Associate Director, IT Infrastructure – HPC / Bioinformatics / ML

Abercorn Sinclair; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment partner is seeking a Senior Director for IT Infrastructure to lead high-performance computing initiatives in Edinburgh. This role focuses on managing HPC and optimizing IT operations to support groundbreaking gene therapy research. Candidates should have 8+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, a strong understanding of HPC environments, and leadership skills to bridge technical and scientific teams. This position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package in a dynamic work environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Bonus

Healthcare

Pension

Onsite gym

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in infrastructure engineering / IT operations.
• Strong background in HPC, GPU-accelerated environments, storage, and networking.
• Proven track record in infrastructure monitoring, optimisation, and automation.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and optimise HPC and GPU clusters.
• Align infrastructure with scientific needs.
• Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Infrastructure engineering

HPC experience

Linux systems

Vendor management

IT security knowledge

Education

Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

AWS

Azure

VMware vSphere

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Associate Director, IT Infrastructure – HPC / Bioinformatics / ML

Location

Roslin Innovation Centre, Edinburgh / UK Remote(Hybrid)

AskBio Inc.

AskBio Inc., a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life‑saving medicines and changing lives. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease indications with a clinical‑stage pipeline that includes investigational therapeutics for congestive heart failure, limb‑girdle muscular dystrophy, multiple system atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, and Pompe disease. AskBio’s gene therapy platform includes Pro10™, an industry‑leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive array of capsids and promoters. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered pre‑clinical and clinical testing.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a senior IT Infrastructure leader to shape and optimise our scientific computing environment in support of cutting‑edge gene therapy research. This role will sit at the heart of our global technology leadership team, working closely with colleagues in Bioinformatics, AI / ML, and Global IT.

You will be responsible for the strategic direction, day‑to‑day operations, and ongoing evolution of our high‑performance computing (HPC) and research data platforms. The successful candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership and business acumen, enabling our research teams to maximise the impact of our scientific computing investments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and optimise HPC, GPU clusters, high‑performance storage, and virtualised environments.
• Partner with global IT to align infrastructure with scientific needs.
• Oversee technical planning, architecture, and implementation of infrastructure improvements.
• Drive automation, monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage vendor contracts and third‑party support, ensuring compliance with SLAs and security standards.
• Lead on IT security audits, compliance, and disaster recovery planning.
• Develop budgets, capital planning, and lifecycle management for infrastructure.
• Act as a trusted advisor to scientific teams, bridging research and IT.

Candidate Profile

Essential

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Significant experience (8+ years) in infrastructure engineering / IT operations.
• Strong background in HPC, GPU‑accelerated environments, Linux systems, storage, and networking.
• Proven track record in infrastructure monitoring, optimisation, and automation.
• Experience with vendor management, contracts, and IT financial planning.
• Knowledge of IT security, compliance, and disaster recovery planning.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across technical and scientific teams.

Desirable

• Experience in biotech, pharma, or research environments.
• Familiarity with AI / ML infrastructure and bioinformatics workflows.
• Knowledge of WEKA storage, VMware vSphere, containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes), and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure).
• ITIL or security certifications (CISSP, CISM, etc.).
• Experience with GxP compliance and regulated environments.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package including bonus, life cover, critical illness, healthcare, pension, cycle‑to‑work, onsite gym, and café.
• The chance to play a pivotal role in enabling ground‑breaking gene therapy research within a global organisation.

How to Apply

For a confidential discussion, please contact our retained partner :

Keith Tocher, Abercorn Sinclair

[e-mail]

About Abercorn Sinclair

Abercorn Sinclair is a specialist recruitment partner offering tailored consultancy and advisory services in talent strategy. We provide our clients with the insight and support needed to attract, retain, and develop the skills that drive long‑term success.