Research Computing Specialist Jobs

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

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Amherst College invites applications for the Research Computing Specialist (RCS) position. The RCS is a full-time, year-round position, with a starting salary of $70,000 per year. Given Amherst’s distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will bring value and actively contribute to a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment while supporting a broadly diverse community.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the cutting edge of new research technologies and help advance the vision for interdisciplinary research applications in a small liberal arts environment. Additionally, the work carried out by this position will play a vital role in meeting the College's commitment to fully utilize our recent National Science Foundation (NSF) NSF MRI HPC equipment grant.

The primary role of the RCS is to enhance the current IT support for the curriculum and academic research. Reporting to the Director of Technology for Curriculum and Research, the RCS will provide support in the application of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and other computing-intensive technologies such as extended reality and 3D modeling, for teaching, learning, research, decision making, and publications. Working alongside a team of Academic Technology Services (ATS) specialists, the RCS will engage in faculty, staff, and student outreach and foster a sense of community around research computing initiatives. They will serve as a vital liaison between IT and faculty, translating education and research objectives into actionable applications.

The work of the RCS will contribute to ongoing institutional initiatives like the Artificial Intelligence in the Liberal Arts (AILA) and Data Science programs. They will also foster collaboration between faculty and students from STEM and Humanities disciplines, encouraging interdisciplinary thought and action. They will consult with and support faculty on the design, development, launch, and ongoing use of intensive and customized computing projects. Working within a connected learning network that includes IT partners (HPC Administrator, Senior Academic Technology Specialist), the Five Colleges consortium, and the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) colleagues, the RCS will contribute to academic and research success.

The RCS will work independently as well as collaboratively to evaluate, select, plan and implement research applications, track trends and new technologies in the field, and recommend solutions for meeting the institution’s research objectives. They will deepen existing connections with faculty and academic research stakeholders and facilitate the faculty outreach initiatives.

The RCS will coordinate year-long training and outreach programs in close collaboration with the IT staff. They will develop and implement robust standards and practices for HPC applications, create documentation, and ensure their integration into curricular activities as well as independent research endeavors. The RCS will be equally adept at facilitating comprehensive training sessions in various formats, including remote, in-person, and asynchronous settings. In collaboration with ATS teammates, they will evaluate the effectiveness of the research support and identify opportunities for iterative improvement.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Academic Technology Services - Overview

The primary function of the Academic Technology Services unit within IT is to support faculty and students in their academic work through the effective integration of digital tools and methodologies. The RCS serves as the critical human link to foster needs-based research. For this, they work with faculty, research staff, students, and other team members both (a) to identify and resolve technical obstacles to the work of computing-intensive and data-intensive research and (b) to build a Community of Practice by designing process mechanisms for collaboration and community building.

The successful candidate will be given training as required to expand their knowledge and expertise.

Research Computing

High-Performance Computing (HPC) - Primary area of academic tech support

In addition to the HPC expertise, this position seeks prior experience in at least TWO of the following areas:

Community Building, Training, and Outreach

Primarily responsible for connecting faculty, instructional staff, and students in the academic research community by identifying converging interests, and cultivating relationships. Work with faculty from STEM and other disciplines, adopt interdisciplinary and inclusive approaches in your practices and interactions

Work Location

Due to the nature of the position, this is an on-campus position, and work outside normal hours of operation may be required. There will be opportunities for a hybrid work schedule.

Qualifications

Required

Preferred

Amherst College offers many opportunities for professional growth and development, continued learning, and career advancement.

Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation, so it is critical that you review all of the options to ensure it meets your total compensation requirements. Click here for .

Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Career icon from their Workday home screen) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.