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 seeking qualified candidates for the position of Research Program Analyst to provide program and project management support across ASL research programs.

Job Purpose

The Research Program Analyst may serve as a co-Project Director or Task Lead and plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth execution of technical government programs, overseeing all stages from initiation to closeout. This involves the development of comprehensive project plans, meticulous coordination of resources, and diligent monitoring of program budgets. A key responsibility is serving as the primary (or alternate) point of contact for sponsors, facilitating clear communication between the sponsor and the project stakeholders, and managing expectations. Furthermore, the analyst contributes to financial management by providing detailed reports and validating expenditures, ensuring projects remain on track. In higher-level positions, the role may also include assisting in business development, identifying funding opportunities, and contributing to research proposals, demonstrating a blend of project management and technical research work. Ultimately, the Research Program Analyst is instrumental in driving project, task order, or IDIQ level success and fostering strong relationships with sponsors and research teams.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management and Oversight:

• Directs complex technical government projects, ensuring successful execution. GTRI reputation is dependent upon timely and successful o Develop holistic project plans, including documents detailing all aspects of the project from initiation to closeout.
• Coordinate and manage resources, including engineering expertise, manpower, production, computer infrastructure, research security, and facilities. Incumbent is expected to work across labs at GTRI as necessary to accomplish project goals and objectives.
• Plan, direct, and monitor program budgets. At this level the Research Program Analyst is responsible and accountable for million-dollar project budgets and above. This includes budget control, risk mitigation, and procurement.
• Serve as the primary (or alternate) sponsor contact for program information inquiries. This requires adept ability to interface with GTRI technical project leads as well as government technical personnel. Must be able to understand complex engineering concepts and to effectively communicate them to a variety of audiences. Must understand complexities related to managing classified projects and be able to deconflict as necessary.
• Oversee delivery of project deliverables.
• Assist in business development activities within current sponsor base and/or potential sponsors. This involves meeting with external sponsors to determine their technical needs and working with both GTRI technical teams and sponsors to determine how best to meet those. Incumbent should have an understanding of different contract and funding mechanisms in order to assist in determining best option.
• In coordination with the Project Management Office, provide purchasing support and inventory management for projects. Responsible for determining required security measures related to ingress of research items. At this level, incumbent is learning the differences between collateral, SAP and SCI designations and the related rules, regulations and expectations of each security level.
• Coordinate logistics and scheduling for project activities.

Financial Management:

• Responsible for execution of million-dollar portions of projects, or full projects, to include budge control, risk mitigation, and procurement. Provide holistic project financial status to project directors.
• Validate monthly project expenditures against project schedule and burn plan.
• Maintain information within appropriate systems of record.

Administrative Support:

• Act as the project's primary interface with support units, managing relationships to handle operational or administrative challenges.
• Interface with and learn how to work with project resources (internal and external).

Communication and Collaboration:

• Lead programmatic discussions and updates during team meetings.
• Prioritize administrative needs for the technical lead.
• Independently conduct tasks and assist in the coordination for project deliverables.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support the Program Manager/Project Director with sponsor meetings and engagements.
• Track and coordinate all contract deliverables and across internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop, track, and maintain program budgets across multi-million-dollar programs.
• Provide program management support to all requirement, design, and test review meetings.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Familiarity with project management and financial management concepts.
• Experience in providing program and project management support.
• Experience coordinating across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Expert proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance.
• 5+ years of experience in providing program and project management support.
• Experience with Microsoft Project.
• Experience working on DoD programs.
• Experience interfacing and coordinating on complex programs across multiple vendors.
• Experience writing and submitting technical cost proposals and whitepapers.

Travel Requirements

<10% 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

• 2 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in a STEM-related discipline, including Engineering, Science, Mathematics, is preferred.  An equivalent combination of relevant education, professional experience, and demonstrated expertise may be considered in lieu of the preferred STEM degree requirement.
• 0 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in a STEM-related discipline, including Engineering, Science, Mathematics, is preferred.  An equivalent combination of relevant education, professional experience, and demonstrated expertise may be considered in lieu of the preferred STEM degree requirement.

Please refer to our Research Faculty Technical Level Guidelines for minimum requirements at the higher levels.

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.