Research Computing - AI Engagement Specialist

Senior Analyst IT, Research Computing - AI Engagement Specialist

Duke University | Office of Information Technology (OIT) | Research Computing

Be You.

At Duke, you'll join a community dedicated to advancing research, discovery, and innovation. Research Computing provides the advanced computing infrastructure, expertise, and services that empower researchers across disciplines to tackle complex challenges and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.

We are seeking a Senior Analyst IT, AI Engagement Specialist in Research Computing to help faculty, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students use, adapt, and build with AI tools in their research workflows. As a trusted advisor, educator, and hands-on collaborator, you will combine technical expertise with strong communication and teaching skills to translate emerging AI capabilities into meaningful research outcomes.

Working closely with AI Engineers, Data Engineers, and Research Computing teams, this role ensures that AI capabilities are accessible, practical, and aligned with real research needs, complementing platform and application development efforts by focusing on adoption, usability, and impact.

Be Bold.

What You'll Do

Partner with Researchers to Advance AI Adoption

• Provide one-on-one consultations, embedded support, AI support office hours to help research groups adopt AI-enabled workflows.
• Help researchers use, adapt, and build with AI tools, including large language models (LLMs), copilots, APIs, notebooks, Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations, and emerging AI technologies for coding, data analysis, documentation, and scientific discovery.
• Translate research objectives into practical AI-assisted workflows using high-performance computing (HPC), cloud services, and data platforms.

Develop and Support AI-Enabled Research Services

• Collaborate with Research Computing and AI engineering teams to develop, improve, secure, and support AI services, including LLM services, shared training datasets, and utilities for common research tasks.
• Identify reusable tools and components from research engagements and contribute them to a centralized tools repository.
• Create clear, accessible documentation, tutorials, and example workflows that support AI adoption across disciplines and research use cases.
• Contribute to institutional guidance on responsible and effective AI use in research, including reproducibility, data handling, and model limitations.

Build Collaborative Partnerships

• Serve as a primary liaison between researchers and OIT's AI, data engineering, and Research Computing teams, identifying opportunities where AI can accelerate research.
• Facilitate collaboration with Duke data science and research support groups, including Duke Libraries and the Office of Research, connecting researchers with subject matter experts and best-practice guidance.
• Support workshops and other institutional AI education efforts.
• Gather researcher feedback to inform AI Platfroms, services, tools, and support offerings, and align engagement activities with institutional support models and service tiers.

What You Bring

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a quantitative, scientific, computational, or related field.
• Strong proficiency in scientific data management, programming and analysis using languages such as Python, MATLAB, R, C, or C++, with experience supporting, using, or developing computational research workflows.
• Experience working in high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Familiarity with a broad range of AI and machine learning tools and methods, including model training and inference and practical applications in research, such as data analysis, exploration, and coding, with experience using GPUs and scaling workflows on local or HPC systems.
• Familiarity with IT service development and security best practices for enterprise services.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, teaching, and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with researchers and technical colleagues.
• Ability to work independently on complex problems while coordinating effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a computational, mathematical, engineering, or scientific field.
• At least five years of relevant experience, which may include professional work, doctoral research, or postdoctoral appointments.
• Experience developing or supporting enterprise technology services.

Work Arrangement

This position is based in Durham, North Carolina and is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Team members are generally expected to participate in periodic on-site meetings, workshops, training events, and researcher engagements.

Occasional evening or weekend availability may be required to support university programs and events.

Choose Duke.

At Duke, you'll have the opportunity to work at the intersection of cutting-edge research and emerging AI technologies while supporting one of the nation's leading research universities.

You'll collaborate with experts across disciplines, help researchers solve complex challenges, and contribute to innovative services that accelerate discovery and expand the impact of research.

Join us and help shape the future of AI-enabled research at Duke.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Nearest Major Market: Durham

Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh