Branch Head-Electronic Systems Architect - Open Rank (Senior Level) - ATAS

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 Unmanned Systems Integration Branch focuses on the development, integration, testing, and evaluation of unmanned systems across multiple domains. Systems engineering expertise is applied to sensors, platforms, and embedded systems, with a focus on Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) as well as systems in other domains (e.g. ground, sea). Program areas include sUAS, Counter UAS systems, and Autonomy Algorithms. Typically, the Unmanned Systems Integration Branch integrates sensors, autopilots, and mission processors into low cost commercially available surrogate platforms for demonstration purposes. Primary sponsors are from the US military research and development community.

Job Purpose

Lead multiple sponsored research projects. Manage Branch (7-15 FTE) administrative activities including hiring, appraisals and sponsored project success.

Key Responsibilities

• Recognized SME in technical domain. Lead and/or contribute to white papers and proposals
• Seek out and respond to opportunities for new research
• Support presentations and travel to support new business development
• Ensure that the branch is continuing to pursue new and novel research efforts through judicious use of internal R&D funding
• Lead branch hiring activities including development of position vacancy announcements, resume reviews, interviews and onboarding
• Determine branch hiring needs
• Lead role on manpower planning for branch personnel
• Conduct staff appraisals
• Support Monthly Project Status Review meetings
• Coordinate with division leadership as required
• Lead branch hiring activities including development of position vacancy announcements, resume reviews, interviews and onboarding
• Determine branch hiring needs
• Lead role on manpower planning for branch personnel
• Conduct staff appraisals
• Support Monthly Project Status Review meetings.
• Coordinate with division leadership as required

Additional Responsibilities

The Systems Integration branch chief is expected to prepare and manage branch budgets, oversee expenditures, recruit qualified personnel, and maintain personnel proficiency, training, and qualification. They are responsible for managing relations with all autonomous systems stakeholders including support for interactions with external sponsors. Program development and program management is required to develop and manage programs in the aforementioned technical areas including performance evaluation and testing. The responsibilities of the branch chief are shared with the associate branch chief and split between the management of the branch to include development of junior research faculty into project leaders, conducting performance appraisals, actively developing sponsor relationships, and executing research programs. This position is expected to consume approximately 30%-50% time. The remaining time is anticipated to come from sponsored research. The branch is located in Smyrna, GA on the Georgia Tech Cobb County Research Facility (CCRF). Travel is required in conducting GTRI research, developing business, meeting with customers and demo