Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation

George-Mason-University; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University’s Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) in Arlington, VA seeks an Associate Director to advance transdisciplinary research initiatives and external collaborations. Reporting to IDIA’s Executive Director, you will lead program development with faculty, secure partnerships, and scale initiatives that align with Mason’s strategic goals.

This role requires strong leadership, superb communication, and the ability to coordinate across campus and with local, state, and federal

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in related field or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years managing transdisciplinary research teams and/or partnerships.
• Broad knowledge of digital innovation, computing, and technology.
• Strong program/project management skills across multiple work streams.
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate with faculty, staff, sponsors, and stakeholders.
• Excellence in written and oral communication.

Responsibilities

• Identify strategic opportunities to build capacity for faculty-led research initiatives.
• Develop programs with external partners to support transdisciplinary scholarship.
• Support execution of George Mason Grand Challenge Initiative proposals and grants.
• Identify opportunities and prepare proposals for partnerships and programs.
• Provide program management support to launch large-scale initiatives.
• Facilitate regular communication within the IDIA community for participation and engagement.
• Supervise program support staff and student workers as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Strategic partnerships

Effective communication

Education

Master’s degree or higher

Terminal degree preferred

Job description

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 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.