Manager, Research Computing

Date Posted: 11/25/2024
Closing Date: 01/06/2025, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 40815
Job Category: Information Technology (IT)
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Department: Faculty IT Office
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

About Us:

The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering is a world-renowned community of researchers and students dedicated to solving some of the world's most pressing challenges through collaborative and multidisciplinary research and experiential education. Through rigorous technical training, and unparalleled extracurricular and professional experience opportunities, we prepare the next generation of engineering leaders and change makers to unlock the future's boundless potential. 

Your Opportunity:

Reporting to the Director, Information Technology, the Manager, Research Computing has the primary responsibility for providing strategic leadership and management for the Faculty’s research computing initiatives, ensuring alignment with the University’s commitment to research computing excellence and priorities of academic units across the Faculty. Oversee divisional computing and technology needs, assessing and fulfilling requirements to support the Faculty’s research objectives. Lead special initiatives, including both research and non-research projects, focusing on emerging, exploratory, and evolving technologies with the aim to drive modernization, adoption, and the development of sustainable and secure support structures. Enhance and standardize secure computing practices across teaching and research labs, ensuring consistent and reliable support for all computing needs. 

The Manager, Research Computing plays a crucial role in advancing the Faculty’s research computing capabilities while fostering a secure and innovative technological environment. The Manager is responsible for establishing critical partnerships with academic units and institutes, faculty, administrative staff, and students, as well as institutional units and teams to drive forward-thinking, sustainable, security and service-focused research computing support. IT partners include Information Technology Services (Enterprise Infrastructure, Information Security & Enterprise Architecture, Academic, Research & Collaborative Technologies) as well as Research & Innovation (Centre for Research & Innovation Support). The manager interacts with influential Faculty and University leaders, overseeing and guiding technically savvy team members, managing team priorities and productivity and covering all aspects of business, HR, and operational needs including financial management, budgets, procurement, contracts and intake. 

The Manager draws from institutional, industry, and peer best practices and maintain up-to-date knowledge of technology, advances, and directions in computing, IT security, and IT risk. They will continually evaluate the performance of the Faculty’s research presence. From a risk and security perspective, the Manager will partner with the Manager, Information Security Programs, and others to identify and analyse gaps and vulnerabilities, offering sound recommendations to improve services delivered. The Manager supports research-connected information security incident response and also help guide and support research connected to the Faculty-wide business continuity/DR activities, infrastructure planning projects, and promote audit readiness. 

The Manager is responsible for the research computing budget of the Faculty and makes recommendations for major purchases and leases. The Manager is the main contact with external vendors and often negotiates procurement contracts and product pricing. The Manager is the Faculty’s representative for research computing in all University-wide forums. As well, the incumbent designs, plans and implements organizational structure and information technology infrastructure in order to best support the Faculty’s research initiatives. 

Qualifications

Education: 

• Graduate degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Certification in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation, Project Management, Information Systems Security Certification (CISSP), or any other security certification is a strong asset.

Experience:

• 10 years of recent and related experience demonstrating leadership and technical expertise in supporting, collaborating and applying computational research technology, preferably in a post-secondary educational institution.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in strategic goal planning and overseeing IT operations in academic and research environments.
• Experience working with research groups in support of their computational needs and experience with the design of solutions.
• Experience designing, implementing and supporting advanced research computing architectures.
• Demonstrated expertise in security fundamentals and improving and applying security frameworks, principles, and compliance expectations to a documented operational state.
• Extensive experience working with diverse populations, including demonstrated effective consultation skills with various constituencies.
• Experience assisting with research/grant applications.

Skills:

• Excellent strategic planning, leadership and change management skills.
• Excellent organizational and strategic and project management skills.
• Excellent personnel planning and management skills.
• Excellent budget planning and financial management skills.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (e.g. oral, written, facilitation, negotiation, conflict resolution, presentation, and team building) skills.
• Ability to maintain a broad perspective on business processes that cross functional likes; identify opportunities for improvement; and work with competing interests and divergent groups to bring about positive change.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with a diverse group of people at many diverse levels, including faculty, research staff, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, senior administration, and IT staff.
• Proven ability to develop and implement goals and action plans and operational models, ensure audit ready compliant IT execution and oversee multiple projects (e.g. implementation of new software, creating and reviewing policies, etc.)
• Strong technical aptitude including experience with many of the following: Unix/Linux, Windows, virtualization, back-up, networking, open-source software, cloud computing, databases, fileservers, data storage. 

Other:

• A diligent problem solver who is able to unify and motivate teams, address conflicts and grey zones and drive a productive IT culture.
• Knowledge of research funding and associations including government grants, agencies, industry and partner management.

This role is currently eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, pursuant to University policies and guidelines, including but not limited to the University of Toronto’s Alternative Work Arrangements Guideline. 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Closing Date: 01/06/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: PM 5 -- Hiring Zone: $118,368 - $138,097 -- Broadband Salary Range: $118,368 - $197,280
Job Category: Information Technology (IT)

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.