Project Manager - High Performance Computing (HPC)

Institute of Foundation Models; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 279,000 - 390,600; Full time

Job summary

A leading research institute in Abu Dhabi seeks an experienced Project Manager to oversee HPC infrastructure projects. The role involves coordinating vendors, internal departments, and ensuring documentation is meticulously maintained. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in a related field, strong organizational and communication skills, and 5+ years of project management experience in technical settings. The position offers the opportunity to influence critical research timelines through effective project execution.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Project Management.
• Experience in technical or infrastructure projects.
• Ability to work cross-functionally in a complex organization.

Responsibilities

• Support planning and delivery of HPC infrastructure projects.
• Coordinate with external vendors and internal university departments.
• Track project milestones, risks, dependencies, and timelines.
• Prepare concise leadership updates and executive summaries.

Skills

Organizational skills

Documentation skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business or related field

Master’s degree (MBA, Engineering, Technology Management or related discipline)

Job description

The Institute of Foundation Models (IFM) at MBZUAI is building and operating large-scale GPU clusters supporting cutting-edge AI model training and research. We are seeking a highly organized and execution-oriented Project Manager to support the HPC function.

This role will work closely with the HPC Lead to drive infrastructure projects end-to-end — coordinating vendors, internal university departments (IT, procurement, compliance, finance), and research stakeholders — while ensuring documentation, governance, and delivery tracking are properly maintained.

Key Responsibilities

HPC Project Execution & Coordination

• Support planning and delivery of HPC infrastructure projects (GPU clusters, storage, networking, upgrades).
• Coordinate with external vendors (hardware providers, cloud partners, data center operators).
• Track project milestones, risks, dependencies, and timelines.
• Maintain project plans, logs, and status reports.
• Organize and document project meetings and action items.

Cluster Portfolio Tracking & IFM Project Support

• Maintain structured visibility of all major workloads and projects running on IFM clusters.
• Track cluster allocation, major initiatives, and priority programs supported by HPC.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with IFM research teams and project owners.
• Act as a coordination bridge to ensure key IFM projects receive proper infrastructure support.
• Proactively identify risks impacting critical research timelines and escape where needed.

Cross-Department Coordination

• Act as liaison between HPC team and University IT, Procurement, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and HR.
• Ensure requirements are clearly documented and aligned across stakeholders.
• Proactively follow up to remove blockers and maintain project momentum.

Documentation & Governance

• Maintain structured documentation of cluster specifications, contracts, SLAs, and change logs.
• Support governance processes (SteerCo tracking, review cadences).
• Assist with audit preparation and documentation consolidation.

Compliance & Management Support

• Assist with export control governance tracking and vendor compliance.
• Support access control and user approval coordination with IT.
• Track risk mitigation and regulatory documentation requirements.

Reporting & Executive Communication

• Prepare concise leadership updates and executive summaries.
• Develop slide decks and structured status reports.
• Maintain dashboards for project status, budget tracking, and vendor performance.

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or a related field (required).
• Master’s degree (MBA, Engineering, Technology Management, or related discipline) preferred.

Required Experience

• 5+ years of experience in Project Management.
• Experience in technical or infrastructure projects.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally in a complex organization.