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The Engine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting Tough Tech founders, is seeking a Director to lead relationship management, program development, and capital engagement for The Builder Platform—a national network supporting NSF Regional Innovation Engine awardees across 20 regions.
This role combines three interconnected responsibilities:
**Engine Navigator:** Serve as the primary point of contact for multiple Cohort 2 NSF Engines, managing relationships with their CEOs and teams through regular check-ins. Identify each Engine's priority needs and match them to The Builder Platform resources, advisors, and programming. Deploy and continuously refine shared tools, playbooks, and engagement cadences across the portfolio.
**Translation Curriculum Co-Lead:** Partner with The Engine's VP of Tech Translation and The Builder Platform's Sr Manager to design, customize, and deliver curriculum that helps NSF Engines, their institutions, and researchers move research into the market. Develop content and deliver programming through webinars, roundtables, office hours, problem-solving sessions, and in-region workshops. Create reusable templates and tools, bring in expert speakers and advisors, and track outcomes to continuously improve programs.
**Investor & Capital Engagement:** Own The Builder Platform's investment work stream, cultivating and managing relationships with a curated network of Seed to Series B investors (angels, institutional VCs, corporate venture, accelerators). Connect NSF Engines' investor networks to The Engine's to create a network of networks. Collaborate on a National Investing Event.
**General Responsibilities:** Track and report KPIs for assigned Engines, programming, and investor engagement (investor meetings, introductions, funding rounds). Contribute to NSF deliverables, presentations, and reports. Maintain accurate records in shared systems (Airtable, HubSpot, Circle, Monday). Participate in key NSF stakeholder meetings as a leading contributor. Represent The Builder Platform at national events and conferences.
Domestic travel: 25–30%, including some evenings and weekends as needed.
**Requirements:**
- 7+ years in venture capital, startup/startup ecosystem work, technology commercialization, tech transfer, or program design, ideally in a technology-focused or mission-driven environment. Experience with Tough Tech, deep science, or university research is a significant advantage.
- Bachelor's degree required. MBA, Master's, or PhD in a technical/STEM field is a plus.
- Demonstrated, existing, high-quality professional network among early-stage investors, corporate innovation leaders, and/or industry experts.
- Track record as a trusted point of contact for external partners or clients, with strong follow-through.
- Experience designing and running programs, workshops, or curricula for researchers, founders, or ecosystem builders.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to bridge language gaps between deep technical teams and business/financial stakeholders.
- Comfort working across tools like Airtable, HubSpot, Monday, and Circle (or similar platforms), with interest in using AI tools to improve workflows.
- Organized, results-oriented, good listener, empathetic advocate for researchers, founders, and ecosystems.
