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 Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is searching for a highly qualified candidate to lead enterprise-wide business development and strategic sponsor engagement activities at our Field Office in Huntsville, AL. This position sustains technical research and development activities primarily between government agencies and GTRI.

This position will work under the Deputy Director for Research in the Electronics, Optics, and Systems Directorate and will represent all of GTRI. This position develops and maintains relationships across local government, industry, professional and academic organizations to strengthen research and development outcomes for sponsored programs. Additionally, the BD Manager researches, develops, and executes strategic and tactical plans in coordination with each of the GTRI Directorates and ensures that GTRI is represented favorably across Redstone Arsenal and the Greater Huntsville community. This position would need to closely coordinate with all GTRI Laboratories to synchronize and deconflict efforts with our current sponsor base.

Below is an initial but not comprehensive list of organizations that the successful candidate would be expected to establish and maintain a relationship with:

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center; US Army Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center; Missile Defense Agency; DIA/Missile & Space Intelligence Center; US Army Aviation & Missile Command; PEO Aviation; US Army Materiel Command; Redstone Test Center; PEO Missiles and Space; US Army Space & Missile Defense Command; Logistics Data Analysis Center; US Army Contracting Command; US Army Security Assistance Command; ATF National Center for Explosives Training and Research; FBI Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center; FBI Hazardous Device School; US Army Engineering & Support Center.

Job Purpose

Business Development (BD) Managers provide direct support for GTRI-wide customer engagement, contract vehicle capture activities, and contract/program management. Customer engagement includes developing, establishing, and maintaining relationships between GTRI, strategic partners and customers, especially the Department of Defense. In support of GTRI leadership, BD Managers identify, develop, and implement near-term and long-term business strategies relating to GTRI science and technology (S&T) and research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) activities. BD Managers actively identify potential sponsors and opportunities, coordinate staffing requirements with laboratory leadership, and provide and manage contract vehicles to support GTRI research staff and technical activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Occasionally lead and often support BD activities for GTRI and across all Directorates, Laboratories and Field Offices, not just those in direct reporting chain
• Provide significant support for GTRI-wide customer engagement, contract vehicle capture activities, and contract/program management
• Assist with providing direction and overall management for BD staff
• May serve as the initial and primary interface between research sponsors and GTRI research laboratories
• Develop, establish, and maintain relationships between GTRI, strategic partners and customers, especially the Department of Defense
• Provide input to GTRI leadership for strategy development, strategic vision, and assists with developing an execution plan for future GTRI research and development and business growth
• Contribute significantly to implementation of near-term and long-term business strategies relating to GTRI science and technology (S&T) and research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) activities
• Actively identify potential sponsors and opportunities, coordinate staffing requirements with laboratory leadership, and provide and manage contract vehicles to support GTRI research staff and technical activities
• Assist with coordination and support for customer engagements and VIP visits
• Contribute to vision/roadmap for the establishment and continuity of contract vehicles with the characteristics of agility, flexibility and usability across GTRI
• Assist all GTRI Directorates, Laboratories and Field Offices and the Government with establishing and executing contract vehicles, competitive and non-competitive
• Contribute significantly to marketing and facilitating the establishment of new contract vehicles with Government sponsors
• Support and often lead capture team, proposal writing, and/or ensures support for GTRI IDIQs and task orders that cut across Laboratories and Directorates
• Aid with contract management support and de-confliction for “non-traditional” contracts/agreements (e.g., Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contracts, Proprietary Information Agreements (PIA), Master Research Agreements (MRAs), etc.)
• Provide business operations support as needed to promote synchronization of business activities (e.g., teaming agreements, conflict of interest determination, etc.)
• Provide contract/program management support for nascent and strategic GTRI-wide IDIQs and task orders contracts as required
• Aid security coordination to enable researcher access and support (e.g., DD254s, CAC/PKI cards, SCI clearances, network connectivity, etc.) as required and as applicable to the contracts they manage

Additional Responsibilities

• Serve as GTRI’s main point of contact for stakeholder engagement strategy with sponsors on the Redstone Arsenal
• Lead proposal efforts to maintain existing relationships with Redstone Arsenal stakeholders, and grow new business applying related acquisition support work to other US Army, DOD, and other Federal Sponsors
• Participate in routine GTRI/Directorate/Lab meetings in order to inform leadership on current and future opportunities and business intelligence related to the Redstone Arsenal
• Contribute as a subject matter expert to sponsored research, specifically for Redstone sponsors
• Support GTRI Project Directors in successful execution of sponsored programs with Redstone Arsenal sponsors through on-premise support, coordination, and guidance
• Coordinate, synchronize, and deconflict efforts with the labs working in the GTRI Huntsville Research Center and across GTRI

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Meet the requirements for Senior or Principal Researcher at Georgia Tech, per Section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech faculty handbook (https://policylibrary.gatech.edu/faculty-handbook/3.2.1-research-faculty-hiring-and-promotion-guidelines)
• Significant experience working with the tenant units on the Redstone Arsenal
• Strong working knowledge of US Army and DoD acquisition and DoD research enterprise
• Experience facilitating dialogue, collaboration, and partnerships among research personnel, government, and industry stakeholders
• Experience leading small to mid-size teams and/or projects
• Experience serving as a program manager for efforts involving multiple teams
• Experience with operational planning and requirements development
• Familiarity with military operations, planning, and requirements
• Significant experience managing large programs for the Department of Defense, specifically in one or more of GTRI’s core technical competencies (https://www.gtri.gatech.edu/expertise)
• Experience engaging with a diverse sponsor base to support both existing programs and in pursuit of new awards
• Proven track record of leading within highly technical organizations with a broad range of experience working with the Federal Government
• Management experience that includes: overseeing budgets, projects, and resources; staffing and personnel performance evaluations; and review of performance data to measure productivity and determine areas for improvement
• Leadership experience that includes: developing and executing strategy and vision; developing and maintaining stakeholder relationships; coaching and empowering personnel; and developing and prioritizing long-range research directions
• Strong technical background and leadership experience in national security research applications
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating and working across organizational boundaries
• Have an active Secret level security clearance (must be capable of obtaining and maintaining a Top Secret/SCI security clearance)

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI Clearance
• Experience leading defense acquisition programs
• Experience conducting briefings and interacting with General Officer and Senior Executive Service (SES) level leadership
• Strong relationships with Government entities on the Redstone Arsenal
• Experience with large government research programs and/or contract vehicles
• Experience planning complex engineering work and leading engineering teams in the execution of that work
• Experience providing senior management oversight for a portfolio of sponsored research programs
• 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

Travel Requirements

10% - 25% travel

Education and Length of Experience

Levels 5, 6

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, Management, or related degree, or equivalent experience serving in the US Armed Forces
• 12 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in any Engineering, Science, Business, Management, or related degree, or equivalent experience serving in the US Armed Forces 
• 9 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in any Engineering, Science, Business, Management, or related degree, or equivalent experience serving in the US Armed Forces

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 Institute 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 Institute 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.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (“USG”) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual’s race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. 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.