Director, Mississippi Cyber Initiative

Director, Mississippi Cyber Initiative

• 511006
• Biloxi, MS
• Mississippi - Not located on main campus
• 440900 - Vice President for Research
• Professional
• Full-Time 12-Month
• Opening on: Jul 27 2026

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Position Function: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.

Salary Grade: 20

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

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 operations, including strategic planning,

personnel, budgets, facilities, performance measurement, and resource development

while ensuring responsible stewardship of university and externally funded resources and

fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and operational

excellence.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in

cybersecurity, law enforcement, digital forensics, public safety, national security, or a

related field.

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-organizational initiatives and build

consensus among government, military, academic, and private-sector partners.

• Demonstrated experience managing personnel, budgets, strategic initiatives, and

externally funded programs.

• Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional graduate studies, certifications, and/or credentials related to cybersecurity,

digital forensics, or a related area.

• Senior executive leadership experience within a federal, state, or local agency with

responsibilities related to cybersecurity, digital forensics, law enforcement, homeland

security, or national security.

• Experience leading statewide or regional cybersecurity initiatives involving multiple

governmental and private-sector partners.

• Previous participation in Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI) programs, exercises, training

events, or collaborative activities, demonstrating an understanding of the initiative''s

mission and strategic objectives.

• Established relationships with key MCI stakeholders, including the Mississippi

Department of Public Safety, Keesler Air Force Base, the Department of War, the

Mississippi National Guard, federal and state agencies, institutions of higher education,

and industry partners.

• Demonstrated success developing strategic partnerships, securing external funding, and

advancing technology, workforce, research, and economic development initiatives.

• Active security clearance, or the ability to obtain and maintain an appropriate security

clearance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of cybersecurity, digital forensics, emerging technologies, national security, and workforce development trends.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic initiatives through collaboration among academic, industry, government, military, and law enforcement partners.
• Exceptional executive leadership, organizational management, and decision-making skills with the ability to lead complex, multi-organizational programs.
• Strong relationship-building, negotiation, and consensus-building skills with stakeholders at the local, state, federal, and private-sector levels.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to effectively represent the University before executive leaders, elected officials, funding agencies, and external partners.
• Experience with strategic planning, budget development, personnel management, and stewardship of externally funded programs.
• Knowledge of research administration, technology commercialization, and economic development principles that support innovation and public-private partnerships.
• Ability to identify emerging opportunities, secure external funding, and translate strategic objectives into measurable outcomes.
• Ability to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and operational excellence across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to obtain and maintain appropriate security clearances and effectively operate in environments involving sensitive or controlled information, as required.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• Requires lifting of IT devices, and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor

facility.

• Frequent external imposed deadlines; set and revised beyond one''s control; interruptions

influence priorities; difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work with certainty beyond a

few days; meeting of deadlines and coordination of unrelated activities are vital to the

position; involves conflict-resolution or similar interactions involving emotional issues or

stress on a regular basis.

• Job frequently requires walking, sitting, reaching, talking, hearing, and handling objects

with hands.

Instructions for Applying:

Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/

Link to apply: https://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/jobs/search

Restricted Clause:

Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.

What do I do if I need an accommodation?

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.

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