Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation

George Mason University; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University in Arlington, VA invites applications for Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation. The role leads transdisciplinary initiatives and partners with university leadership, faculty, and external stakeholders to catalyze research-to-impact efforts.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will develop programs, manage cross‑functional teams, and build strategic collaborations with government, industry, and nonprofit partners to advance digital innovation across

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Relevant experience (generally 4+ years) managing transdisciplinary research teams and/or partnership development.
• Broad knowledge of digital innovation, computing, and technology.
• Strong program and/or project management skills with the ability to manage multiple, simultaneous work streams.
• Ability to effectively coordinate, communicate, and collaborate with faculty, staff, administrators, sponsors, and stakeholders across multiple disciplines.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication.

Responsibilities

• Works with the IDIA Executive Director, local Academic units' leadership, and faculty to identify strategic opportunities for building capacity, developing, and scaling faculty-led transdisciplinary research initiatives.
• Develops programs with external partners that support transdisciplinary research and scholarship within the IDIA community.
• Supports the development of solutions to advance GMU's Grand Challenge Initiative.
• Identifies opportunities and prepares proposals to resource partnerships, programs, and initiatives.
• Provides program management support to help faculty rapidly launch newly acquired large-scale transdisciplinary grants.
• Communicates regularly with the IDIA community to ensure full participation and active engagement; and
• Supervises program support staff and student workers as needed.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder collaboration

Written communication

Oral communication

Transdisciplinary research

Education

Master's degree or equivalent

Job description

Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation

Department: Office Rsrch Innov and Econ Impact

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Arlington, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department

George Mason University's Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) is a multidisciplinary research institute designed to position Mason as a global thought leader in our increasingly digital world. More than 200 faculty, along with their students, staff, and collaborators, are engaged in cutting‑edge digital innovation research and scholarship that will shape the future of digital civil society. These faculty members are:

• engaging in critical reflection on the implications of digital innovations to ensure that key stakeholders – including innovators, policy‑makers, and the public at large – are informed about related social, ethical, political, and economic impacts;
• developing, deploying, and evaluating digital technologies in applications across diverse sectors critical to national security and societal wellbeing, such as finance, education, civil infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, entertainment, security, and government;
• inventing new algorithms, techniques, and technologies that, when well implemented, advance equality, wellbeing, security, and prosperity for all.

IDIA is headquartered in FUSE at Mason Square. More than just a building, FUSE is a dynamic hub designed to foster learning, research, and entrepreneurship. Designed with collaboration at its core, FUSE brings together faculty, students, corporate partners, and the broader community. The facility features specialized labs across digital innovation disciplines, including robotics, AR/VR, simulation, networking, and data visualization.

About the Position

The Associate Director serves as a collaborative, strategic, and insightful leader to advance successful initiatives aligned with both IDIA's and George Mason's strategic goals. Reporting to IDIA's Executive Director, the Associate Director works closely with the IDIA team, university leadership, and faculty to develop and manage programs and initiatives that catalyze, develop, and scale transdisciplinary research efforts across the university. The Associate Director also works with the Executive Director to connect the university, faculty, and students with key stakeholders – including local, state, and federal agencies, non‑governmental and community‑based organizations, and private sector partners – to foster external collaboration opportunities for George Mason faculty and students. The Associate Director actively identifies opportunities for strategic engagement within the George Mason community, works with faculty to identify internal and external partnerships essential to expanding their research and scholarship, and cultivates partnerships to facilitate novel research‑to‑impact initiatives within and across the digital innovation domains.

Responsibilities

• Works with the IDIA Executive Director, local Academic units' leadership, and faculty to identify strategic opportunities for building capacity, developing, and scaling faculty‑led transdisciplinary research initiatives;
• Develops programs with external partners that support transdisciplinary research and scholarship within the IDIA community;
• Supports the development of solutions to advance an emergent George Mason University's Grand Challenge Initiative;
• Identifies opportunities and prepares proposals to resource partnerships, programs, and initiatives;
• Provides program management support to help faculty rapidly launch newly acquired large‑scale transdisciplinary grants;
• Communicates regularly with the IDIA community to ensure full participation and active engagement; and
• Supervises program support staff and student workers as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Relevant experience (generally 4+ years) managing transdisciplinary research teams and/or partnership development;
• Broad knowledge of digital innovation, computing, and technology;
• Strong program and/or project management skills with the ability to manage multiple, simultaneous work streams;
• Ability to effectively coordinate, communicate, and collaborate with faculty, staff, administrators, sponsors, and stakeholders across multiple disciplines; and
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication.

Preferred Qualifications

• Terminal degree in a related field;
• Relevant experience (generally 6+ years) managing transdisciplinary research teams and/or partnership development;
• Experience working closely with a variety of external stakeholders (local, state, and federal government, private sector, philanthropic organizations, etc.);
• Experience developing major proposals for external support;
• Experience working in a large, dispersed university environment;
• Effective problem‑solving and decision‑making skills;
• Ability to effectively cultivate and manage partnerships;
• Highly effective collaborator and team member;
• Demonstrates adaptability and resilience to change and complexity; and
• An understanding of research translation processes.