Administration of Industrial Fellows Program

Training

Before going out on assignment to a host company, an Industrial Fellow receives individually tailored training covering the following:

• The technology transfer organization at LANL;
• Mechanisms and formal agreements available for collaboration with industry;
• Intellectual property management at LANL;
• Protection of proprietary information;
• Export control and offsite security considerations;
• Roles and responsibilities related to travel, offsite computing, and reporting; and
• A comprehensive overview of Laboratory capabilities.

Employment Position

Position at LANL during assignment
The Industrial Fellow may be transferred to the Technology Transfer (TT) Division, via a personnel action form, for the duration of his/her Industrial Fellow assignment. If this transfer occurs, a second personnel action form will be prepared to transfer the Industrial Fellow either back to his/her former division or to a pre-arranged different organization within LANL at the end of the assignment.

Position at host company during assignment
The exact position and duties of each Industrial Fellow will vary according to the nature and organization of the host company. Generally, an Industrial Fellow will be expected to report directly to a senior officer of the host company but work near the bench scientists and engineers. The host company will also be expected to place the Industrial Fellow on important teams and committees involved with directing corporate research investment and strategy.

Position on re-entry to LANL
The re-entry of the Industrial Fellow to LANL should follow naturally from the assignment. Before the Industrial Fellow begins the assignment, a well-developed, written plan must be in place governing his/her position and funding for the year following return to the Laboratory.

Performance Appraisals and Salary Increases

TT Division is responsible for the performance appraisal for the Industrial Fellow on assignment. Formal input from the host company concerning performance appraisals will be obtained. The Industrial Fellow is eligible for annual salary increases under the standard annual salary management system.

Reporting Requirements

The Industrial Fellow is expected to submit regular reports to TT Division. These reports are necessary to manage the Industrial Fellows Program, to enable LANL to gain from the Industrial Fellow's ongoing experience, and to keep the Industrial Fellow in close contact with the Laboratory.

Return visits (at least quarterly and preferably more often) to LANL and seminars by the Industrial Fellow are necessary for the most effective building of strategic partnerships. Frequent visits also allow for "crash courses" in relevant LANL technology outside the Industrial Fellow's area of expertise.

Travel

The Industrial Fellow usually travels between LANL and the industrial site four to ten times a year, with substantial time at both LANL and the host company. Travel related costs, including airfare, train fare, relocation costs, housing, rental cars, and local travel costs are normally covered by the company. Reimbursements may be handled by the company or by LANL in accordance with the specific Industrial Fellow contract. Depending on the needs of the host company, the Industrial Fellow may be on:

• frequent or extended travel status (see Travel website) or
• change of station (see Change of Station website).

Funding

Funds from the host company in support of the Industrial Fellow will be paid through LANL rather than directly to the individual. Normally, funds for the Industrial Fellows Program will be budgeted through TT each fiscal year; however, other divisions may make additional contributions in support of specific Industrial Fellow assignments.

If an Industrial Fellow has other duties or assignments at the Laboratory (i.e., not working full-time as an Industrial Fellow), the costs will be pro-rated between the programs.

The exact level of funding for the Industrial Fellow position is negotiated between LANL and the host company based on the nature of the assignment. However, typically LANL will absorb the cost of one-half direct salary, full benefits, and full LANL overhead for the first year of the Industrial Fellow assignment. The host company is expected to cover at least one-half direct salary (not including benefits or LANL overhead), as well as all the assignment-related and travel-related costs.

Proprietary Information

To build effective teams, the Industrial Fellow needs to be treated by the host company as much like a regular company employee as possible to build strong, productive collaborations. For this reason, the agreements include the strongest possible protection for the company's proprietary and business-sensitive information. The Industrial Fellow must have full access to host company proprietary information. Initially, senior company officials need to offer strong encouragement to the company's employees to share such information freely with the Industrial Fellow. The Industrial Fellow will receive appropriate training on the protection of proprietary information.

Conflict of Interest

When negotiations between LANL and the host company begin (for example, to license technology), it is not uncommon for the Industrial Fellow to possess, from each side, confidential information that cannot be disclosed to the other side. The Industrial Fellow must ask for and follow legal advice from the LANL legal staff on a case-by-case basis as soon as the potential for a conflict of interest becomes apparent. (See also AM 721, Conflict of Interest—Privileged Information.)

Ownership of Intellectual Property and Patents

Ownership of intellectual property arising through an Industrial Fellow assignment will be covered by the specific Industrial Fellow Agreement between LANL and the host company.

Outside Activity Request

An employee selected for an Industrial Fellow assignment does not have to submit an Outside Activity Request (Form 701).