Director of Innovation

Job Summary

The Director of Innovation is the Executive Director’s principal partner in leading both the long-term development and the day-to-day work of Innovation Labs.  The role spans the full range of Innovation Labs’ efforts: the on-campus AI/Robotics/Prototyping Lab, work at the Applied Engineering Lab in Bastrop, Polaris, academic programs, major projects, partnerships, fundraising, and future labs and facilities. The Director of Innovation should be able to move comfortably between long-range planning, developing new programs and initiatives, solving immediate problems, and coordinating the people needed to move the work forward.

The Innovation Director is also the hands-on technical leader for student inventors and founders. The role combines technical mentorship, lab leadership, and a high volume of student-facing build support. The Innovation Director will work closely with students on their multi-year, self-directed projects that students develop and build throughout their time at UATX.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Executive Director to set priorities and shape the long-term direction of Innovation Labs.

• Help develop, carry out plans, and expand the Innovation Lab’s capabilities for new programs, partnerships, facilities, courses, and major projects .

• Maintain a clear view of work across Innovation Labs, including the on-campus AI/Robotics/Prototyping Lab, the Applied Engineering Lab in B

• 1. Relying on traditional academic bureaucratic language or institutional platitudes
• 2. Inability to handle intense ideological debate with intellectual charity and rigor
• 3. Risk-aversion when facing ambiguous operational mandates

I build rigorous educational institutions by prioritizing foundational truth-seeking and institutional startup grit over bureaucratic comfort.