Job Description
Department:
Academic Information Technology Services
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Employee Type:
Job Summary:
HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING MANAGER & RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR
Academic Information Technology Services
Full-Time, Exempt, Salaried, Administrative Staff Appointment
Colby College seeks a highly experienced high-performance computing manager and research computing coordinator to provide top-notch support within the Advanced Research Computing (ARC) team of Information Technology. Reporting to the director of academic information technology services, this position is responsible for delivering advanced technical support in managing Virtual and High-Performance Computing environments and overseeing computational resource allocations for cloud-based computing solutions for faculty in the Natural Sciences Division. Additionally, the high-performance computing manager and research computing coordinator will provide leadership in technical oversight and supervision to the Artificial Intelligence / Machine learning operations engineer and scientific computing coordinator positions within ITS. Collaborating closely with faculty and researchers, this position will identify and evaluate interfaces for compute, presentation, and visualization of curricular and research activities. The position will also support faculty grant management, including evaluating data management plans.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Expert knowledge and experience with high-performance and cloud-based computing environments, including containerized and virtual environment configurations
- Supervise a team of technical support staff that includes an AI/ML operations engineer, scientific computing coordinator, and student technical support
- Expert knowledge, management, and configuration of Unix and Linux in customized environments to support specialized curricula
- Ability to create customized environments using proper data storage and management of resource allocations while adhering to security best practices
- Demonstrated ability to translate research questions and academic subject matter needs into appropriate computer implementation across multiple academic programs and disciplines
- Collaboratively interfaces with ITS systems, network, and security administrators to build and align supported resources to appropriate needs with academic programs and research initiatives across the college
- Ability to implement a software repository approach for systems administration and collaborative software development.
- Working in conjunction with the director of academic technology, procure, negotiate, and maintain software contracts and technologies that effectively support the Colby academic mission
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong ability to work effectively both independently and as a positive and engaged member of a high-performing, collaborative team of professionals
- Ability to work with people of varying levels of technical experience and translate complex technical information appropriately into manageable solutions
- Ability to work in a highly dynamic environment and to handle multiple priorities simultaneously with a sense of urgency toward project completion
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- A master’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field
- Ability to manage server-based academic and/or research applications
- Jupyter hub management, both on-premise/private cloud and in a public cloud environment (i.e., Google, AWS)
- Proficiency in Perl or shell scripting
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience working in a higher education environment
- 3-5 years of UNIX experience, with the ability to create custom environments
- Ability to build containers and a strong knowledge of container orchestration
- Proficiency in at least one of the following: R, Python, FORTRAN, C (or C++).
- Demonstrated ability to translate research questions into appropriate compute implementation.
- HPC experience: design, implementation, and job queue management.
- Demonstrated ability to implement compute in cloud resources.
PREFERRED SKILLS
- Understanding the scholarly research process in a liberal arts environment.
- Ability to assess compute optimization (e.g., parallelization).
- Ability to build containers (e.g., Docker, Singularity) and a strong knowledge of container orchestration (Kubernetes).
- Familiarity with a configuration engine to manage lab computers, virtual machines, and HPC environments.
- Ability to implement a software repository approach (Git) for both systems administration and collaborative software development.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Colby College is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment where every member of the community feels a sense of respect and belonging.
General open office and campus environment. Position involves sitting, although frequent movement is necessary. Computer usage involving repetitive hand/wrist motion is also necessary. Some work outside of normal business hours may be required based on departmental needs.
TO APPLY:
Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the "Apply" button on the Colby College website. A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
ABOUT COLBY COLLEGE:
Founded in 1813, Colby is one of America’s most selective colleges. Located in Waterville, Maine near the banks of the beautiful Kennebec River, Colby College is one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges. Colby’s focus on innovative and leading-edge programs that complement the traditional liberal arts—in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, genomics and computational biology, climate change and the environment, the arts and humanities, public policy, and performance studies, distinguish Colby from other schools of its size. Colby extends its reach, impact, and opportunities through external partnerships with globally recognized laboratories and medical facilities, arts organizations, and a wide array of business partners. The campus boasts beautiful new facilities including the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, a best-in-class complex that has become a center for student activity; the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, a downtown community-based arts building; the forthcoming Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, which includes a start-of-the-art performance hall, studios, screening rooms, and a grand community space (opening in 2023). The College recently established the Island Campus in mid-coast Maine after acquiring the Allen and Benner Islands, once owned by the Wyeth family, to offer Colby students unique and timely cross disciplinary research opportunities in a range of academic disciplines, including the marine sciences and the arts.
Over the last seven years applications for admission have more than tripled, making Colby one of the most sought-after colleges in the country. The College’s unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident in its rapidly changing student population. In recent years Colby has doubled both the number of enrolled Pell-eligible students and the number of enrolled students of color. Colby students, who come from throughout the U.S. and more than 70 countries, demonstrate unprecedented highs on every measure of academic achievement. Investments in financial aid (a 111 percent increase since 2014, to $58.6 million annually) and new programs are ensuring that all members of the community can thrive in this dynamic environment. Colby has raised $700 million toward its $750 million Dare Northward campaign goal, which was the largest campaign goal for a liberal arts college when it launched in 2017. Since 2014, the College’s net assets have doubled to more than $2 billion, its record of fundraising has moved to the very top tier of liberal arts colleges, and it has rapidly expanded its faculty and staff to allow for new areas of inquiry, scholarship, and teaching, and to support record enrollments.
Colby is a private, coeducational liberal arts college that admits students and makes employment decisions on the basis of the individual's qualifications to contribute to Colby's educational objectives and institutional needs. Colby College does not discriminate in its educational programs or employment on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, or military or veteran’s status. Colby is an equal opportunity employer and operates in accordance with federal and state laws regarding non-discrimination. Colby complies with Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in an institution’s education programs and activities. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to Colby’s Title IX coordinator or to the federal Office of Civil Rights. We encourage inquiries from candidates who will contribute to the diversity of our College, including its cultural and ethnic diversity.
For more information about the College, please visit our website:
www.colby.edu
.