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 a Lead System Integrator for a technical government program. GTRI serves as a system integrator on this program, which involves multiple vendor contractors delivering subsystems and configuration items that must be integrated, tested, and verified against a shared set of system and interface requirements.

The Lead System Integrator will work closely with the Program Manager, configuration management, and technical leads across GTRI and vendor teams to ensure integration and test activities keep pace with program milestones.

Job Purpose

The Systems Engineer oversees and coordinates the work of technical teams on systems projects, ensuring the successful design, implementation, operation, and technical management of those projects. Taking a holistic approach to systems engineering, the Systems Engineer ensures that all aspects of a system project are considered and addressed. The Systems Engineer works closely with stakeholders to understand their needs and then develops and documents technical requirements that meet those needs. The Systems Engineer leads the design team in developing a system architecture that meets all of the requirements. After the system is designed, the Systems Engineer oversees the implementation of the system, working with the implementation team to ensure that it meets all of the requirements. Once the system is deployed, the Systems Engineer manages the technical aspects of the system, including monitoring performance, troubleshooting problems, and making improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage all technical aspects of product or system design and strategic architecture including directing multiple lab resources for large scale product or system deployments.
• Manage sub-contractor resources supporting all system engineering areas (definition, requirements analysis, architecture roadmaps, synthesis, systems analysis and implementation).
• Conduct product or system design synthesis translating requirements into physical architectures for systems of high complexity to include defining and refining internal and external interfaces.
• Develop technical reports and diagrams detailing product or system attributes.
• Direct teams to implement, document, and maintain the products’ architecture roadmaps, designs, procedures, standards, and metrics, as well as ensure compliance and conformity of software architecture and technology standards.
• Compile report input from other researchers and prepare final report deliverables.
• Serve as a resource and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for systems engineering tools and technologies.

Additional Responsibilities

System Integration Leadership

• Own the technical strategy and execution plan for integrating subsystems and configuration items delivered by multiple vendor contractors into a single verifiable system.
• Serve as a technical point of contact for vendor teams on integration and interface matters, escalating unresolved issues to the Program Manager as needed.
• Develop, review, and maintain test procedures that verify system and interface requirements are satisfied, including procedures supporting interface control documents (ICDs) and interim/working agreements where formal ICDs are still maturing.
• Identify integration risks early — particularly at subsystem and vendor boundaries — and drive resolution in coordination with engineering leads and the Program Manager.
• Support definition and enforcement of criteria used to promote artifacts and configuration items from vendor-delivered baselines to accepted, integrated baselines.

Test and Integration Team Management

• Manage the daily activities, tasking, and technical direction of a dedicated test and integration (T&I) team.
• Plan and sequence integration events and test activities against the program schedule, adjusting priorities as vendor deliveries and program milestones shift.
• Mentor and develop team members, ensuring consistent application of test procedures, data collection standards, and configuration discipline.
• Coordinate use of test facilities, equipment, and any specialized environments required to execute integration and test events.

Technical Governance and Process

• Help define and mature the program's integration and test processes, particularly on programs with an early-stage governance structure.
• Coordinate with configuration management on control of test procedures, test data, and integration artifacts within the program's system of record.
• Support requirements traceability efforts to ensure test procedures adequately verify allocated system and interface requirements.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Systems integration and test experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading integration and test activities on a complex, multi-vendor program.
• Experience developing and executing test procedures against system and/or interface requirements.
• Experience managing or directing the daily work of a technical team (test, integration, or engineering).
• Ability to interpret and apply system requirements, interface control documents, and configuration management artifacts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to translate technical status into programmatic terms for non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance.
• 10+ years of relevant systems integration and test experience.
• Experience as a lead system integrator or integration/test lead on a government acquisition program.
• Familiarity with configuration management tools and PLM systems (e.g., Windchill) and with structured data/document management environments.
• Experience supporting or authoring contract deliverables related to test plans, test procedures, or verification/validation reporting.
• Experience working across multiple contractor teams and deconflicting competing technical priorities.
• Familiarity with systems engineering standards and practices (e.g., MIL-STD-31000, SEMP-based programs).
• Experience supporting baseline-promotion or baseline-acceptance processes in a multi-vendor integration environment.

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 Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 12 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 9 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.

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.