George Mason University
Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation
🇺🇸 Arlington, VA
🕑 Full-Time
💰 TBD
💻 Operations
🗓️ October 22nd, 2025
Edtech.com's Summary
George Mason University is hiring an Associate Director for the Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) to lead and advance interdisciplinary research initiatives. The role involves collaborating with university leadership, faculty, and external partners to develop and manage programs that promote transdisciplinary research and foster strategic engagement within the digital innovation community.
Highlights
- Lead development and scaling of faculty-led transdisciplinary research initiatives.
- Manage programs with external partners supporting digital innovation scholarship.
- Support emergent university Grand Challenge Initiatives and resource proposal preparation.
- Provide program management for large-scale transdisciplinary grants.
- Supervise program support staff and student workers.
- Master’s degree required; 4+ years of relevant experience in managing research teams or partnerships.
- Broad knowledge of digital innovation, computing, and technology.
- Strong program/project management and communication skills.
- Preferred qualifications include a terminal degree, 6+ years managing research teams, and experience with external stakeholder collaboration and proposal development.
- IDIA operates within a multidisciplinary research environment engaging over 200 faculty in digital innovation across diverse sectors.
Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation Full 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; andInventing new algorithms, techniques, and technologies that, when well implemented, advance equality, wellbeing, security, and prosperity for all.IDIA is headquartered in the FUSE building 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 University'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 University 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 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; andSupervises program support staff and student workers as needed.
Required Qualifications:
Master’s degree in 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; andDemonstrated excellence in written and oral communication.
Preferred Qualifications:Terminal degree in 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; andAn understanding of research translation processes.
Instructions to Applicants: For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.
Posting Open Date: October 20, 2025
For Full Consideration, Apply by: November 10, 2025
Open Until Filled: Yes
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; andInventing new algorithms, techniques, and technologies that, when well implemented, advance equality, wellbeing, security, and prosperity for all.IDIA is headquartered in the FUSE building 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 University'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 University 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 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; andSupervises program support staff and student workers as needed.
Required Qualifications:
Master’s degree in 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; andDemonstrated excellence in written and oral communication.
Preferred Qualifications:Terminal degree in 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; andAn understanding of research translation processes.
Instructions to Applicants: For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Associate Director, Institute for Digital Innovation at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.
Posting Open Date: October 20, 2025
For Full Consideration, Apply by: November 10, 2025
Open Until Filled: Yes
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