Associate Director, Create-X - Open Rank Research Associate (I/Ii)

About Us

Overview

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

1.Students are our top priority.

2.We strive for excellence.

3.We thrive on diversity.

4.We celebrate collaboration.

5.We champion innovation.

6.We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.

7.We nurture the wellbeing of our community.

8.We act ethically.

9.We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Job Summary

Georgia Tech seeks an entrepreneurial leader with an excellent record of startup and business experience to serve as the Associate Director of CREATE-X working primarily with students with recruiting, programming and content to launch successful startups. The successful candidate will be energetic and passionate about student entrepreneurship, and collaborate well with both faculty and students in the university at all levels. CREATE-X is a university wide initiative. The position will report directly to the Director of CREATE-X and will also work with Georgia Tech students, faculty, staff, and advisory boards, and the local startup community.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary coach and Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) for the Startup Launch program.

• Instruct and guide participants during the pre-launch onboarding sessions, as well as the fundraising workshops in the post-launch phase.

• Recruit, supervise, and mentor other coaches, ensuring quality training and guidance.

• Coordinate and manage any additional staff necessary for after-hours activities, ensuring smooth operations. Attend these sessions as required.

• Offer dedicated weekly office hours for both current startups and alumni, providing them with constructive feedback, guidance, and mentorship.

• Champion the promotion of Startup Launch, enhancing its visibility and attracting potential participants.

• Supervise the CREATE-X team in organizing the monthly Startup Ideas sessions, where students can pitch their ideas, receive feedback, and learn more about the Startup Launch program.

• Head the selection committee for the Startup Launch program, overseeing the interview process during the pre-launch phase.

• Work closely with staff to finalize interview schedules, assemble the selection committee, spearhead the selection decisions, and dispatch notifications to participating teams.

• Drive the planning, resourcing, and execution of Startup Launch, covering both pre-launch onboarding and post-launch phases.

• Design and refine the program's structure, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness

• Source and collaborate with faculty, coaches, mentors, and guest speakers, ensuring a rich pool of resources for participants.

• Liaise with external service providers, including legal firms, investment funds, banks, and more. Ensure the interests of students and startups are adequately represented.

• Lead the promotion of Startup Launch to increase awareness and source applications. Supervise CREATE-X staff to coordinate the Startup Ideas monthly sessions where students receive feedback on ideas and obtain information about Startup Launch.

• Lead CREATE-X staff to interface regularly with alumni startups to keep track of their progress, and provide them support and resources as needed. Supervise CREATE-X staff to organize programs to keep our alumni connected with both CREATE-X and each other

• Lead collection, analysis, tracking, and maintenance of data about startups launched and their founders.

• Collaborate with the Director in fundraising for Launch and other CREATE-X programs.

Required Qualifications

Research Associate I

• Bachelor's Degree in an Engineering, Science, or Business related discipline.

Research Associate II

• A Master's degree in an Engineering, Science, or Business related discipline and three (3) years of relevant full-time experience after completion of that degree, or
• A Master's degree in an Engineering, Science, or Business related discipline and five (5) years of relevant full-time experience after completion of a Bachelor's degree, or
• A Doctoral degree

This position vacancy is an open rank announcement. Final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty ranks as outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook (https://www.policylibrary.gatech.edu/faculty-handbook/3.2.1-research-faculty-hiring-and-promotion-guidelines)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in entrepreneurial ventures (founding/investment experience a big plus).

• Experience successfully taking technology/product from inception to market.

• Recent experience with students in a higher education environment.

• Experience operating early stage, venture-scalable startups

• Experience running organizations such as accelerator; venture capital investor, etc.

Contact Information

Requests for information may be directed to Rahul Saxena at rahulsaxena@gatech.edu

USG Core Values

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University 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 University 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.

Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. This prohibition applies to faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including affiliates, invitees, and guests. 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.

Background Check

Successful candidate must be able to pass a background check. Please visit http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/employment/pre-employment-screening