Research Grant and University Events Program Manager

Join the leader in entertainment innovation and help us design the future. At Dolby, science meets art, and high tech means more than computer code. As a member of the Dolby team, you’ll see and hear the results of your work everywhere, from movie theaters to smartphones. We continue to revolutionize how people create, deliver, and enjoy entertainment worldwide. To do that, we need the absolute best talent. We’re big enough to give you all the resources you need, and small enough so you can make a real difference and earn recognition for your work. We offer a collegial culture, challenging projects, and excellent compensation and benefits, not to mention a Flex Work approach that is truly flexible to support where, when, and how you do your best work.

The Advanced Technology Group (ATG) is the research division of the company. ATG’s mission is to look ahead, deliver insights, and innovate technological solutions that will fuel Dolby’s continued growth. Our researchers have a broad range of expertise related to computer science and electrical engineering, such as AI/ML, algorithms, digital signal processing, audio engineering, image processing, computer vision, data science & analytics, distributed systems, cloud, edge & mobile computing, computer networking, and IoT.

What you will do:

We’re looking for a leader who is excited to advance the state of the art in technologies of interest to Dolby as well as the human society at large. You will have the responsibility to drive University and Industry-partner Engagements on behalf and in support of ATG Leadership. You will also drive external and internal conferences and events that foster deeper high-tech and research talent engagement and offer greater customer intimacy through technology dissemination. This role has both service (assisting lab heads with their external engagements agenda) and oversight responsibility.

University Engagements

• Manage University Partnerships  Collaborate with University Relations and ATG leadership to cultivate relationships with universities aligned with Dolby ATG’s research priorities, talent needs, diversity/inclusion/belonging goals, and brand awareness. Utilize ATG existing relationships, professional network, and Dolby employee connections.
• Manage Academic Partnership Events & Experiences:  Plan and execute workshops and symposiums on technology areas of interest.  Work with individual universities (both at Dolby’s invitation as well as collaborating with one or more universities on-site) for research visits, presentations, and engagement. Collaborate with internal groups to host events (tech talks, receptions, etc.) for existing partners and potential interns. Set and monitor metrics to include ROI-driven goals and objectives; budget; event flow/schedule; logistics; internal/external collaboration; and evaluation.
• Design, plan, and facilitate the greenfield research experience for Ph.D. internships.
• Manage gift funding arrangements through quarterly proposal evaluation process and coordination with legal and finance departments
• Coordinate with Talent Acquisition and individual labs to arrange for internship events and acquisition of a diverse pool of talented research students
• Maximize connections with programs for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at universities (and potentially conferences) including but not limited to event sponsorship, technical talks by Dolby employees, career panels, and other opportunities for corporate engagement.
• Track the collaboration projects for the effectiveness of our gift funding program

Industrial Research Engagement & Collaboration

• Work with ATG leadership to identify research priorities; respond to emerging priorities.
• Work with ATG leadership to generate potential partnership candidates (eg. Amazon, Mercedes, etc)
• Manage specific short-term joint prototyping projects or long/short-term research collaboration processes
• Program manage legal and financial aspects of the engagement in partnership with ATG-partner organizations

Conferences and Events

• Jointly with the CMO organization, organize external events to showcase Dolby’s research, attract top talent, and foster new ecosystems for Dolby
• Develop agenda that includes world-renowned external speakers and Sr Leaders of Dolby
• Drive internal cross-Dolby events such as Ideaquest and expand it to include technology conference
• Harness opportunities for conferences and events at partner universities (for example: Hackathons, events for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in computer science/engineering fields).

Technology Communications

• Jointly work with ATG Techwriter/web designer and CMO org. to create and maintain Research.Dolby.com; labs.dolby.com and sneaks.dolby.com

A senior leader & individual contributor who has:

• ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments
• proven track record of effectively interacting with senior management
• strong problem-solving skills & excellent communication skills
• Strong history of University and Industry engagements
• Experience with the University funding process and ability to work with legal and finance departments to manage the funding on a regular cadence
• the ability to engage with and influence people at all levels
• the ability to interface and coordinate with many teams simultaneously
• a strong interest in evaluating processes to see where changes can be made, coupled with a strong preference to do the lightest-weight changes possible
• a demonstrated ability to work effectively with highly technical engineering teams, with a track record of helping them deliver against a backlog
• an interest in and understanding of industrial research issues

What you need to succeed

Competencies

• Work with a sense of Urgency: Responds aggressively to changing needs and new engagements, and rapidly adapt the changed processes to Dolby stakeholders’ constraints.
• Collaborate: Collaborate with and influence counterparts and stakeholders across multiple departments. Excellent interpersonal skills and proactive engagement are a must
• Follow-up & Follow-through: Use a disciplined approach to improve the overall efficiency
• Project Management:  Attention to detail and experience with project management supporting applications including event planning, academic proposals, and strategic plans. 

Desired Background

• BS or Advanced Degree from a reputed University, or equivalent experience
• 10+ years of experience in University and Industrial research engagement and management of initiatives for diversity and inclusiveness
• Ability to use appropriate productivity tools for program management and documentation and content creation.
• Demonstrated ability to organize large academic conferences and Industrial Research events
• Proven writing and editing skills including proposals, articles, social media, and correspondence

Dolby is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.

The San Francisco/Bay Area base salary range for this full-time position is $141,000-$172,300  plus bonus, equity, and benefits, and can vary if outside of this location. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, competencies, experience, market demands, internal parity, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range and perks and benefits for your location during the hiring process.

Dolby will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of San Francisco Police Code, Article 49, and Administrative Code, Article 12

Equal Employment Opportunity:
Dolby is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our success depends on the combined skills and talents of all our employees. We are committed to making employment decisions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, marital status, family status, medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.