The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is conducting a search to fill the position of Executive Director of the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM). As one of Georgia Tech's Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRIs), IRIM brings together researchers from across Georgia Tech, including academic and research units, to advance and lead world-class robotics-related research, student engagement, and collaborations with industry, government, and nonprofits. The successful candidate will be a champion for robotics-related initiatives across campus, have a broad view of the local, state, national and global robotics challenges to be addressed, and be skilled at building partnerships internal and external to Georgia Tech.

We encourage both internal and external applicants and welcome new visions for the future of IRIM. We will accept applicants from academia, industry, and government. Applicants should hold a terminal degree in an IRIM-relevant field. Academic applicants currently in tenure track positions must already have tenure and the equivalent rank/experience is expected from industry and government applicants.  We expect that a successful external candidate would assume a tenured faculty position in a Georgia Tech school/college that aligns with the individual's expertise or a research faculty position at the senior or principal level. Such an affiliation for an external candidate would be explored alongside the IRIM interview process. IRIM reports to the VPIR in Georgia Tech's Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, working with other IRI Executive Directors and campus leaders on strategies and operations for interdisciplinary research at Georgia Tech. All IRI executive directors allocate 50% of their effort to the leadership of the IRI and the other 50% to their school/college faculty affiliation. 

IRIM's mission is to ignite collaborations across the Georgia Tech campus, our local communities, and around the world to realize robotic systems that sense and act to improve how people live, work, and play. Georgia Tech is home to one of the nation's most comprehensive robotics research portfolios, spanning foundational science, emerging technologies, and real-world applications, with specializations in Science of Robotics, Field and Service Robotics, Collaborative Robotics, Biorobotics, AI+ML in Robotics, and Ethics and the Societal Impact of Robotics. IRIM helped create and continues to support Georgia Tech's M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Robotics, which offer students a multidisciplinary experience with collaborative faculty. IRIM engages in the wider community through STEM and robotics-focused educational programming, National Robotics Week, and outreach activities that broaden awareness of robotics and its societal impact. IRIM also fosters collaboration with industry and other external partners to accelerate research through the innovation stage to industry adoption of robotics technologies, further strengthening benefits to both Georgia Tech and IRIM's partners. IRIM has dedicated university-level funding, a committed team of experienced staff members, a small faculty leadership team, as well as 150 affiliated faculty and 300 affiliated students

Announcement Date: Early 2027