FAST Engine Chief Executive Officer

Department:

Special Instructions to Applicants:

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents: 

1) A resume/CV; and  

2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. 

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience. 

For additional information please contact:  

Konnie Handschuch/Sara Begley

Konnie.handschuch@oregonstate.edu/sara.begley@oregonstate.edu

Job Summary:

The Division of Research and Innovation is seeking a Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) Engine Chief Executive Officer. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position. 

The Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) NSF Regional Innovation Engine is seeking an entrepreneurial and visionary Chief Executive Officer to lead one of the nation’s premier place-based innovation initiatives. Backed by the National Science Foundation and a coalition of more than 95 partners, FAST is advancing U.S. leadership in AI-enabled semiconductor manufacturing while driving innovation, workforce development, and economic growth across Oregon.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Industry Relations at Oregon State University and working closely with the FAST Strategic Governing Council, the CEO will lead a complex, multi-institutional organization spanning research universities, community colleges, industry, government, workforce organizations, investors, and community partners. The CEO will be responsible for achieving ambitious technical, workforce, commercialization, and regional economic development outcomes; successfully advancing the Engine through NSF stage-gate reviews; and building FAST into a nationally recognized, financially sustainable innovation enterprise.

About FAST
Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) https://fast-engine.org/ is a National Science Foundation (NSF) designated Regional Innovation Engine https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/regional-innovation-engines/about-nsf-engines advancing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing through the development and deployment of AI-enabled Advanced Process Control (AI-APC) systems. FAST is a consortium of more than 95 industry, academic, government, workforce, and community partners aligned to catalyze innovation, workforce development, and inclusive economic growth across Oregon’s Cascade-Willamette Innovation Corridor (CWIC). FAST is one of the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines, designed to strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness through long-term regional innovation ecosystems that integrate research, commercialization, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and industry engagement.

FAST integrates use-inspired research, translation of innovation to practice, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and regional engagement to create a globally competitive semiconductor ecosystem with national economic and security impact. The Engine is funded by NSF for up to 10 years, with substantial state, industry, and philanthropic co-investment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the chief executive and public face of FAST, articulating and advancing a compelling long-term vision for the Engine’s impact and sustainability.

• Direct a complex statewide partnership of universities, community colleges, industry, government, workforce organizations, and investors.

• Deliver measurable outcomes in semiconductor innovation, commercialization, workforce development, and regional economic competitiveness.

• Lead FAST through successful NSF stage-gate reviews following the initial two-year award period by ensuring the Engine achieves its milestone-based performance objectives, demonstrates measurable commercialization and regional economic impact, and secures subsequent phases of NSF funding.

• Build executive-level relationships with federal agencies, industry leaders, investors, elected officials, and academic partners.

• Expand FAST’s long-term financial sustainability through strategic partnerships and diversified public and private investment.

• Lead and develop FAST’s executive leadership team, providing strategic direction, performance management, and organizational leadership across a complex, multi-institutional organization.

• Partner closely with FAST Directors and Co-Directors to align research, workforce, commercialization, and partnership activities in support of the Engine’s strategic goals and NSF performance milestones.

• Serve as the public face and national spokesperson for FAST and Oregon’s semiconductor innovation ecosystem.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical sciences, business, or a related field.

• Experience in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, AI, or closely related technology sectors.

• Minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience with demonstrated responsibility for complex, multi-stakeholder organizations or initiatives.

• Proven ability to lead at the intersection of technology, industry, and economic development.

• Demonstrated success securing and managing large-scale public and private funding.

• Strong record of building partnerships across industry, academia, government, and communities.

• Exceptional communication skills and executive presence, with a proven ability to align diverse stakeholders around shared goals.

• Commitment to inclusive excellence and inclusive regional prosperity.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months. 

Final candidates for this position must complete a sexual misconduct reference check, per University Policy 05-010. An offer of employment will be contingent upon satisfactory results from the sexual misconduct reference check.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (PhD, MBA, JD, or equivalent) in engineering, physical sciences, business, or a related field.

• Experience leading or scaling innovation ecosystems, research consortia, technology hubs, or startup platforms.

• Familiarity with federal research funding, cooperative agreements, and technology commercialization.

• Experience operating within or alongside research universities while building independent, sustainable organizations.

• Experience with intellectual property contracts between industry and academia.

• Demonstrated success managing a complex, multi-organizational budget.

• Experience leading a large federally funded initiative or center with milestone-based performance requirements and external oversight.

• Experience building and leading statewide or national innovation, workforce, or economic development partnerships.  

Working Conditions/Schedule:

Salary Range:

Anticipated Start Date:

Anticipated End Date:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. If this position has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at employee.relations@oregonstate.edu.