Executive Director

Institute for Robotics & Intelligent Machines (IRIM)

The Institute for Robotics & Intelligent Machines (IRIM) at Georgia Tech brings together one of the nation’s most comprehensive robotics research communities to advance robotic systems that sense, act, and improve how people live, work, and play. IRIM connects faculty, students, staff, and partners across disciplines, with strengths in the science of robotics, field and service robotics, collaborative robotics, biorobotics, AI and machine learning in robotics, and the ethical and societal impact of robotics. The institute also supports Georgia Tech’s M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Robotics, fosters STEM and outreach programming, and builds partnerships with industry, government, nonprofits, and global research organizations to move robotics innovation from discovery to real-world impact.

Job Summary

Georgia Tech is seeking an Executive Director to lead IRIM into its next chapter of impact, growth, and visibility. As one of Georgia Tech’s Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, IRIM serves as a campus-wide hub for robotics-related research, education, student engagement, and collaboration. The Executive Director will champion bold, inclusive, and forward-looking initiatives that strengthen Georgia Tech’s leadership in robotics locally, nationally, and globally.

We welcome applicants from academia, industry, and government who bring a compelling vision for the future of robotics and interdisciplinary research. Applicants should hold a terminal degree in an IRIM-relevant field. Academic applicants in tenure-track positions must already hold tenure; equivalent senior-level experience is expected from applicants in industry or government. Candidates would be considered for a tenured faculty appointment in an aligned Georgia Tech school or college, or for a senior or principal research faculty position, in parallel with the IRIM interview process.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will provide strategic and intellectual leadership for IRIM’s research agenda, organizational direction, and external engagement. This leader will help broaden, mobilize, and amplify the impact of the IRIM community, including affiliated faculty, students, staff, and research fellows, by aligning strengths around major initiatives, high-impact research priorities, and emerging opportunities.

IRIM is looking for a collaborative servant-leader who listens well, earns trust, removes barriers, and creates the conditions for faculty, staff, and students to do their best work. The Executive Director will strengthen collaborations across Georgia Tech’s colleges, other Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, the Georgia Tech Research Institute, and external partners. They will help position IRIM as a leader in shaping the future of robotics, preparing the future workforce, educating key stakeholders, and increasing the visibility and impact of Georgia Tech’s robotics research enterprise.

The Executive Director will lead the growth and evolution of IRIM’s research portfolio by supporting major research initiatives, cultivating strategic partnerships, and identifying funding opportunities. This includes developing a fundraising strategy that supports faculty success and expands IRIM’s funding base across federal agencies, foundations, state and regional partners, industry, and individual donors.

The Executive Director will lead the growth and evolution of IRIM's research portfolio by supporting major research initiatives, cultivating strategic partnerships, and identifying funding opportunities. This includes developing a fundraising strategy that supports faculty success and expands IRIM's funding base across federal agencies, foundations, state and regional partners, industry, and individual donors.

Application deadline:

September 15th 2026

To apply, please visit: