Rice University · 22 hours ago
Head of Venture Acceleration, Program Manager
Houston, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
4+ years expRice University is a prestigious institution located in Houston, Texas, known for its strong academic programs and vibrant community. The Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship is seeking a Program Manager to lead Research Commercialization and Venture Acceleration programs, helping entrepreneurs bring innovative ideas to market and fostering connections within the startup ecosystem.
EducationHigher EducationService IndustryUniversities
Responsibilities
Leads the development and implementation of major program(s)
Collaborates with faculty and / or staff leadership to design programs and establish long range strategic and operational plans
Identifies promising research and technology from across the Rice University ecosystem
Oversees the operations, administration and evaluation of programs
Identifies and implements program changes to ensure alignment with mission and program effectiveness
Develops and implements strategies related to outreach, events, communications, development, partnerships and fundraising / funding
Devises and manages financial and budgetary plans for the program(s), approves and monitors expenditures
May teach a course, seminar or workshop
Performs all other duties that assigned
Responsible for tracking and reporting on all program metrics and impact
Close collaboration with department heads, directors of research institutes and others to identify promising PhD and Post-Doc students at the Rice Schools of Engineering and the Natural Sciences
You may support other Lilie programming and courses as the need arises
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree
Four or more (4+) years of entrepreneurship, program management and/or start-up experience
Ability to develop complex and/or multiple program partnerships and funding sources
Ability to develop and initiate new strategies
Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously
Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines, schedules, and goals
Adept at problem solving, creating contingency plans and handling issues when necessary
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent client service orientation
Ability to prioritize, take initiative, and ownership of projects
Ability to routinely and independently exercise sound judgment in making decisions
Preferred
Five or more (5+) years of entrepreneurship, program management experience
A master's degree or Ph.D. in a business, science, or engineering-related field is preferred
Experience in research commercialization and related research commercialization funding mechanisms (venture capital, federal grants, etc.)
Experience with startups and startup accelerator programs
Experience engaging within and across a startup ecosystem
Shares work early and often, valuing a process of iterative feedback to produce exceptional results
Company
Rice University
Rice University is a private research university that focuses on providing undergraduate education services.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Rice University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (113)
2024 (81)
2023 (71)
2022 (65)
2021 (82)
2020 (86)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$80.9MKey Investors
"National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute"Advanced Research Projects Agency for HealthUS Department of Energy
2024-09-19Grant
2024-08-13Grant· $18M
2023-07-27Grant
Leadership Team
Ken Medlock
James A Baker III and Susan G Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics
Kyle Judah
Executive Director, Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Lilie)
Recent News
2026-01-25
2026-01-19
Company data provided by crunchbase