Licensing Manager

At Corteva Agriscience, you will help us grow what’s next. No matter your role, you will be part of a team that is building the future of agriculture – leading breakthroughs in the innovation and application of science and technology that will better the lives of people all over the world and fuel the progress of humankind.

Seeking a new and challenging opportunity to further enhance your career? Corteva Agriscience currently has a vacancy for a Licensing Manager on our Technology Contracts and Licensing team. The Licensing Manager directly facilitates innovation and technology advances in Seeds & Traits, Digital and Farming Solutions, and Crop Protection R&D groups and other business areas in Corteva by drafting, negotiating, executing, and managing a variety of intellectual property agreements, which include, but are not limited to: confidentiality agreements (CDAs), material transfer agreements (MTAs), evaluation agreements, collaboration agreements, and license agreements.

This role also provides support related to other aspects of intellectual property agreements as needed.

The Licensing Manager will be a dynamic, goal-oriented, and results-driven individual with demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal); the ability to work effectively with multiple internal functions including R&D, Legal, Finance, and business teams; experience in technical writing and/or contract drafting/writing, negotiation and process management; ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and efficiently; a solid understanding of intellectual property management and/or scientific/technical arenas;

and strong teamwork orientation and skills.

• Plan, lead and execute the diligence and agreement negotiation actions necessary to establish R&D and business level licenses, collaborations/alliances, and technology transfer transactions between Corteva and public and private entities, largely in support of Corteva R&D.

• Coordinate, lead and manage technology and/or intellectual property contract negotiation and agreement management related work streams with colleagues in R&D, legal, external affairs, technology scouting/acquisition, alliance management, open innovation, regulatory, supply chain, finance, and other groups in Corteva.

• Work with Corteva finance managers and legal counsel to obtain necessary financial and legal clearances and guidance for agreements and associated projects.

• Be skilled in the art of agreement drafting and negotiation, with experience defining, writing and validating terms leading to successful alliances/collaborations and licenses.

• Capable of issue-spotting and taking agreements from term sheet to executed contracts.

• Coordinate clearance and approval for release, license or transfer of technologies, traits and germplasm (working with others in Corteva as appropriate) and be capable of managing this process across geographies in Corteva.

• Facilitate and monitor agreement management, stewardship and compliance including but not limited to contract database entries, and payment and other contract obligations, reports, exercising of options, terminations, etc. Develop and maintain strong knowledge of important agreements and their impact on new or ongoing technology contract negotiations.

• Maintain relationships with a network of contacts in both Corteva and the public and private sectors to determine shifting structures, standards/norms, roles and goals within the industry.

• Provide guidance/training to Corteva-internal R&D and business clients with respect to Technology Transfer and Licensing standards and processes.

• Bachelor’s degree in biological or chemical sciences is required. Master’s (or higher) degree in a biological or chemical science discipline, or a Master of Business Administration or law degree, is preferred.

• A minimum of 3 years of experience working in an academic or corporate licensing or technology transfer function is strongly preferred.

• Exposure to or experience with (i) agreement negotiations, (ii) intellectual property rights, (iii) patent process and/or (iv) contracting and technology licensing norms and issues;…