Careers at TDG

Director, Apposite Capital

"The time I spent in the UCLA TDG provided a valuable experience as I transitioned my career from an academic research lab to the business world. I saw how IP generated by UCLA researchers can be licensed to a corporation or spun out into a new company. I also gained an appreciation for what is important to companies and investors as they evaluate new technologies. Perhaps more importantly, my time in the office helped me establish a network of contacts that I still call on to this day.”

Medical Director, Wellpoint

"The UCLA TDG internship was my first exposure to early-stage technology development and commercialization. Although the experience is from an academic perspective, all of what I learned was applicable to the private sector. Learning how to critically evaluate the commercial potential of early-stage technology was a key skill in helping me land a market research internship at a development-stage biotech company, a corporate development internship at a large pharma company and a position with a life science investment bank. The TDG internship is truly a unique opportunity for students to gain real world exposure to technology development and commercialization."

Director of Preclinical Biology, C3 Jian

“My UCLA TDG internship was immensely valuable because it allowed me to observe, in detail, the logistics and operations required to put licensing deals together. I was also able to gain experience critically evaluating university technologies and crafting non-confidential disclosures. These are skills used when evaluating potential partnering and in-licensing opportunities. Finally, I gained a lot of understanding regarding the patent application and prosecution process, which I continue to use to this day when managing the IP at our company. We continue to work with UCLA TDG hand in hand with all C3’s UC-owned technologies that we have licensed. There is no question that I have been able to accomplish more at my current position as a result of time at TDG.”

Patent Attorney, KPPB

"My time at UCLA TDG was an invaluable period to learn about technology transfer and gain relevant skills. There are so many great things happening at TDG from business development, startups, tech licensing, and patent prosecution to name a few. On a daily basis, I spent time analyzing invention reports, attending inventor meetings, and writing discloses for industry contacts. This experience really broadened my technical expertise, which is a real differentiator in any profession involving technology whether its business, law, or research. Also, TDG officers and staff are some of the best professionals in their field and more than willing to share their knowledge. Finally, the alumni of TDG interns is diverse and full of people that you will continue to collaborate with long after you have completed your Internship at TDG. I really enjoyed my experience and strongly encourage anyone interested to apply."

Patent Counsel, Hewlett-Packard

“Being at UCLA TDG gave me access to the innovators at UCLA and their amazing technological breakthroughs. I recall speaking directly to inventors/professors/scientists to discuss their inventions, so I could better capture highly technical aspects of inventions when drafting the non-confidential invention descriptions. This experience helped me in my career because it relates to skills used when drafting patent applications, which can involve capturing big ideas using concrete patent claims. Furthermore, the exposure to sometimes exotic technology provides many talking points during job interviews. I recall mentioning one particular concept/technology to a hiring partner interviewing me at the firm that eventually hired me after law school (prior to my current position at HP), and he seemed intrigued by the technology itself, demonstrating my technical proficiency that is sought after by law firms whose clients include high-tech companies with complex inventions. Thus, working for TDG helped me hone skills used when drafting patent applications, as well as giving me exposure to technologies to demonstrate technical proficiency”.

Regulatory Affairs Associate at St. Jude Medical

"The TechFellow program helped me to think beyond just science, and more about what it takes to get a usable product out on the market. There's a transition to make, going from thinking purely like a scientist, to thinking like a businessperson with a strong scientific background. My experience at UCLA TDG also got me to better understand what potential employers look for in new graduates trying to move out of the lab, and my time in the office definitely differentiated me from others with Ph.D. training. I highly recommend it for graduate students looking for careers outside of academia."

Assistant Director of Innovation & Technology Commercialization at Louisiana State University (LSU)

"During my internship at UCLA TDG, I learned many new skills not taught in laboratory research, and although I didn’t know it then, this program led me down a new career path. I’ve been fortunate in my timing at TDG, having moved up from intern to associate to a full licensing officer. During my career at TDG, I managed a portfolio of close to 300 different UCLA inventions, and I look back with appreciation at the solid experience I gained as an intern in the tech transfer field. As an intern, I started off in the marketing group and I realized that I really enjoyed the challenge of identifying the best market for a technology and how to position it in a way to make it attractive to commercial partners. Having a diverse research background helped me understand a wide array of technologies and allowed me to naturally associate a market use for them. I still tinker with engineering projects, but have found a home on the business side of technology development. I’m happy that I was able to work for and with many of the professors I came to know as a graduate student, but in this role as a Technology Transfer Officer, I really felt that I could provide a unique service to them and one that started through my internship."