Center Director, Penn Advanced Research Computing Center (PARCC) - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Center Director, Penn Advanced Research Computing Center (PARCC)





Job Profile Title

Information Technology Director Senior





Job Description Summary

Penn seeks an accomplished and visionary leader to serve as the Center Director for our new Penn Advanced Research Computing Center (PARCC). PARCC is a critical hub for cutting-edge computational research, providing resources, expertise, and support to faculty and researchers across diverse disciplines. As the Center Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of research computing at Penn.


PARCC is an institutional resource providing flexible computing, storage, and networking infrastructure to meet Penn’s diverse research computation needs. PARCC will offer stratified computational and storage options over various cost levels. A flexible solution is imperative to meet the needs of a heterogeneous end-user community with generalist solutions that provide resources for most users. For example, PARCC will offer general high-performance computing (HPC) for most users and a condo model for faculty who prefer owning their hardware but can utilize co-location with more extensive resources. Hot data storage co-location will increase data transfer speeds and cost efficiency. Adding cloud bursting configuration will provide real-time capacity expansion during peak usage or surge scenarios.


PARCC will have a support team consisting of technical specialists (technical support and maintenance) and technical consultants (experts in specific disciplines related to Penn research) to assist with the transition and integration between research computation activities in the data center and research computation activities in the public cloud. Assisting researchers using the appropriate computational and storage tools will result in cost and performance efficiencies.





Job Description


Job Responsibilities



+ Strategic Leadership - Continue developing and executing the strategic vision for PARCC, aligning with the university's research priorities and technological advancements. - Developing and communicating a clear vision for the center’s growth and impact. - Collaborate with academic schools, departments, research centers, and external partners to identify emerging computational needs and opportunities. - Foster interdisciplinary collaboration by promoting the use of computational resources across various domains. - Identifying opportunities for innovation and growth within the center. - Aligning the center’s goals with the university’s overall research strategy.


+ Technical Knowledge and Experience - An in-depth knowledge of high-performance computing (HPC) systems, cloud computing, and data management. - Familiarity with the fast-evolving landscape of AI and associated hardware needs, including state-of-the-art GPUs. - Familiarity with computational tools, software, and programming languages commonly used in research. - Ability to assess and recommend appropriate hardware and software solutions for research projects. - Familiarity with federal facilities relevant to university needs, such as the newly established NAIRR for AI applications. - Understanding of evolving research data cybersecurity needs.


+ Resource Management - Oversee PARCC's computational infrastructure, including high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, GPU clusters, storage systems, and networking. - Allocate resources efficiently, balancing the needs of diverse research projects. - Ensure scalability, reliability, and security of PARCC's systems. - Managing budgeting and resource allocation effectively. - Overseeing complex research projects and ensuring timely delivery.


+ Team Leadership - Manage a team of system administrators, research data scientists, and technical consultants. - Recruit, mentor, and retain top talent. - Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment.


+ User Support and Training - Provide exceptional user support, addressing technical inquiries and troubleshooting issues. - Develop training programs to enhance researchers' computational skills. - Promote best practices in research computing.


+ Research Partnerships - Collaborate with faculty and researchers to advance computational research projects. - Facilitate access to specialized software, tools, and datasets. - Explore external funding opportunities and partnerships.


+ Policy and Governance - Develop and enforce resource allocation, data management, and security policies. - Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards. - Represent the PARCC in university committees and external forums.


+ Outreach and engagement - Promoting the center’s services, workshops, and training programs. - Representing the center at conferences, workshops, and industry events. - Effective communication skills in articulating technical concepts to non-technical audiences.


+ Perform additional duties as assigned.





Qualifications


Bachelor's Degree and 7-10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required; PhD preferred in a relevant field (e.g., computer science, computational science, engineering) or equivalent experience.


-Experience in research computing or related fields.


- Proven track record of managing complex computing environments.


- Familiarity with HPC, cloud computing, and data-intensive research.


- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.


- Visionary thinking and adaptability to technological advancements.


- Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.





Application Requirement:




A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.











Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

Provost's Center





Pay Range

$110,850.00 - $210,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.










Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.