"Director, Intelligent Systems Division"

Job Description

The Virginia Tech National Security Institute (VTNSI) was formed in 2021 with the aspiration to become the nation’s preeminent academic organization at the nexus of interdisciplinary research, technology, policy, and talent development to advance national security. The Institute grew from the Hume Center, which was launched in 2010 thanks to an endowment from Ted and Karyn Hume.

VTNSI is a national leader in advancing security and resilience through innovative and applied research, empowering the next generation of experts, and building strategic alliances to address evolving national security challenges. We bring together exceptional interdisciplinary faculty, unique research infrastructure, and deep partnerships with industry and government sponsors to execute impactful research and development.

Today VTNSI encompasses three research divisions - Intelligent Systems, Mission Systems, and Spectrum Dominance - as well as the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology, which aims to cultivate the next generation of national security leaders by developing and executing research and experiential learning opportunities to engage students.

The Intelligent Systems Division conducts applied research to ensure complex, intelligent, interdependent systems operate reliably and effectively in mission-critical environments. Our work addresses the challenges of integration, interoperability, and performance across technical, organizational, and human dimensions – bridging design, deployment, and operational use to deliver mission-aligned solutions.

The Director of Intelligent Systems Division is responsible for overall leadership of division planning, personnel, and programs and is a member of the VTNSI executive leadership team. For qualified candidates, tenure-track or tenured appointments may be made in an appropriate academic department of the university. Depending on the qualification of the successful candidate, the research professorial rank level will be determined upon offer.

Research Leadership (30%): The director is responsible for providing technical leadership of the division's major programs which includes serving as principal investigator, delivering work products to sponsors and contributing to scholarly publications, and managing a team of students and research faculty and staff.

Research Development (30%): The director is responsible for supporting division-wide program development efforts through sponsor engagement, proposal authorship, and industry engagement.

Division management (40%): The director serves as the line manager for the team of researchers and is responsible for supporting mentorship and career development, transaction oversight, division operating budget management, and labor programming across the division. The position will be principally responsible for sustaining current research and growing additional programs in coordination with Institute, researchers and partners from industry and government. The division currently is comprised of groups in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Test and Assurance, Systems Resilience, and Systems Design and Architecture, with a portfolio of research spanning national security strategic, operational, and tactical challenges across multiple domains. The successful candidate is expected to have broad expertise across these disciplines and deep technical expertise in specific areas as demonstrated by previous research contributions, academic publications, and program success as a principal investigator. The successful candidate will have demonstrated research leadership and program development skills, including strong connections across the national security research communities, to include defense and intelligence, academia, non-profit, and industry.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics / Statistics, Physics, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated record of research excellence and impact in areas relevant to complex, intelligent, interdependent systems.
• Proven success leading sponsored research programs as Principal Investigator, including delivery of results to defense, intelligence, or other national security sponsors.
• Experience developing and managing multidisciplinary research programs that address technical, organizational, and human dimensions of complex systems.
• Broad familiarity with emerging AI/ML practices, test and evaluation, digital engineering, and cybersecurity, with ability to guide their integration into mission-aligned research.
• Strong connections across the national security research community, including government agencies (e.g., defense and intelligence), industry, and academia.
• U.S. citizenship and active secret clearance, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD TS/SCI Clearance.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive progressively responsible research leadership experience in government, industry, academia, or non-profit settings.
• Track record of building and growing research portfolios, establishing long-term sponsor partnerships, and securing competitive funding.
• Familiarity with federal acquisition lifecycles, test and evaluation practices, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Academic or professional background in operations research or data science, with emphasis on applying quantitative methods to complex mission challenges.
• Experience mentoring and developing faculty, researchers, and students in interdisciplinary environments.
• Recognized reputation for integrity, innovation, and thought leadership within the national security research community.

Overtime Status: Exempt: Not eligible for overtime.

Appointment Type: Restricted.

Salary Information: Commensurate with experience.

Hours per week: 40 hrs per week.

Review Date: November 7, 2025.

Additional Information: Due to the nature of the work at the Institute and this position, all candidates must be US citizens and have an active security clearance. The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.