Research Computing Lead

Salary: £32,000 - 72,000 per year

Requirements:

• We need you to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post, with the necessary professional knowledge and management skills gained through similar specialist roles.
• We require a Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, 10 or 11 qualification (Ordinary/Honours Degree or Post Graduate Qualification), or equivalent, including professional qualification in a relevant discipline, with broad professional experience in management roles.
• We need excellent technical knowledge across a range of computing infrastructure areas, with specialist in-depth knowledge of Linux/Unix enterprise servers, compute, and storage.
• We need excellent technical knowledge of high-performance and high-throughput computing infrastructure and service provision.
• We need excellent knowledge of computing infrastructure requirements for researchers across multiple disciplines, including research computing infrastructure approaches.
• We need knowledge of sensitive data processing requirements, including trusted research environments and secure data environments.
• We need knowledge of UK data protection laws and certification and accreditation schemes related to processing sensitive data for research.
• We need knowledge of administration of physical infrastructure, including data centres, power management, networking, and enterprise systems.
• We need excellent team leadership, planning, organisation, time and workload management skills, with proven ability to prioritise demands and meet deadlines.
• We need a strategic thinker who can step back from problems and assess wider environmental requirements and constraints.
• We need the ability to communicate a technological vision concisely and compellingly to senior stakeholders.
• We need role model behaviours with the ability to inspire and motivate operational colleagues to deliver service excellence.
• We need excellent analytical skills and confidence to challenge and continually improve, with the ability to dive into detail to understand issues across people, process, and technology.
• We need the ability to build and maintain a broad network of relationships with diverse stakeholder groups, establishing trust and integrity.
• We need a strong sense of accountability and ownership of the problem space.
• We need the ability to set clear technical requirements, delegate tasks, and provide feedback.
• We need proven ability to work independently, solve problems, and understand when escalation is appropriate.
• We need the ability to write technical proposals and business cases.
• We need significant experience supporting research computing technologies in a large, complex research organisation, including provisioning and managing compute and research storage services.
• We need experience maintaining IT security and resilience, including risk assessment, vulnerability management, major incident response, backup and recovery strategies, and disaster recovery.
• We need experience working collaboratively with senior technical and non-technical colleagues, with the ability to influence and negotiate at all levels.
• We need experience identifying emerging technological influences and informing senior stakeholders of their impact in technical, architectural, and strategic plans.
• We need experience coaching teams to quickly resolve complex problems in the provision of IT services.
• We need experience managing the full lifecycle of infrastructure services from initial concept through operation to eventual decommissioning.
• We need experience developing new business cases and funding proposals for infrastructure investment.
• We need experience delivering using Agile tools and techniques.
• We need experience managing compute services with cost recovery or access charging models.
• We need experience working within complex or devolved structures in a Higher Education environment and understanding the issues and challenges this presents.

Responsibilities:

• We lead the development, delivery, and operational support of research computing systems across the College of Science and Engineering.
• We provide technical leadership for research computing services, planning, managing, and operating systems that support world-leading research.
• We provide expert solution advice and design to introduce new infrastructure services that support research collaboration and innovation.
• We work with senior management to develop a vision and 18-month roadmap for the colleges research systems and related services.
• We partner with colleagues across the University to establish a harmonised global approach, reduce redundancy, and promote best practice.
• We work with Information Services and IT Services colleagues to ensure security and resilience of research computing infrastructure, supported by quality assurance, management processes, and audit controls.
• We establish and maintain metrics and concise reporting to demonstrate performance and utilisation of research computing services.
• We work with finance colleagues to support charging and cost recovery for research computing infrastructure services.
• We contribute to research computing best practices and respond to emerging threats and opportunities, shaping the strategic direction of services.
• We oversee a sizeable number of complex work packages to ensure delivery to time and budget.
• We contribute to major funding bids, internal business cases, and related activities where research computing infrastructure is a core element.
• We act as a change agent, advocating for harmonised approaches and supporting the delivery of the research computing infrastructure service strategy.
• We act as Technical Relationship Lead, collaborating with PIs, research managers, and IT professionals to identify complex infrastructure requirements and ensure they are reflected in plans and implemented services.
• We provide line management for research computing staff, including performance, development, workload management, and recruitment where necessary.
• We undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as directed by our line manager or Head of College IT.

Technologies:

• Support
• Linux
• Network
• Security
• Unix

More:

We are the University of Glasgows College of Science and Engineering, delivering research-driven services that support research and teaching programmes. We offer a Grade 8 post with a salary of £50,253 to £58,225 per annum, full-time hours of 35 per week, and an open-ended permanent appointment. We provide relocation assistance where appropriate, a generous employment package including 41 days of leave for full-time staff, pension and benefits/discount packages, a flexible approach to working, and support for health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff. We value equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from under-represented communities. We are investing in our organisation and in our people.

last updated 36 week of 2026