Robins Air Force Base opens software lab in downtown Macon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex is bringing a software laboratory to downtown Macon and it’s bringing more jobs to the area.

WR-ALC Commander, Brig. General John Kubinec at Robins Air Force Base partnered with Mercer University, Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, Macon-Bibb County and NewTown Macon to make this work.

50 new high-tech jobs will be added downtown.

The lab will develop software for the U.S. Air Force in a corporate laboratory setting.

It will be located in the ground floor of The Lofts at Capricorn, located at the corner of Plum Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

“The lab will deliver war-winning software to our Airmen,” the project description states.

“I’m excited that Robins Air Force Base will have a location in downtown Macon,” Gen. Kubinec said.

Gen. Kubinec says the lab will be a part of the software engineering group at RAFB.

The center will create a pipeline between the 402nd Software Maintenance Group at Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex and the computer engineering and computer science departments at Mercer.

“I fully expect that we’ll have computer engineers and computer scientists down here working with the folks at this facility on an ongoing basis,” said Mercer President William D. Underwood. “I think it’s going to be a great recruitment tool for Robins, and I think it’s going to be great for our students to see the opportunities available through the Air Force.”

35 Robins Air Force Base employees will be working at the lab and Mercer University students will be rotated in to learn and work with the lab.

Kubinec says he is looking forward to being located beside the upcoming Capricorn studios.

“This will increase awareness of the work we are doing for the Air Force,” Gen Kubinec says.

Kubinec says Robins Air Force Base wants to be close to the students at Mercer in order to have a better relationship with them.

As part of the recruitment process, Robins Air Force Base is offering $30,000 towards student loan repayment as an incentive to work for the software lab.

The plan is to cut the ribbon and open the lab in January 2020.