Director, Mississippi Cyber Initiative

Director of the Mississippi Cyber Initiative

The Director of the Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI) serves as the chief executive responsible for advancing statewide cybersecurity strategies through collaboration among academia, industry, federal and state government, the Department of War, law enforcement, and private-sector partners. Reporting to the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, the Director provides strategic vision, executive leadership, and operational oversight for a comprehensive university-led cybersecurity initiative, positioning Mississippi as a leader in cybersecurity, technology innovation, workforce development, applied research, and economic development.

The Director, working with the Mississippi State University Research and Technology Corporation, also assists with executive oversight for the Mississippi Cyber & Technology Center (MCTC), the operational headquarters of the MCI, and leads its continued growth as a statewide hub for cyber operations, workforce development, digital forensics, research, technology commercialization, and public-private collaboration. Working collaboratively with university leadership, Keesler Air Force Base, government agencies, military partners, institutions of higher education, and private industry, the Director develops and advances a statewide cybersecurity ecosystem that strengthens Mississippi's cyber capabilities while supporting national security, innovation, and economic growth.

This position will be stationed at the Mississippi Cyber & Technology Center in Biloxi, MS.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides strategic leadership for the Mississippi Cyber Initiative by establishing its long-term vision, strategic priorities, and operational objectives while ensuring alignment with Mississippi State University's mission and the cybersecurity needs of the State of Mississippi.
• Provides executive leadership for the Mississippi Cyber & Technology Center (MCTC), located in Biloxi, Mississippi, and assists with overseeing its activation, operation, programming, and future expansion while recruiting industry partners, local, state and federal agencies, and emerging technology companies that enhance the Center's capabilities and economic impact.
• Serves as Mississippi State University's principal representative for statewide cybersecurity initiatives by developing and maintaining strategic partnerships with Keesler Air Force Base, the Mississippi National Guard, the Department of War, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, federal and state agencies, law enforcement organizations, institutions of higher education, economic development organizations, and private industry to strengthen cybersecurity readiness and statewide collaboration.
• Provides executive oversight for statewide cybersecurity education and workforce development initiatives, including the Mississippi Cyber Ecosystem and Training Range, by expanding educational partnerships, professional training, experiential learning opportunities, and workforce programs that support government, military, academic, and industry partners.
• Oversees the Mississippi Digital Forensics Laboratory and related digital evidence initiatives, providing strategic leadership for services supporting law enforcement agencies throughout Mississippi. In collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and other local, state, and federal partners, the Director advances standardized digital forensic capabilities statewide through collaborative partnerships, technical assistance, training, and innovative technologies that strengthen investigative capacity and enhance public safety.
• Promotes multidisciplinary research and innovation by fostering collaboration among faculty, government laboratories, industry, and strategic partners in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing, modeling and simulation, critical infrastructure protection, and other emerging technologies, while supporting technology commercialization and the pursuit of external funding.
• Provides strategic coordination across Mississippi State University's cybersecurity enterprise by working closely with the Directors of the Center for Cyber Education, the Center for Cyber Innovation, and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering to identify collaborative opportunities, align strategic priorities, and deliver integrated education, research, workforce development, and technical capabilities that advance the mission of the Mississippi Cyber Initiative and the Mississippi Cyber & Technology Center.
• Advances economic development initiatives by positioning the Mississippi Cyber & Technology Center as a catalyst for business recruitment, technology investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, and high-wage job creation while strengthening partnerships with technology companies, defense contractors, and economic development organizations.
• Provides executive oversight for organizational…