POSITION  DESCRIPTION        

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY        

Position Title:  Assistant Director, Center for Bits and Atoms

POSITION OVERVIEW STATEMENT

MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) is an interdisciplinary initiative exploring the boundary between physical science and computer science.  With support from government grants, corporate sponsorship, and international partnerships, CBA manages research programs that are bringing the programmability of the digital world to the physical world, it operates a unique fabrication facility for input and output from nanometers to meters, and it conducts off-campus outreach activities including a global network of field fabrication labs.  CBA offers a fast-paced, flexible work environment, at the frontiers of fundamental research and its economic and social impacts.

Reporting to the Director, the Assistant Director manages the lifecycle of CBA’s activities, from planning and preparing proposals and contracts, to tracking and supervising spending, to filing and licensing intellectual property.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• FISCAL MANAGEMENT

• Operating a budget of several million dollars annually, designs and implements CBA’s financial strategy

• Tracks, rate-limits, and monitors spending  for dozens of projects
• Create appropriate accounts for the various types of funding CBA receives
• Ensures CBA is in compliance regarding research administration/financial activities.
• Develops complex financial reports and forecasts that enable the director to effectively manage research expenditures and revenues, including analysis of trends in income, expenditures, and cash-flow.
• Reports on cash-flow, accounts receivable and payable, to the director
• Manages fiscal year settlement of CBA's accounts.
• Alerts director to potential financial problems and advises on solutions.
  

• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

• Manages the lifecycle of intellectual property (with volume of approximately five to ten new patent filings annually), through invention declaration, filing preparation, case prosecution, maintenance, and licensing.
• Maintains a robust stable of patent attorneys, identifies potential vendors, reviews pricing schedule, shepherds them through MIT’s Technology Licensing Office’s approval, manages conflict of interest, reviews engagement letters, creates contract/PO to hire.
• Keeps sponsors informed of possible licensing opportunities.  
• Manages interests of CBA, TLO, and sponsors as IP is filed and work out a patent prosecution plan that works for all.
• Acts as primary point of contact for consultants, outside attorneys, and MIT TLO  for all IP matters.  
• Formulates time tables, reviews attorney billing statements, acts as liaison with inventors.
• Conceives and, with approval of director, implements strategies to achieve IP goals within established budget.
• Anticipates and resolves issues such as potential public disclosures or issues raised by the attorneys.
  

• SPONSOR AND DONOR MANAGEMENT

• Drafts and implements gift agreements and contracts, including corporate sponsorship agreements and fab lab agreements with public entities.
• Negotiates sponsor interests in CBA’s membership agreements.
• Works with MIT’s sponsored programs office to finalize executable agreements that are satisfactory for all parties.
• Interfaces with sponsors and advises them of their rights and obligations as laid out in the CBA Membership agreement.
• Develops payment schedule, periods of performance, and works out any non-material contract provisions.
• After agreements are in place, acts as lead administrative contact.  Follows up on receivables, sends dunning notices as needed, gets IP reports to the sponsors, and arranges for visits.
• Actively communicates with counterparts at sponsor organizations about their needs and expectations, working to help sustain current memberships and sign prospective members.
  

• PROCUREMENT SUPERVISION

• Oversees the procurement of a few million dollars in direct costs
• Performs and/or supervises major equipment and material purchases; supervises the logistics of ordering and shipping to and from domestic and international locations, including remote areas.
• Determines which project is benefitting from the purchase and provides instructions to support staff and other administrative staff as to how they should be charged.
• Identifies special considerations for the purchase and implementation of cost saving strategies.
  

• PRE-AWARD GRANT MANAGEMENT

• Interprets funding solicitations and assists PIs in identifying and providing required grant materials, breakouts, and sections.
• Collaborates with lead researchers to develop detailed budgets for labor, materials, equipment, travel, subawards and contracts, tuition, and indirect costs.
• Assembles and submit budgets and budget justifications, narratives, CVs, current & pending support statements, in whatever format the granting agencies request.
• Manages schedules for grant proposal team to meet MIT and grant submission deadlines
• Interfaces with counterparts at partner departments and institutions on sub-award submissions
• Works with grad students and researchers  to create anticipated bills of material for each grant submission
• Implement all suggestions and corrections from MIT’s grant review.
  

• POST-AWARD GRANT MANAGEMENT

• Review terms of the agreement that MIT negotiates with grantor.  
• Ensures approved equipment and budget is consistent with the proposal and statement of work.
• Oversees purchases and makes sure they are within MIT and government regulations
• Tracks spending on the award to ensure PI is compliant with statement of work and budget.
• Reports to PI and sponsor on spending.
• Initiates extensions as needed.
• Collaborates with project teams on project management.

• ADMINISTRATIVE / OPERATIONAL  LEAD

• Represents CBA’s interests with campus counterparts.
• Evaluates administrative procedures; identify areas in need of improvement.  Plan and enact processes to improve workflow.  Provide recommendations to the director.
• Plans for and manages support staff and temporary workers.
• Facilitates the hiring of research positions by liaising between faculty and research staff and Human Resources.
• Along with the director, updates job descriptions and conducts interviews for hiring support staff positions.
• Supervises the internal onboarding process for new hires.
• Acting as office manager, provides active coverage of all administrative tasks, cross-trains staff to cover staffing shortfalls, and communicates departmental and MIT policies.
• Performs and manages special projects or tasks as assigned by the director or as circumstances dictate.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

General supervision is received from the CBA director.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Provides secondary supervision to all support staff, and selected direct report(s). Formally and informally communicates established MIT and CBA procedures to all new hires, including staff, students and appointments.  Provide guidance on day-to-day operation.  Ensure CBA is in compliance with MIT, sponsor, governmental, and other appropriate standards.

QUALIFICATIONS

Five or more years of financial and administrative experience.  B.A. and experience with administration of sponsored programs is preferred.  Familiarity with MIT and its financial and other systems is desirable. Ability to multi-task, and solve time-critical problems with incomplete information. Excellent written and verbal communication skills (and a sense of humor).