RESEARCH FACILITATOR #00097442

Information Technology- Research

Are you seeking to make a difference in the lives of students? Are you desirous of enabling research that is changing our world? Would you like to have a strong influence in setting direction for a technology organization whose mission focuses on education, research, and application of knowledge to solve some of the world's great challenges? If so, we would like to talk to you. If you are a potential member of the S&T information technology team and possess humility, coachability, approachability, introspection, and a passion for building relationships, then we would like to speak with you.

This position serves as a primary technical consultant and liaison between the university's central IT department and the campus research community. The IT Research Facilitator enables and accelerates research by helping faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and students leverage advanced computing, data management, and information technology resources. This role involves performing technical consultations, providing training, and solving complex problems to support the planning, execution, and data lifecycle of diverse research projects. The facilitator will analyze researchers' needs and connect them with appropriate technological solutions, taking a consultative approach to enhance existing research workflows and enable new avenues of inquiry.

Consultation and Support:

• Meet with researchers to assess their computational, data storage, networking, specialized hardware, software, and service requirements
• Recommend and facilitate access to appropriate IT solutions, including high performance computing (HPC) clusters, local or cloud resources, large-scale storage, machine learning algorithms, deep learning techniques, and neural network design
  

Grant Proposal Assistance:

• Collaborate with principal investigators (PIs) to develop the cyberinfrastructure, cybersecurity, data management, data analytics, and IT budget components for grant proposals, ensuring they meet the requirements of funding agencies
  

Training and Outreach:

• Design and deliver workshops, documentation, and training materials to educate the research community on available IT resources, best practices for data management, and the use of specialized research software
• Maintain appropriate documentation on developed programs/reports/trainings for users and for IT support staff
  

Technical Problem-Solving:

• Learn, understand, and guide the development of research workflows with various scopes
• Act as an advanced resource for troubleshooting complex technical issues related to research computing and software, escalating to and collaborating with other IT teams as needed
• Maintain existing technologies and aid in the development of new concepts, methods, technologies, and solutions
• Investigate and test new tools, systems, techniques, and software products
  

Service Development:

• Investigate best practices and reduce obstacles related to research workflows with various scopes
• Identify gaps in current IT service offerings for research and advocate for the development and implementation of new technologies and services to meet the evolving needs of the research community
• Contribute to the development of customer support strategies
  

Liaison Role:

• Foster strong working relationships between researchers and central IT staff, translating research needs into technical requirements and communicating IT policies and capabilities back to researchers

This position is onsite 8am-5pm M-F, and may be periodically required to work after hours, nights, weekends, and holidays as required to meet the needs of our customers. This may include managing impactful incidents, maintenance events, or project implementations

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• At least 2 years of experience supporting technology in a research or academic environment
• Proficiency with programming/scripting languages common in research (e.g., Python, R, Bash)
• Proficiency with data analytic software, and data analysis (e.g. SPSS, Smart PLS,SAS)
• Strong customer service skills with the demonstrated ability to effectively communicate complex technical topics to a lay audience through both verbal and written mediums

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in a STEM field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Extensive specialized technical expertise in advanced computational research, large-scale data analytics, specialized research cyberinfrastructure, machine learning algorithms, deep learning techniques, or neural network design
• Direct experience working with high-performance computing (HPC) systems (e.g., using schedulers like Slurm, managing software modules)
• Demonstrated experience in assisting with the technical components of research grant proposals
• Familiarity with research data management principles, data security protocols, and compliance requirements (e.g., HIPAA, EAR, ITAR, CUI)
• Experience as a member of a highly technical and customer-service driven team, including direct customer support experience in an academic or research environment
• Proven ability to identify IT service gaps, investigate new tools, and advocate for or implement innovative technological solutions to meet the strategic needs of the research community

• Proven capability to learn quickly and summarize findings
• Ability to effectively communicate complex topics to a lay audience through verbal and written mediums
• Curiosity and tenacity for solving complex problems in disparate systems
• Self-motivated and can work effectively without supervision
• Ability to provide and receive honest feedback on team and individual efforts and ideas
• Good customer service skills and the ability work well with a variety of users
• Work well in tightly integrated team environment
• Stay current with emerging IT trends related to research computing and research support
• Possesses an in-depth conceptual and practical knowledge of the IT needs within a research environment
• Understands the academic research lifecycle and how technology integrates with it
• Possess knowledge of best practices in research computing, data management, and cybersecurity
• Ability to build consensus, collaborate effectively across different university departments, and explain difficult or sensitive information with clarity and empathy
• Understand team goals and operational objectives

The anticipated hiring range for this position has been established as $52,916-$100,000 annually.

Salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the individual's particular combination of education, skills, and experience, as well as organizational requirements.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Missouri provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Grade: GGS 9E, 10, 11,12, 13
University Title: DB PROGRAMMER ANALYST- ENTRY, SPECIALIST, EXPERT, PRINCIPAL, MASTER
To review the University of Missouri's Staff Compensation Structure you can view the Job Code detail page. Internal applicants can determine their university title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Applications will be accepted until this position is filled.

Visa Sponsorship Information:
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The University will not sponsor applicants for this position for employment visas.

University Information
Missouri S&T is one of the nation's leading research universities with over 100-degree programs in 39 disciplines. It was founded in 1870 as one of the first technological institutions west of the Mississippi River. Located about 100 miles west of St. Louis in the vibrant community of Rolla, Missouri S&T is an accessible, safe, and friendly campus surrounded by Ozarks' scenery. Missouri S&T offers undergraduate degrees in engineering, the sciences, liberal arts, humanities, and business, with M.S. and Ph.D. programs available in many of the science and engineering programs. With over 7,000 students and 300 faculty, Missouri S&T is big enough to accommodate a broad population, yet small enough for individuals to build high visibility and impactful careers.

About Rolla
Rolla, Missouri offers several great advantages that help individuals enjoy a high quality of life. Rolla is an ideal place for families, with its low cost of living, excellent schools, safe neighborhoods, and a range of recreational activities suitable for all ages. The Ozark Scenic Riverways and beautiful landscapes offers abundant opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts of every lifestyle. With its vibrant community, Rolla hosts multiple events, concerts, art exhibitions, and theater performances throughout the year. The university's Leach Theatre showcases nationally renowned performers for campus and community alike. Overall, living in Rolla offers a high quality of life with a supportive community, affordable living, beautiful natural surroundings, and numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Office of Equity & Title IX at 573-341-7734.