Senior Technical Lead, External Research Programs - Micron Research Labs (Evergreen)

Job Title

Senior Technical Lead, External Research Programs - Micron Research Labs (Evergreen)

Role Summary

Lead and manage Micron-funded external research programs with universities, national laboratories, consortia, startups and industry partners to advance long-term memory and semiconductor technology priorities across materials, devices, packaging, architectures and AI/compute systems.

Serve as the technical and program management link between Micron Research Labs and internal technology teams: define solicitations, select partners, oversee execution, report results, and evaluate IP and technology transfer opportunities.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The role expects significant technical and program leadership experience; typical guidance in the posting is Bachelor's degree +7 years or Master's degree +5 years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end sponsored research programs and enable technical collaboration with external partners.

• Develop and issue research solicitations aligned to MRL priorities.
• Identify, engage and build relationships with university research groups, national labs, startups, consortia and industry partners worldwide.
• Receive, evaluate and recommend proposals for technical merit and alignment with Micron objectives; support selection and award processes with Legal, Procurement, and Finance.
• Lead execution of sponsored projects: manage scope, schedule, budget, deliverables, dependencies, risks and decisions.
• Report program progress and results to MRL leadership; disseminate findings to Micron research and pathfinding teams.
• Assess IP, publication and technology-transfer opportunities arising from sponsored research.
• Coordinate contracting, compliance, export review, and financial oversight through closeout.
• Partner with internal research, product, engineering and business teams and support faculty engagement, graduate research and internships across global regions and time zones.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience are listed first; preferred items are separated below.

• Demonstrated technical expertise across memory and semiconductor research or technology development (devices, materials, process, packaging, memory architecture, AI/compute systems).
• Experience leading and managing sponsored research programs and technical collaborations with universities, national laboratories, startups, government-funded research organizations, or consortia.
• Ability to evaluate technical proposals and communicate complex topics to both technical and executive audiences.
• Experience using Generative AI and AI-enabled tools to support technical analysis and program execution while critically validating outputs.
• Proven project leadership: lead independently, influence matrixed organizations, and present to executive stakeholders.
• Experience coordinating with Legal, Finance, Procurement, Government Affairs and Export Compliance on contracting and program administration.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills across global teams and time zones.

Nice-to-have

• Record of publications, patents or recognized technical contributions.
• Knowledge of research funding mechanisms, IP protection, export compliance and technology transfer.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships across academia, government laboratories, industry research organizations, or innovation ecosystems.

Education Requirements

Posting specifies a Bachelor's degree plus 7+ years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 5+ years, in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Physics, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science or a related technical field with hands-on semiconductor R&D, technology development or research experience.

About the Company

Company: Micron Technology

Headquarters: Boise, Idaho, USA

Micron Technology is a global leader in memory and storage solutions, dedicated to transforming how the world uses information. The company offers a diverse portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND, and NOR memory products under the Micron and Crucial brands. With a commitment to customer focus and technological innovation, Micron drives advancements in artificial intelligence, 5G, and other data-centric applications, empowering users to learn, communicate, and progress.