Executive Director, Star Park

Texas State University (TXST) seeks a visionary, experienced, entrepreneurial, collaborative and strategic leader to serve as the Executive Director of the Science, Technology and Advanced Research Park (ED STAR Park). The ED STAR Park will report directly to the vice president for research – Dr. Shreek Mandayam – and serve as a trusted advisor and member of the vice president for research senior leadership team.

TXST employs more than 7,000 faculty, staff and students, and offers 99 bachelor’s, 92 master’s and specialists and 14 doctoral degree programs to its more than 38,000 students. TXST is located in central Texas, an area that is experiencing robust growth and opportunity. TXST’s San Marcos Campus is in the southern portion of the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and its Round Rock Campus is in the northern portion. With 2.2 million residents, the Austin MSA is the 28th largest and fastest growing MSA in the U.S. The Austin MSA is expected to pass 3 million in 2030 and 4.3 million in 2045.

STAR Park presently consists of 3 locations in the greater Austin Metropolitan area:

1. A 100-acre site in San Marcos that hosts STAR One, Texas State’s first building dedicated to TXST’s research and commercialization efforts. Construction on STAR One started in October 2011 and was completed in June 2013. The 36,000 square foot facility serves as a technology incubator for start-up and early-stage businesses and will provide tenants access to secure wet labs, clean space, conference rooms and office space. The incubator program at STAR One is designed to foster the collaborative development of new commercial ventures in applied research. This building hosts “spin-offs” from research conducted and intellectual property generated by university faculty and “spin-ins” from companies outside the institution that want to come in and strategically work with the university.

2. A 160-acre site at the Muller Ranch, being considered for the construction of a 64 MW solar PV farm with Smart Energy and Utilities Laboratory and Incubator (project is at the RFP stage).

3. A 60 ksf Life Sciences Incubator building on TXST’s Round Rock Campus (project is at the RFQ stage).

TXST continues to grow in national prominence and the next executive director of STAR Park will be expected to help shape and execute strategies that further elevate its reputation. In research, the university is currently Carnegie classified as a Doctoral University: High Research Activity and is laser-focused on raising its national research profile and becoming an R1 university. Given its location in the heart of the Texas Innovation Corridor between San Antonio and Austin and its burgeoning research and development park, TXST is well-positioned for developing strong, robust partnerships that will elevate the research enterprise to even greater heights and spur entrepreneurial activity in the region.

The next Executive Director will help to establish STAR Park as a leading center for innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship through opportunistic program development, delivery, enhancement of physical space and outreach efforts. The next ED must have strong organizational and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across disciplines, organizations and a variety of constituent groups. A bachelor’s degree as well as experience within a research setting is required. Experience within a research park, innovation hub or technology business incubator or related setting will be highly advantageous.

Examples of Key Activities
Establishing STAR Park as a leading center for innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship through opportunistic program development, delivery, enhanced physical space and outreach efforts.

Develop strategies and implementation plans for creation of flexible, robust and dynamic partnerships in support of the goals of launching self-supporting university/industry research consortia and collaborative frameworks advancing Texas State’s designation as an R1 research university.
Develop STAR Park and other identified physical assets in a manner which supports the university’s position in leading innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship by creating a critical mass of technology driven activities.

WittKieffer is assisting Texas State University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by July 6th, 2023.All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile which can be found at www.wittkieffer.com.

Applications materials, nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Jessica Herrington and Luis Bertot at [email protected]