Entrepreneur-in-Residence Venture Builder

Proto Ventures is a new model for entrepreneurship at MIT, dedicated to engendering breakthroughs in fusion science and clean energy research by giving thought leaders the space they need to think big, and the tools they need to make big ideas into reality. We are seeking to hire an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (“Venture Builder”) who will lead our efforts to identify roadblocks to fusion power’s real-world deployment, and help find solutions that will get put clean energy on the grid as quickly as possible.

The successful candidate will work under the Proto Ventures office, be based at MIT’s Plasma Science & Fusion Center (PSFC) and work across the entire MIT ecosystem to determine:

1. What problems within the clean energy science space require solutions that are not yet being addressed by MIT researchers;

2.  What combination of MIT people and science can be brought together to build real-world, marketable products that address identified problems; and

3. How to find new market opportunities for translated technologies coming out of MIT.

The Venture Builder must be a well-organized self-starter who has extensive experience with fusion or other advanced science (PhD strongly preferred), a proven track record of entrepreneurial activities, and has excellent team-building and collaborative skills. They will work closely will Proto Venture Managing Directors Gene Keselman and Michael Short to support the PSFC, its associated labs, and Principal Investigators, in advancing research that has translational promise. Additionally, the Venture Builder must be able to identify members of the MIT community with strong collaborative potential and build a cohort capable of executing their solutions-based vision. Finally, they will provide day-to-day program oversight and keep pace with required administrative activities, including interfacing with students, post-docs, faculty, and staff.