driving innovation, workforce development, and economic growth across Oregon.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Industry Relations at Oregon State University and working closely with the FAST Strategic Governing Council, the CEO will lead a complex, multi-institutional organization spanning research universities, community colleges, industry, government, workforce organizations, investors, and community partners. The CEO will be responsible for achieving ambitious technical, workforce, commercialization, and regional economic development outcomes;

successfully advancing the Engine through NSF stage-gate reviews; and building FAST into a nationally recognized, financially sustainable innovation enterprise.

Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) https://fast-engine.org/ is a National Science Foundation (NSF) designated Regional Innovation Engine https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/regional-innovation-engines/about-nsf-engines advancing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing through the development and deployment of AI-enabled Advanced Process Control (AI-APC) systems. FAST is a consortium of more than 95 industry, academic, government, workforce, and community partners aligned to catalyze innovation, workforce development, and inclusive economic growth across Oregon’s Cascade-Willamette Innovation Corridor (CWIC).

FAST is one of the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines, designed to strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness through long-term regional innovation ecosystems that integrate research, commercialization, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and industry engagement. FAST integrates use-inspired research, translation of innovation to practice, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and regional engagement to create a globally competitive semiconductor ecosystem with national economic and security impact.

The Engine is funded by NSF for up to 10 years, with substantial state, industry, and philanthropic co-investment.

• Serve as the chief executive and public face of FAST, articulating and advancing a compelling long-term vision for the Engine’s impact and sustainability.
• Direct a complex statewide partnership of universities, community colleges, industry, government, workforce organizations, and investors.
• Deliver measurable outcomes in semiconductor innovation, commercialization, workforce development, and regional economic competitiveness.
• Lead FAST through successful NSF stage-gate reviews following the initial two-year award period by ensuring the Engine achieves its milestone-based performance objectives, demonstrates measurable commercialization and regional economic impact, and secures subsequent phases of NSF funding.
• Build executive-level relationships with federal agencies, industry leaders, investors, elected officials, and academic partners.
• Expand FAST’s long-term financial sustainability through strategic partnerships and…