Overview:

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.   

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do: 

1. Students are our top priority.
2. We strive for excellence.
3. We thrive on diversity.
4. We celebrate collaboration.
5. We champion innovation.
6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
8. We act ethically.
9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Project/Unit Description

The Applied Systems Laboratory (ASL) is an applied R&D laboratory conducting research in full life-cycle product development for military aviation mission systems for both manned and unmanned aircraft and missile defensive systems. ASL has a long history supporting our military and allies in maintaining operational relevancy to protect our nation with new and upgraded military solutions providing our military forces a decisive edge in an ever-changing warfighting environment. Research areas include human-engineering assessment and analysis; model-based system engineering to define system-of-system architectures, interfaces, and data models; multi-sensor fusion of defensive and offensive systems, automated threat countertactics, tactical data link integration, and mission planning. More recently, ASL has expanded their research to advance military applications of collaborative autonomous systems. The focus is application and maturation of intelligent autonomous unmanned aircraft system payloads (autonomy behaviors, situation awareness, resource management, sensors, and communication systems) into commercial air vehicles for operational deployment as fully autonomous teams or supporting manned-unmanned teaming.

Job Purpose

The Associate Lab Director assists the Lab Director in all aspects of the direction and operation of the Laboratory.  The Associate Lab Director is primarily responsible for the ongoing operations of the lab, including oversight of budgets, projects, and resources.  The Associate Lab Director also provides oversight for the administrative functions of the Lab, personnel matters within the Lab, compliance to policies and procedures, and provides the Lab interface to major GTRI support units, including Research Security, Accounting and Finance, Talent Management, and Sponsored Project Support.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensures execution to budget targets and compliance to policies.
• Oversees Lab facilities, including facilities improvements decisions, space usage decisions, and overhead budgets.
• Develops operational plans and other Lab-level plans and documents.
• Acts as a Surrogate for the Laboratory Director for meetings and other Laboratory business.
• Contributes to hiring decisions and assist with the hiring process. 
• Sustains Lab’s research enterprise.
• Identify new funding initiatives and opportunities.
• Cultivate and create strategic alliances with potential external sponsors.
• Mentors' lab research staff.
• Facilitates cross-lab solutions to operational issues both through participation in special working groups and in an ad hoc manner.
• Develops strategies for recruiting and retention.
• Promotes Lab’s mission and capabilities to government and industry research sponsors, academic colleagues and peers, and government officials and policymakers.
• Assists and advises researchers with proposal development and submission as funding opportunities arise.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Significant experience managing (or supporting management of) large programs for the Department of Defense in full life-cycle product development, specifically in one or more of ASL’s core research areas:

1. Military aviation mission systems with specific experience with system-of-systems integration, electronic warfare, multi-sensor data fusion, tactical datalinks, LVC training, human system integration, modular open system approaches, and DevSecOps practices for software development.
2. Missile defensive systems with specific experience with system-of-systems integration, command and control infrastructures, radars, interceptors, tactical datalinks, missile tracking algorithms, modular open system approaches, and DevSecOps practices for software development.
3. Collaborative autonomy for unmanned homogeneous and heterogeneous airborne systems, systems engineering for uncrewed aircraft, electronic warfare, human system integration, modular open system approaches, and DevSecOps practices for software development.

• A deep understanding of enterprise-level organizational and operations management, to include internal (overhead) budget management, facilities, security, procurement, and human resources.
• Understanding and application of military concept of operations to sponsor requirements in order to define products and solutions.
• Understanding and application of solutions utilizing technology transition (TRL-5/6 to TRL-7-9).
• Proven experience in new business development and securing new awards across a broad range of organizations within the USAF, USSOCOM, Navy, USMC, Army, and FMS.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI Clearance.
• Familiarity across all ASL’s core military research areas: aviation mission systems, collaborative autonomy for unmanned aviation systems, missile defense systems, human systems integration, systems engineering, electronic warfare, modular open system approaches, DevSecOps software development lifecycle.
• Documented examples of being a self-starter, taking on significant initiatives with little-to-no guidance, in order to improve the organization or provide value to a major project.
• Experience working in classified environments.

Travel Requirements

• 10% - 25% travel.

Education and Length of Experience

This position vacancy is an open-rank announcement. The final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty Extension Professional ranks as outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook

• 14 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in any Engineering, Science, Business, or related degree.
• 12 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in any Engineering, Science, Business, or related degree.
• 9 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in any Engineering, Science, Business, or related degree.

U.S. Citizenship Requirements

Due to our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be U.S. Citizens.

Clearance Type Required

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.

Benefits at GTRI

Comprehensive information on currently offered GTRI benefits, including Health & Welfare, Retirement Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Time Off, and Professional Development, can be found through this link: https://benefits.hr.gatech.edu/.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services.  Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions.  This prohibition applies to faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including affiliates, invitees, and guests. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.