Research Computing Specialist

This position will support advanced research computing initiatives in a dynamic higher education environment. This role focuses on leveraging High Performance Computing (HPC), with a focus on Amazon Web Services offerings, and other academic research computing technologies to enable cutting-edge research across disciplines. The specialist will collaborate with faculty, researchers, and IT teams to design, implement, and optimize cloud-based and possible hybrid computing solutions tailored to academic research needs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Design, deploy, and manage AWS HPC solutions, including AWS ParallelCluster, and other AWS research computing toolsets, to support compute-intensive research workloads such as simulations, data analytics, and machine learning. Optimize HPC environments for performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency, ensuring alignment with research project requirements. Monitor and troubleshoot HPC clusters, ensuring high availability and efficient resource utilization.

Design, configure and manage AWS Lightsail for Research instances to provide researchers with user-friendly, pre-configured environments for data analysis, visualization, and software development (e.g., RStudio, JupyterLab, MATLAB). Assist researchers in transitioning on-prem/local workflows to cloud based offerings such as AWS Lightsail for Research, work with various University departments to offer training and documentation to enhance adoption

Collaborate with Seton Hall faculty and research groups to assess computational needs and recommend appropriate technologies, including cloud, on-premises, or hybrid solutions if required. Support research software and tools commonly used in academia, such as MATLAB, Python, R, and open-source HPC frameworks. Facilitate access to various national research computing resources and integrate them with institutional and AWS-based systems.

Integrate AWS services (e.g., S3, EC2, Lambda, RDS) with research workflows to enable secure data storage, processing, and sharing. Implement and maintain containerized environments using AWS ECS, EKS, or Docker for reproducible research. Support hybrid computing models combining on-premises clusters with AWS resources for flexibility and cost optimization.

Ensure compliance with Seton Hall University policies, data security standards, and regulations (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA) for research data no matter where it is hosted. Work with University IT Security and other departments on identity and access management (IAM) policies and encryption protocols to safeguard sensitive research data along with reviewing and implementing policies as necessary.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree

Deep understanding of Higher Education Research IT infrastructure, with a focus on AWS based offerings, including development languages, storage and any required local infrastructure that integrates with AWS cloud technology.

Broad understanding of Research computing including Development, Cloud and, Integration design, and troubleshooting skills required.

Familiarity with Jira/Confluence (Atlassian)

AWS (Development offerings), R Studio, Python, Q Developer, Jupyter

Documentation via Word, Confluence, and Lucidchart

Strong communication skills

Salary Range:

112,018 - 154,024

Exempt/Nonexempt: Exempt

Physical Demands: General Office Environment

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Benefits Information: 

Full Time Benefits

Life today is complex. That’s why Seton Hall University offers a comprehensive package of benefits and programs to help you simplify and enrich your life.

These benefits are important elements of your total university compensation package. Benefits include but are not limited to bundled medical, prescription, and vision insurance, dental insurance, and life insurance, and retirement plan. More information is available at https://www.shu.edu/human-resources/benefits.html. 

Seton Hall University is committed to programs of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and the principles of affirmative action.