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 GTRI Robotics and Autonomous Systems Division is looking for a Chief Engineer specializing in robotic algorithms and dynamical systems control. You will be joining a growing robotics division, and responsibilities may include the development of real-time algorithms for robotics applications, including multi-robot collaboration, swarming control algorithms, path planning, guidance, navigation, and task allocation on aerial robots.

Job Purpose

The Division Chief Engineer ensures successful technical execution across the division’s portfolio. This is accomplished through a mixture of providing technical oversight, serving as a technical resource, and ensuring that the division’s researchers have the tools, technologies, and processes they need to work effectively and productively. The Division Chief Engineer works with division management, the division chief scientist, and branch management in accomplishing this goal. The Division Chief Engineer demonstrates deep and broad subject matter expertise in the division’s core technical areas. The Division Chief Engineer works closely with researchers to align their technical efforts with the division’s goals and with its investments in personnel, professional development, equipment, and facilities. The Division Chief Engineer maintains connectivity with the broader technical communities to ensure internal engineering practices align with best practices of the larger technical community.

This Division Chief Engineer position comes with a Technical Working Title of Software Engineer. 

Key Responsibilities

• Guide division’s technical capability plans by working with division management on the division strategy.
• Ensure division researchers have the tools, technologies, and processes needed to work effectively and productively.
• Serve as a resource to the division for technical challenges arising during project execution.
• Oversee division’s training and modernization investments to ensure they support current and anticipated project work.
• Work with the Lab’s Chief Engineer and the other division’s Chief Engineers to ensure engineering consistency and quality across the lab.
• Develop new research thrust areas.
• This requires deep knowledge of technology trends and trends in Government spending and priorities to identify new research areas for development.
• Lead white paper and proposal efforts. Serve as point of contact throughout GTRI for collaboration with division.
• Provide guidance for division IRAD program and encourage strategic IRADs that will benefit the division
• Attend industry days, conferences; Serve on technical working groups; Encourage publication within the division.

Additional Responsibilities

• Advise on the development of hardware and software specifications and interface descriptions for integration into an aircraft system of systems.
• Advise on the development of real-time algorithms for robotics applications, including multi-robot collaboration, swarming control algorithms, path planning, guidance, navigation, and/or task allocation on robots in one or more domains (air, ground, or sea).
• Mentor project leads of rapid prototyping and field-testing programs.
• Contribute to research reports, publication, proposals, and briefs to our customers.
• Explore innovated solutions for real-time and simulated robotic applications with C++, ROS, Linux, and/or SCRIMMAGE through internal investment support.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for software and hardware frameworks, methods, and tools.
• Ensure that technical work is performed to appropriate professional standards and that technical requirements are met.
• Lead and/or support the development and implementation of software test architecture, management, and infrastructure for software releases.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with state-of-the-art algorithms on real-world mobile robot systems, including field test experimentation.
• Experience with C++, ROS, Linux, and SCRIMMAGE or similar real-time and simulation architectures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance.
•  C++
• Experience with robotics and/or ROS.

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