DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

JOB SUMMARY

Under the general direction of the Chief Information Officer, provides executive, technical, and operational leadership for technology services supporting the University’s research enterprise within Information Technology Services (ITS). The Director is responsible for developing and implementing solutions, policies, and services that advance the University’s research mission through effective use of technology. The Director serves as the primary liaison between ITS, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), faculty researchers, research centers, and other stakeholders to ensure that technology services effectively support current and emerging research needs and has a dotted line reporting relationship to the Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The Director provides leadership for research computing services, secure research environments, research data services, research cybersecurity initiatives, compliance-driven research technologies, artificial intelligence and emerging research technologies, and strategic research technology planning. The Director works collaboratively with all ITS teams to coordinate the delivery of research technology services across the University. The Director also works with peers at UConn Health’s to help meet the needs of researchers across UConn and UConn Health through a shared information technology resources model.

For activities related to these responsibilities, the Director interacts and coordinates with University administration, OVPR leadership, faculty researchers, campus and department technology leaders, research centers and institutes, technology advisory groups, external partners, and individual members of the University community across UConn and UConn Health. The Director serves as an advisor to the CIO and other University leaders on research technology, governance, and secure service delivery. The Director coordinates and participates in high-level technology assessments, program planning, and serves as a member of the ITS Leadership Team.

The Director maintains budgets and staffing levels appropriate to assigned responsibilities, oversees personnel planning, hiring, and assessment, attends conferences and professional development activities, and interacts with external peers to maintain knowledge of current issues, opportunities, and best practices in research technology services.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides leadership and direction to the University on research technology services, research computing, secure research environments, research data management, research cybersecurity, and emerging technologies supporting the University’s research mission and priorities

• Develops and maintains a long-term strategic vision and roadmap for research technology services in partnership with University leadership, OVPR, faculty researchers, and ITS leadership.

• Serves as the primary relationship manager between ITS and the research community, ensuring that researcher needs, priorities, and challenges are understood and addressed through effective technology solutions and services.

• Establishes and maintains strong partnerships with faculty, research centers, OVPR leadership, and external stakeholders to identify opportunities, improve service delivery, and advance research initiatives.

• Oversees the portfolio of research technology initiatives and projects, ensuring effective planning, communication, risk management, prioritization, resource coordination, and successful service delivery.

• Provides technical leadership and coordination for secure research computing initiatives supporting regulated research activities, including environments requiring compliance with NIST 800-171, CMMC, HIPAA, and other applicable regulatory frameworks.

• Works collaboratively with ITS infrastructure, security, networking, enterprise systems, cloud services, and application teams to ensure research technology services are aligned with University standards, policies, and strategic objectives.

• Provides technical leadership and coordination for research computing resources, cloud-based research environments, research data services, and advanced computing capabilities .

• Identifies opportunities to leverage emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, cloud computing, and research data platforms, to support the University's research enterprise.

• Oversees staffing, hiring, training, mentoring, performance evaluation, and discipline for assigned employees and serves as the departmental representative for all union-related issues.

• Develops and maintains budgets associated with research technology services and provides guidance regarding technology investments, contracts, software licensing, cloud services, and vendor relationships.

• Establishes service metrics and performance measures to evaluate effectiveness, improve service quality, and ensure alignment with institutional goals and researcher needs.

• Prepares periodic reports regarding strategic initiatives, project portfolios, operational activities, budgets, service performance, and emerging opportunities.

• Interacts with ITS senior leadership, University governance groups, technology planning committees, and IT leaders across th UConn and UConn Health to ensure coordination and alignment of research technology initiatives.

• Performs other duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in information technology, research computing, research technology services, or a related field.

• Minimum of five (5) years of higher education experience in a research-intensive university or comparable research environment.

• Experience supporting technology services for faculty researchers and research programs.

• Experience with research computing, secure research environments, research data services, cloud technologies, or related research technology disciplines.

• Experience working with compliance requirements related to research, including NIST 800-171, CMMC, HIPAA, FERPA, or other applicable frameworks.

• Excellent and demonstrated project and portfolio management skills, including strategic planning, prioritization, resource coordination, budget management, and successful delivery of complex initiatives.

• Strong personnel supervision skills, including employee performance management, mentoring, communication, team development, and organizational leadership.

• Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and maintain productive relationships with faculty, researchers, administrators, and technology professionals.

• Demonstrated ability to act decisively and solve problems through creative, collaborative, and strategic thinking.

• Ability to identify key issues in complex situations, evaluate alternatives, and develop effective strategies for resolution.

• Ability to translate strategic objectives into operational plans and align resources with institutional priorities.

• Proven leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills with diverse university constituencies.

• Ability to build effective teams that emphasize service, partnership, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree from an accredited institution.

• Experience in a leadership role supporting research technology services within a major research university.

• Experience collaborating with offices supporting research administration, compliance, sponsored programs, or research security.

• Relevant certifications related to project management, information security, cloud technologies, research administration, or technology leadership.

• Experience developing technology governance structures and stakeholder engagement programs.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 12-month position with a full range of health and retirement benefits. Salary will be commensurate with experience.