Executive Director – NCTI

National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI):

The National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI) is a nationally significant initiative dedicated to helping innovative technology companies transform breakthrough ideas into commercial success. Supported through a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative and led by the University of Central Florida, NCTI serves as a national hub connecting entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, government partners, and commercialization experts to accelerate innovation, business growth, and economic impact.

NCTI is designed to help promising deep-technology companies navigate the journey from scientific discovery and technological advancement to sustainable market success.

As a new institute, NCTI offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology commercialization on a national scale. Through strategic partnerships, individualized commercialization support, and a collaborative innovation ecosystem, the institute is advancing solutions that help high-potential companies overcome commercialization barriers and bring transformative technologies to market. NCTI combines the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of a startup with the resources and credibility of a leading research university, creating an environment where innovation, partnership, and impact drive meaningful results.

The University of Central Florida seeks an accomplished executive leader to serve as the founding Executive Director of the National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI). This highly visible leadership opportunity offers the chance to build and lead a new national institute dedicated to helping innovative technology companies transform breakthrough ideas into commercial success. Supported through a National Science Foundation initiative, NCTI will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, government partners, and commercialization experts to accelerate innovation and economic impact.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Executive Director will serve as the chief operational leader of the institute, responsible for establishing the organization’s infrastructure, building high‑performing teams, cultivating strategic partnerships, and driving execution of a nationally significant mission. The ideal candidate combines executive business leadership, commercialization experience, and an entrepreneurial mindset, with a demonstrated ability to build organizations, influence stakeholders, and deliver results in complex, highly collaborative environments.

This individual thrives in environments where vision, adaptability, and action are required, and is energized by the opportunity to build a nationally recognized organization that will help shape the future of technology commercialization and innovation.

• This is a Contracts & Grants (C&G) funded position. Employment is subject to availability of funding and may cease at the time funding for this employment is depleted.

• Classification
  
  Title:
  
  Director, Business Development II

• Lead day‑to‑day operations of the institute across all five objectives (M1): stand up the institute at award, including facilities in the UCF SPARK building, staff recruitment and onboarding, operating policies and procedures, and the monthly operations‑group cadence with the PI/PD, Co‑PIs, and program directors; ensure Year 1 deliverables (national solicitation, cohort selection, triage, and Individualized Commercialization Plans) and Year 2 deliverables (checkpoints, showcase, final evaluation support) are executed on schedule.

• Supervise the institute’s professional staff — Commercialization Director, Education Director, Partnerships Director, and Project Manager — and clerical support: hiring, work assignment, performance management, and professional development; ensure coordinated delivery across SUPPORT, EDUCATE, ORIENT, CONNECT, and NETWORK activities.

• Chair the commercialization‑support review committee (with the Commercialization Director, a Strategic Board designee, and an RTI observer): convene the committee at each milestone checkpoint; verify company…