Associate Branch Head (Robotics Engineer) ATAS - Open Rank

Georgia Tech Research Institute; Smyrna (GA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Welfare benefits

Retirement Plans

Tuition Reimbursement

Professional Development

Job summary

Georgia Tech Research Institute is seeking a full-time Associate Branch Chief for the Collaborative Autonomy Branch. The role involves leading research projects in multi-agent systems and requires a Master's degree with 2+ years of experience.

The successful candidate will manage staff, oversee branch operations, and contribute to program development. Applicants must be U.S. citizens able to obtain security clearance. Benefits include comprehensive health and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with autonomous systems.
• Ability to lead and contribute to research projects.
• Experience in managing organization resources and evaluating personnel.

Responsibilities

• Lead research projects and assist with staffing and appraisals.
• Manage branch budgets and operational resources.
• Develop research collaborations with other laboratories.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Experience with state-of-the-art algorithms

Experience with C++, ROS, Git, Linux, and SCRIMMAGE

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, AI/ML, or related field (5-9 years experience)

Master's degree in relevant field (3-7 years experience)

Ph.D. in relevant field (0-4 years experience)

Job description

Project/Unit Description

A full-time, permanent position is available as the Associate Branch Chief for the Collaborative Autonomy Branch (CA) within the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Division (RASD) of the Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). RASD/CAB has 18 employees providing analysis, research and development supporting autonomous multi‑agent systems and associated testing and development efforts. Capabilities provided by RASD/CAB include software development, simulation, and field testing of collaborative multi‑agent systems. The development of autonomy behaviors and associated control of physical systems is a core area of responsibility for branch personnel.

GTRI is searching for an associate branch leader and engineer/scientist with a master’s degree and 2+ years of experience in multi-agent autonomy development, simulation, test and evaluation. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in the evaluation of autonomous systems and their performance associated with simulated, surrogate and objective platforms. Program development and program management is required to develop and manage programs in the area of autonomy behavior development, performance evaluation, and testing.

The responsibilities of the associate branch leader are shared with the branch chief and split between the management of the branch and actively performing research programs. This position is expected to consume approximately 10%-25% time. The remaining time is anticipated to come from sponsored research. The branch is located in Smyrna, GA on the Georgia Tech’s Cobb County Research Facility (CCRF). Travel is required in conducting GTRI research, developing business, meeting with customers and demonstrating applied solutions.

Job Purpose

Lead and contribute technically to sponsored research projects. Assist Branch Head with staffing, appraisals, hiring and technical research activities.

This Associate Branch Head position comes with a Technical Working Title of Robotics Engineer.

Additional Responsibilities

• Personnel management including student and full‑time Research Faculty hiring, performance evaluations, staffing, early career development, etc., primarily for autonomy behavior development, test and evaluation.
• Management of budgets, resources, and compliance with policies and procedures.
• Oversight of branch programs and operational resources and activities.
• Development of strategic vision and execution plan for the branch in conjunction with the Division and Laboratory Leadership.
• Development of research collaborations between other GTRI laboratories.

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, Git, Linux, and SCRIMMAGE or similar simulation architectures is a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance.
• Experience with contributing to large programs and executing assigned tasking.
• Managing organization resources and evaluating personnel performance.

Travel Requirements

• 10% - 25% travel.

Education and Length of Experience

• 5-9 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, AI/ML, or any related field.
• 3-7 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, AI/ML, or any related field.
• 0-4 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, AI/ML, or any 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.