Virginia Tech invites nominations and applications for the position of the inaugural Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Computing (IAC). The Executive Director will serve as the visionary and strategic leader responsible for shaping its long-term vision, expanding its partnerships, and positioning it for national and international prominence. Reporting to the Vice President for the Greater Washington, D.C. Area, and working in close collaboration with senior university leadership and the IAC Managing Director, the Executive Director will guide the Institute’s strategic direction while enabling its operational and academic success. This is a rare opportunity for a bold, collaborative, and entrepreneurial leader to build a dynamic, interdisciplinary institute from the ground up—at the intersection of academia, government, and industry—in one of the most important tech corridors in the country.

The IAC holds a distinctive mandate within Virginia Tech. In addition to advancing world‑class research, the Institute is responsible for delivering high‑quality academic programs—notably industry‑informed Master of Engineering degrees. The Executive Director serves as the chief executive of the Institute, with ultimate authority and accountability for strategy, performance, and resource alignment that underpins this dual mission and will propel the Institute’s research enterprise to achieve national prominence and sustained global impact. The Executive Director will identify priority areas for investment and partnership, positioning the Institute within key innovation ecosystems in the greater D.C. area, identifying and working with areas of strength at Virginia Tech that align with the IAC vision and advancing its reputation as a leader in advanced computing research and graduate education. Serving as the Institute’s primary external representative, the Executive Director will position the IAC to expand on its research and educational collaborations, secure new sources of philanthropic investments to reach its fundraising goal of $250M, and advance public-private initiatives that contribute to economic development and workforce innovation in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond. The Executive Director will lead an accomplished team, including the IAC’s Managing Director, who oversees the execution of the Institute’s day-to-day operations and academic programs, thereby enabling the Executive Director to concentrate on external engagement, strategic growth, and institutional advancement.

The successful candidate must be a highly collaborative leader with a distinguished record of accomplishment, as defined by the individual’s career trajectory, in fields related to advanced computing and demonstrated leadership in positions of significant responsibility in academia, private, or public sectors. The Executive Director will be expected to thrive in a distributed environment—both geographically, given Virginia Tech’s multi-campus presence, and organizationally, working effectively across diverse units and stakeholder groups. Equally important, the Executive Director should bring a strong record of institutional leadership, fundraising, and partner engagement, including the capacity to translate strategic vision into operational success, deliver on complex initiatives, and sustain momentum across multiple priorities and constituencies.

Virginia Tech has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this important search. Confidential applications, inquiries, and nominations should be directed to the search firm.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below.

Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Visit to apply: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university-institute-advanced-computing

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