Innovation & Industry Relations Specialist Hiring Department: OVCR, Innovation & Industry Relations
Location: Chicago, IL
Requisition IDPosting Close Date: October 23, 2026
Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $90,000-$105,000. The final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessmentof available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience andqualifications, and budget constraints.
This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.
The Innovation & Industry Relations Specialist supportsthe development and management of strategic partnerships that advance theuniversity's research, innovation and engagement priorities. Reporting to theDirector of Innovation & Industry Relations within the Office of the ViceChancellor for Research (OVCR), this position serves as a key relationshipmanager connecting faculty, research centers and university leadership withindustry, government, nonprofit and community partners.
The Innovation & Industry Relations Specialist helpsfacilitate collaborative research opportunities, supports innovation andcommercialization initiatives and contributes to activities that enhance theuniversity's external engagement and research impact. This role requires theability to work effectively across academic and external environments, managemultiple stakeholder relationships and support initiatives related to sponsoredresearch, industry collaboration and innovation ecosystems.
If you are energized by building relationships, connectingideas and people, navigating complex organizations and helping createopportunities that may not have existed before, this is an opportunity to makeyour mark within a major urban R1 research university.
Industry & ExternalPartnership Engagement- Develop and maintain productive relationships with industry, government, nonprofit and community stakeholders aligned with university research priorities.
- Serve as a point of contact for external organizations seeking engagement with university researchers, centers and institutional capabilities.
- Assist in identifying and advancing opportunities for sponsored research, strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
- Facilitate communication and coordination between faculty and external partners to support research and innovation activities.
Innovation & ResearchCollaboration- Support initiatives related to innovation, commercialization, entrepreneurship and applied research partnerships.
- Collaborate with research administration, technology commercialization, economic development and colleges/academic units to advance engagement efforts.
- Help identify emerging areas of industry interest and alignment with institutional research strengths.
- Contribute to strategic engagement activities that expand the university's research visibility and external partnerships.
Program & ProjectCoordination- Coordinate partnership meetings, engagement activities, workshops, site visits and networking events.
- Lead the development of presentations, reports, briefing materials and stakeholder communications.
- Track partnership activity, engagement outcomes and related metrics using institutional systems and reporting tools.
- Support implementation of strategic initiatives and special projects within OVCR.
Outreach & Representation- Represent the university and OVCR at conferences, meetings and external engagement events.
- Promote awareness of university research expertise, innovation initiatives and collaboration opportunities.
- Drive efforts to strengthen the university's role within regional and national innovation ecosystems.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications- Master's degree in business, public administration, communications, science, engineering, higher education administration or a related field.
- Approximately 3+ years of relevant professional experience in industry relations, partnership development, research administration, innovation programs, economic development or a related area.
- Demonstrated ability to build and manage professional relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong organizational, communication and project management skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a complex organizational environment.
- Critical and strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-management skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with faculty, administrators, executives and external stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience working in a research university, research institute, nonprofit, government or innovation-focused organization.
- Familiarity with sponsored research, technology transfer, innovation ecosystems or public-private partnerships.
- Experience supporting cross-functional or interdisciplinary initiatives.
- Understanding of research and innovation environments within higher education.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain attention to detail.
- Proficiency with CRM systems, data tracking tools and standard office software.
What You Will BringWe are looking for an intellectually curious, resourcefulprofessional who is equally comfortable engaging with a faculty researcher,university leader, corporate executive, government representative or communitypartner.
