Position Focus:

The Blavatnik Fellowship at Yale is designed to identify promising scientists and business people with a passion for biomedical entrepreneurship, to provide a hands-on experience for building their entrepreneurial skills, while simultaneously providing mentorship and professional development responsibilities. Building on the prior success of trainee programs currently running at Yale, which engage both graduate students in the life sciences as well as MBA students, this proposal seeks to leverage those efforts and position the Blavatnik Fellow as the “highest station” in the graduate fellowship ecosystem. This is a one-year fellowship.

The advancement of pharmaceutical and biomedical technologies towards the market requires the sustained involvement of both scientific innovators as well as entrepreneurial business leaders who can rationally assess and de-risk new approaches. Now entering its second year at Yale, the Blavatnik Life Science Fellowship seeks to engage young professionals with advanced training in the life sciences and business, to further catalyze Yale’s new venture ecosystem in close partnership with Yale faculty innovators.

Projects may include but are not limited to: assisting faculty and OCR staff in developing more complete development plans for potential funding by the Blavatnik Fund, conducting independent analyses of the market potential of new life science technologies, partnering with specific faculty on high potential projects, and overseeing the timely completion of project work conducted by external contract research organizations. Consistently communicate with the various project teams and key stakeholders, via written or face-to-face communication, to ensure they are fully informed of the project's progression. The Fellows will also be actively engaged in the Yale Innovation Summit, the key event of the entire calendar year for the Yale community to interact with investors and other like-minded visitors.

Essential Duties

1. Pre-Proposals: In support of faculty considering submission of early stage technologies (pre-proposals): Assist in the evaluation and refinement of Yale innovations being considered as potential Blavatnik projects. Review pitch decks, coordinate with staff and consulting entrepreneurs-in-residence on the framing of commercialization opportunities, conduct market research using industry tools to assess markets and competitors. 
2. Finalists: In support of faculty whose projects are selected as “Finalists”: Work collaboratively and diplomatically with a small set of faculty investigators, OCR staff and consultants to prepare a detailed development proposal for board consideration. Work closely with subject matter experts on an expanded commercialization plan, including building a deeper picture of the competitive landscape, as well as furnishing a review of the data package to date. Help consolidate feedback from prospective investors to build one or more go-to-market strategies.
3. Active Projects: In support of faculty selected as recipients of Blavatnik funding: Working with just a few principal investigators, become a part of the on-the-ground development team in advancing high value technologies through external partner organizations. Facilitate strong relationships, unity and focus with managers, directors and team members to achieve project goals. Effectively communicate logical project phases to participants, identify obstacles, recommend and implement solutions. Support several projects and utilize team-building skills to facilitate timely completion of projects. 
4. Track all projects and their associated deliverables using appropriate tools. Monitor and report on the progress of the project, including problems and solutions. Intervene where necessary to keep projects on track in consultation with staff and faculty principal investigators. 
5. Provide detailed information and written reports for decision-making and feedback to staff and Blavatnik Fund board members. Compile and present status reports to management, keeping them abreast of projects with summary updates.
6. Present project detail/status to OCR staff and leadership at regular meetings when necessary. 
7. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Masters’ Degree and three years of experience in biopharma or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Skill/Ability 1:

Critical/strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Highly organized and detail oriented. Knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint.

Required Skill/Ability 2:

Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated ability to facilitate a team-based approach to complete projects with tact and diplomacy, while interacting with internal and external contacts and staff at all levels.

Required Skill/Ability 3:

Proven ability to work successfully within a team environment and as an individual contributor. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Flexibility to adjust work schedule to allow for team priorities to be met.

Required Skill/Ability 4:

Demonstrated ability to manage several projects concurrently while balancing competing priorities and deadlines. Possess extreme flexibility in work focus. Proven ability to switch among several different projects without any adverse effects.

Required Skill/Ability 5:

Comfort and confidence in managing projects that are outside one’s current area of expertise. Willing to learn new things and ask questions to obtain required information. Ability to redirect efforts to stay on course, resolve conflict and provide the voice of reason when necessary.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

PhD in the life sciences, MD, or MBA w/experience evaluating commercialization opportunities. Acumen in life sciences to effectively interface w/a variety of faculty exploring novel concepts in therapeutics, diagnostics, & med devices. Research/experience in health-related field. Exper. in proj mgmt or interfacing w/external contract research orgs. Min 7 yrs post grad study work exper.

Drug Screen

No

Health Screening

No

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. Please visit www.yale.edu/hronline/careers/screening/faqs.html for additional information on the background check requirements and process.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

Affirmative Action Statement:

Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111, Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or Email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus