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Director of the Supercomputing Center

Position Number: 4852399
Location: Corvallis, OR
Position Type: Business - Information Systems and Technology

Director of the Supercomputing Center

Oregon State University

Department: Univ Info & Tech Admin (JIS)

Appointment Type: Professional Faculty

Job Location: Corvallis

Recommended Full-Time Salary Range: Salary is commensurate with skills, education, training and experience

Job Summary:
University Information and Technology (UIT) is seeking a Director of the Supercomputing Center. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position.

Oregon State University is purchasing a world-class supercomputer to be installed in the new Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex (Huang CIC) in 2026. The Supercomputing Center (SC) will be the high-performance computing (HPC) centerpiece for Oregon State University (OSU), Oregon higher education, and the State of Oregon. The facility will contain a blend of hardware including state-of-the-art central processing units and graphics processing units (CPUs and GPUs). The facility will be a hub for partnering with world-renowned faculty and programs to build on OSU's distinction as a destination of choice for innovation through collaboration. This world-class infrastructure will facilitate the education and training of graduates to utilize the latest computational capabilities and applicable techniques. OSU will be positioned to provide private Oregon companies with access to world-class computing. The Supercomputing Center will serve as a resource to provide the State of Oregon with cutting-edge researchers and graduates to support industry.

The Director provides vision, leadership, and direction for developing and operating the Supercomputing Center as a university-wide resource. Current university HPC resources are accessed by users across academic disciplines including, but not limited to, engineering, bioinformatics, Earth system sciences, public health, and physical sciences. The Director has primary responsibility for creating a campus-wide vision and carrying out strategic planning and implementation efforts for the SC. The incumbent will oversee all operations and staffing, programming, fundraising, marketing, public relations, community and educational outreach, and fiscal management of the SC. The Director and the facility will support OSU's strategic plan which specifically calls out research computing, artificial intelligence and data science as university-wide enabling capabilities, focusing on four targeted areas for growth: climate science, clean energy technology, robotics, integrated health and biotechnology.

The Director will build the university's reputation as a leader in HPC and develop the SC's potential as an HPC resource for OSU faculty, staff, and students, as well as partners from around the state, nation, and world. The Director will provide the SC's strategic technical direction and manage a range of outreach activities, promoting the SC across the university and the state of Oregon, fostering links with other Oregon universities and industrial partners, and creating connections with national HPC centers. The director will lead a multi-skilled team to deliver relevant, resilient, cost-effective services. The director will be expected to lead diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in SC operations, outreach, and education areas.

The position is housed in University Information & Technology and reports directly to the Executive Director for Digital Research Infrastructure. The Director will lead the university in creating opportunities for campus and community engagement, including working closely with central administrative and budgetary authorities, OSU's faculty, and academic units to leverage the SC resources for the success of OSU's mission.

Active support and advancement of university diversity, community, equity and inclusivity are fundamentally embedded into all of the director's activities, both as a responsibility and an expectation.

OSU has an institution-wide commitment to diversity, inclusive excellence and community (https://diversity.oregonstate.edu/strategic-plan). We actively engage in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and student body that includes members of historically underrepresented communities. We strive to build and sustain a welcoming and supportive campus environment. OSU provides leadership opportunities for people interested in promoting and enhancing diversity, nurturing creativity and building community. All employees are responsible for helping to maintain and enhance OSU's collaborative and inclusive community that strives for equity and equal opportunity. All faculty are also expected to be collegial members of their units, and to perform appropriate service that contributes to the effectiveness of their departments, colleges, and the University, and of their professions.

Why OSU?
Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job!

Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We dont wait for challenges to present themselves - we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

FACTS:

Top 1.4% university in the world
More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined
1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.
2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties
7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone
100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates
35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color
217k+ alumni worldwide
For more interesting facts about OSU visit: https://oregonstate.edu/about

Locations:

Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport.

Oregon States beautiful, historic and state-of-the-art main campus is located in one of Americas best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package:

Oregon State University offers a comprehensive benefits package with benefits eligible positions that is designed to meet the needs of employees and their families including:
Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
Retirement savings paid by the university.
A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.

Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.

Key Responsibilities
20% Vision and Strategic Development
Leads the program to effectively develop, implement, and successfully execute a growth strategy that expands current work while also seeking new opportunities.
Responsible for the overall planning, implementation, control, and review of HPC service provision to meet research vision and customer requirements.
Inspire and develop new interest across OSU researchers to use SC capabilities to further their own domain(s) of research.
Work with University wide partners and stakeholders, including OSU Research Technology Governance and the Executive Director of Digital Research Infrastructure to align vision and strategy for HPC at OSU.
Develop the SC as a resource for the State of Oregon, including our academic and industry partners.

