What are the responsibilities and job description for the Technology-to-Market Advisor position at Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)?
ARPA-E is seeking highly motivated technology commercialization experts with a unique mix of technical, business and entrepreneurial experience to help create high-impact energy technology development programs and prepare teams and technologies for commercial markets. Technology-to-Market (T2M) Advisors are expected to have skills in business development/technical marketing, product development, supply chains, and/or financial analysis. T2M Advisors should also possess excellent coaching and team development skills to guide ARPA-E awardees in the development and execution of technology commercialization strategies.
The most competitive candidates will have strong energy industry experience and will have managed the commercialization of a technology. According to their mix of skills & experience, T2M Advisors will work on a combination of direct project management and broader market development activities including:
- Building on your existing knowledge and network in energy technology products and markets to develop deep understanding and perspective for innovation opportunities and commercialization pathways for energy technologies
- Advising project teams on strategies for market assessment, business planning, intellectual property, product development, and supply chain considerations
- Assessing customer discovery to assess market requirements and determine product-market fit; developing market studies
- Performing techno-economic analyses to support new program development and determine cost-performance tradeoffs for funded projects
- Cultivating a network of government, industry and investor stakeholders to facilitate transition toward market, including targeting public and private follow-on funding sources
- Conducting site visits to meet project teams and evaluate commercialization activity in conjunction with ARPA-E’s technical Program Directors
- Facilitating and organizing commercialization workshops and mentorship programs
- Representing ARPA-E in front of a range of stakeholders (investors, corporations, government agency partners, etc.)
- Supporting ARPA-E leadership in the planning, preparation, and implementation of policies and strategies for technology commercialization
Desired Qualifications:
- Strong technical backgrounds are preferred, including engineering, technology development or scientific research
- Superior analytical skills with experience in areas such as market research, financial analysis, product development and/or supply chain/manufacturing
- Experience with techno-economic analyses and formulation of business plans
- Experience with developing and validating value propositions and conducting market research and field trials
- Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate technical and/or financial ideas and concepts to wide range of audiences
- Demonstrated interest/expertise in energy and energy technologies
- 5 to 30 years of work experience, including a combination of technology/research and business experience; startup/entrepreneurial experience is a plus
- PhD or MBA degree is desired; a technical degree and a graduate degree are required
- US Citizenship is required
- Ability to undertake a significant amount of travel is required. The responsibilities of this position necessitate frequent travel — which could be greater than 50% of the T2M Advisor’s time. Historically, T2M Advisors have spent two weeks each month working at ARPA-E's offices in Washington, DC and travel the other two weeks of each month.
T2M Advisors report to the ARPA-E Deputy Director for Commercial Development and serve full time for a minimum of 3 years; with potential for extension upon mutual agreement.
T2M Advisor positions are designated as 'positions of public trust', and pre-employment background checks are required. Information about this process and the questionnaire that will need to be completed before employment at ARPA-E begins are at this link. Additionally, financial disclosure reporting will be required; more information may be found at this link. Salary commensurate with experience, at a level not to exceed Level II of the Executive Schedule in the table at this link.
Questions can be directed via email to ARPA-E-jobs@hq.doe.gov with the words, “Technology-to-Market Advisor” in the subject heading.
In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers to the essay questions will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
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