Head of IT Services, EMBL Hamburg

EMBL; Hamburg; On-site; EUR 51,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual salary review

Family allowances

Non-resident allowances

Job summary

EMBL Hamburg seeks a Head of IT to lead a small IT services team on the DESY campus. You will administer systems, troubleshoot issues and help shape IT infrastructure to support cutting-edge molecular biology research.

The role requires a degree in computer science or equivalent, several years of IT leadership experience, and strong Linux and security expertise. English fluency is essential; German is a plus.

Qualifications

• You have a degree in computer science or a related field or equivalent experience.
• Several years of experience managing IT services in a complex environment, ideally in research or higher education.
• Strong Linux system administration, networks, storage, and IT security expertise.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills with a service-oriented mindset.
• Fluency in English; German knowledge is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the EMBL Hamburg IT team, including hands-on involvement.
• Coordinate core IT operations: storage, computing, networking, security and backup.
• Manage projects to implement and upgrade IT infrastructure.
• Oversee desktop systems across Windows, macOS and Linux.
• Collaborate with scientists, administration and external users to provide support.
• Drive IT innovation and contribute to EMBL's digital strategy across sites.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Collaborative approach

English fluency

Education

BSc in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Linux administration

Networking

Storage systems

IT security

Job description

About EMBL Hamburg The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is a world-leading life sciences intergovernmental research organization, backed by more than 30 countries, with its main laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, and five additional sites across Europe.

EMBL Hamburg, is one of the six sites of the EMBL. We are based on the DESY campus in Hamburg, a vibrant centre for structural and molecular biology, specialising in cutting‑edge biology research and services.

At EMBL Hamburg, our scientists develop and apply advanced methods, including crystallography, Small‑Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), and X‑ray imaging, to address fundamental questions in molecular life sciences, with a strong focus on infection biology.

We are also a member of the Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) on the same campus, and many of our research projects are carried out jointly with its other partners.

The work at EMBL Hamburg requires state-of-the art IT infrastructures, with high demands for data storage, transfer and computational power. We are looking for a Head of IT to lead that team and shape how its services develop.

If you would like to contribute to biological research by running and developing the IT systems that support it, we would love to hear from you.

Your role

As Head of IT Services at EMBL Hamburg, you will be responsible for local IT services and infrastructure, leading and developing a small team of IT professionals and taking a hands‑on role in its work.

You will administer our systems, work directly with the people who use them and troubleshoot technical problems, as well as helping to implement and improve the IT infrastructure that supports our research.

You will report to the Head of EMBL Hamburg, with a technical reporting line to the head of EMBL's central IT Services, and work closely with that team, with colleagues across EMBL and with local partners.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and developing the EMBL Hamburg IT team, and keeping its day‑to‑day operations running effectively including through hands‑on involvement
• Coordinating core IT operations: data storage, computing, networking, security, and backup and disaster recovery
• Managing projects to implement and upgrade IT infrastructure
• Overseeing desktop systems and support across Windows, macOS and Linux
• Working with scientific, administrative and external users to understand their needs and provide responsive support
• Driving improvement and innovation in IT at EMBL Hamburg, together with IT teams across EMBL
• Taking part in strategic IT infrastructure planning with the other EMBL sites, and contributing to EMBL's digital strategy and IT initiatives

You have

• A degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• Sev eral years of experience managing IT services in a complex environment, ideally in research or higher education
• Solid technical expertise in Linux system administration, heterogeneous networks, and storage systems, and IT security
• Strong communication and organisational skills, with a collaborative and service‑oriented approach
• Fluency in English; knowledge of German would be advantageous

You might also have

• Experience leading and managing individual(s) or Team
• Experience in running and/or developing IT systems at synchrotrons or similar research infrastructures
• Experience managing Windows and macOS systems and hardware
• Proficiency in at least one programming or scripting language
• Familiarity with high‑performance computing (HPC) or large‑scale data environments

Don't be discouraged from applying if you don't have experience with every technology listed. We value the right experience, aptitude and attitude.

Contract duration: 3 years, renewable to a maximum of 9 years.

Salary: Grade 7 or 8, monthly salary starting from EUR 5.408,54 after tax plus generous benefits and financial allowances based on individual circumstances. Excluding 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions.

Why join us

EMBL is curiosity‑driven, community‑oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer, we believe that diversity enables us to collaborate more effectively and be innovative in our approaches. We are, therefore, committed to creating an inclusive and flexible culture - one where everyone can realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to our organisation.

We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team - we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations that our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in our people strategy.

Enjoy lots of benefits

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, Monthly family, child and non‑resident allowances, annual salary review,