20% Supervision - System administrators, user support staff, graduate and undergraduate student workers
Recruit, retain, and develop talent that sets OSU apart from other HPC centers, creating a culture that encourages career and professional development to expand employee capabilities and drives succession practices that ensure a strong candidate pool of future leaders.
Guide, oversee, and coordinate with staff on facilitating supercomputing use and operations, both day-to-day and long-term.
Assign and review work of system administrators, user support staff, graduate and undergraduate student workers.
Establish performance objectives and assess performance.
Supervise technical upgrades of the system.

20% Collaboration
Collaboratively manage the SC as a university resource. Primary stakeholders include OSU Researchers, OSU Students, University IT, College IT, Oregon Universities, Industry, National HPC centers, and participants in funding opportunities.
Work closely with OSU IT groups and functions, including academic units, data centers, networks, servers & storage, and Information Security to ensure integration of Supercomputer systems within the overall provision of IT services in the university.
Represent the universitys interests within the HPC sector, partnering with OSU IT Colleagues to link regional and national HPC centers, and work with the HPC-Special Interest Group (presenting at conferences, etc.)
Liaise with the community of HPC users within the university, across the state of Oregon, and nationally.
Collaborate on development of programming and skills to enable new faculty and student led research opportunities in HPC, data science, AI and ML.
Represent the SC on OSUs Digital Research Infrastructure governance committee.

20% Business Model Development and Management
Collaborates with stakeholders and executives to develop a financial plan for the SC.
Manage, track, and report on the yearly finances of the SC systems and services.
Estimates and forecasts future financial needs.

20% Outreach and Engagement - Work with University Marketing and Communications to:
Develop and execute communication strategies, in collaboration with stakeholders, to expand HPC community awareness of HPC with current and potential customers, industry, and academia.
Lead and manage a range of outreach activities, promoting the use of the SC across the University and State of Oregon, establishing the SC as a vital research tool for internal and external partners

What You Will Need
Masters degree in a relevant discipline (STEM or other closely related field)
Demonstrated success navigating users and systems through an evolving landscape of HPC technologies
Demonstrated ability to design, deploy, and support substantial multinode HPC systems.
Experience managing IT/HPC projects with diverse stakeholders such as researchers, students, and IT staff.
Knowledge of and relationships with the Federal scientific community, including, but not limited to, the following: National Science Foundation, National Academy of Sciences, Defense Science Board, Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health, and other organizations which drive the future of HPC.
Five or more years of operating at senior leadership levels, interacting with and reporting information to executive and governing leadership, executing on vision, and driving impactful results and strategic growth in highly competitive environments.
Demonstrated writing and public speaking skills, including proposal writing capabilities and the ability to drive proposal teams to complete compliant and compelling proposals.
Demonstrated experience working with GPU-based HPC technologies.
Experience with the development, provision or management of training for HPC users with various experience levels.
Demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.
This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

What We Would Like You to Have
Doctoral degree in a relevant discipline (STEM or other closely related field)
Demonstrated experience with HPC job schedulers such as Slurm, low-latency interconnects, and/or parallel file systems.
Experience leading a moderately-sized or larger IT team.
Proven ability and desire to work cooperatively with others on a team; as a team leader, interest, skill, and success in getting groups to learn to work together cooperatively.
Experience working with diverse HPC users that have mixed computational needs.
Demonstrating support for innovation and for organizational changes needed to improve the organizations effectiveness; experience supporting, initiating, sponsoring, and implementing organizational change

Working Conditions / Work Schedule
Some evening and weekend work is likely. Occasional travel may be required.

Special Instructions to Applicants
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 01/15/2024. Applications will continue to be accepted after the full consideration date, until a sufficient applicant pool has been achieved or the position is filled. The closing date is subject to change without notice to applicants.

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

1) A resume/CV; and

2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. Please be specific in your cover letter about how your skills and experience match the required qualifications for this position.

You will also be required to submit the names of at least three professional references, their e-mail addresses and telephone numbers as part of the application process.

For additional information please contact: Todd Palmer at todd.palmer@oregonstate.edu

OSU commits to inclusive excellence by advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months. Offers of employment are contingent upon meeting all minimum qualifications including the criminal history check requirement.

To apply, please visit: https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/147343