Associate Director, Industry & Research Relations

University of Texas at Austin

1d•$125,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, Industry & Research Relations supports the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Computing by building and operating industry partnership programs. The role combines relationship management with hands-on ownership of processes, data, tools, and workflows. The Associate Director works with School and department leadership, faculty, students, external partners, and UT’s industry, development, and contracting teams. A major responsibility is managing the AI Project Lab (AIPL), which connects industry sponsors with teams of three to four Computer and Data Science Online master’s students to complete sponsor-defined AI/ML projects. The Associate Director owns the program cycle, sponsor pipeline, project quality, sponsor terms, program evaluation, and communications. The position also develops consistent, data-informed operations for industry relationships, including CRM administration, metrics, dashboards, reporting, and use of AI and automation tools. The Associate Director leads industry relations and partnership programs, including Industry Affiliate Programs, strategic research partnerships, faculty and partner engagement, and campus visits. The role is based at UT Main Campus in a typical office environment, with occasional local travel and some evening events as required. The position is expected to continue, is scheduled for 40 hours per week, and has a salary of $125,000 or more depending on qualifications.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering field; relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
At least five years of experience in business development, corporate or industry relations, partnerships, or a comparable role, with a record of growing and retaining partners.
Demonstrated ability to design, launch, and scale standardized programs, processes, or offerings.
Hands-on experience managing CRMs and developing reports or dashboards with business intelligence and data analysis tools, such as Salesforce, Power BI, or Tableau, to guide decisions.
Systems-oriented approach to program management, with experience evaluating and improving workflows and turning recurring needs into consistent processes.
Proactive and highly responsive working style, including identifying obstacles early, resolving them persistently, and responding promptly to partners, faculty, and internal stakeholders.
Excellent project and program management skills, including managing multiple stakeholders and annual cycles.
Strong written, presentation, and communication skills for technical and executive audiences.
Negotiation and persuasion skills, and a collaborative, team-oriented style.
Ability to think strategically, prioritize, and work effectively in a complex environment with evolving priorities.

Nice To Haves

Industry experience in a technical role, such as software engineer, data analyst, or technical product manager.
Experience with university industry relations, corporate and foundation relations, or sponsored research.
Familiarity with research gifts, affiliate or membership programs, or project-based and capstone programs.
Skill at developing marketing messages and technical narratives.
Experience applying AI and automation tools to business workflows.

Responsibilities

Own the AI Project Lab’s design, annual calendar, and delivery, including proposal intake, team matching, kickoff, project execution, and final presentations.
Coordinate the AI Project Lab with students, sponsors, and UT stakeholders.
Renew current AI Project Lab sponsors and recruit new sponsors using a clear value proposition, sponsor materials, and a repeatable prospect-to-project process.
Recruit, onboard, and manage part-time Technical Liaisons who scope projects, assess technical feasibility and data readiness, and clarify expectations between student teams and sponsors.
Coordinate with UT contracting and relevant offices to establish and maintain standard sponsor terms, and guide sponsors through the process.
Use cohort data, sponsor and student feedback, and outcomes to improve the AI Project Lab model and develop its sponsorship structure as it grows beyond the pilot.
Maintain program materials, including the website and presentations, and coordinate with program staff to support operations.
Establish consistent, data-informed processes for managing School of Computing industry relationships.
Help scale and manage a CRM and supporting reporting tools, taking ownership of the underlying data and processes.
Define and track partnership measures, including pipeline, retention and renewal, partner engagement, funding, and program outcomes; build dashboards and reports that inform leadership recommendations.
Use AI and automation tools to improve prospect research, relationship-history summaries, data quality, outreach preparation, and reporting.
Coordinate with industry relations teams in other UT schools and departments to support cohesive engagement with shared partners and maintain documentation of activities, proposals, and contact reports.
Understand UT research engagement models, including research gifts, sponsored research agreements, and industry affiliate programs, and help companies and faculty identify appropriate models.
Renew existing Industry Affiliate Program members, secure new members annually, administer member benefits, and deliver a consistent member experience.
Serve as a liaison among UT’s research enterprise, School of Computing faculty, and external company, foundation, government, and nonprofit partners.
Identify emerging research areas, develop engagement plans, and lead their execution.
Manage a portfolio of strategic research and industry partners and ensure partnerships provide clear value to all parties.
Organize and lead substantive meetings between prospective partners and appropriate faculty and staff; work with department leaders and communications teams on messaging aligned with the School’s strategic research plan.
Gather partner and faculty feedback to understand renewal and expansion drivers and improve partnership models.
Host campus visits for corporate and foundation partners, including tours of Texas Robotics and other School of Computing spaces.
Perform other related duties as assigned.