Computational Science Specialist

NC State University; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 115,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare benefits

Wellness & Recreation Membership

Wellness Programs

Job summary

NC State University’s COS IT team is seeking a Computational Science Specialist to advance high-performance computing, bioinformatics, and data analysis. You will collaborate with faculty, researchers, and students to deploy scalable workflows, manage software in HPC environments, and enable cloud-based research across bioinformatics and genomics datasets.

Responsibilities include developing reproducible pipelines, providing training, and guiding researchers in tool selection and visualization.

Qualifications

• Requires post-baccalaureate credentials or a bachelor’s degree plus equivalent training.
• Proven knowledge of scripting languages such as Shell, Python, or R.
• Familiar with SLURM/LSF job schedulers and containers for scientific apps.
• Comfortable administering Linux and HPC environments.
• Ability to connect researchers with external resources and cloud options.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize computational pipelines for bioinformatics.
• Install, maintain, and manage software in HPC environments.
• Create and maintain research databases and documentation.
• Build reproducible workflows and containerized apps (Docker, Apptainer).
• Provide training and templates for researchers; support data visualization and Shiny apps.

Skills

Scripting languages

Communication

Presentation

Collaboration

Linux administration

Containers for Sci Apps

Job schedulers

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Masters or PhD (preferred)

Tools

Docker

Apptainer/Singularity

GitHub

Nextflow

Shiny

Job description

Posting Information

Posting Number

Posting Number PG194869EP

Internal Recruitment

Internal Recruitment No

Working Title

Working Title Computational Science Specialist

Anticipated Hiring Range

Anticipated Hiring Range $115,000 - $125,000

Work Schedule

Work Schedule Monday-Friday, 8am - 5pm

Job Location

Department

About the Department

The College of Sciences brings together the mathematical, physical, and biological-sciences in a research-intensive environment that simultaneously values excellence in teaching and a strong community engagement. Sciences IT is a growing unit that provides innovative IT solutions, responsive and forward-looking support, and creative applications of technology to support the research, teaching, administrative and outreach functions of the College of Sciences. While working in this unit, you will be expected to foster a supportive and welcoming environment.
NC State promotes an integrated approach to problem solving that transforms lives and provides leadership for social, economic, and technological development across North Carolina and around the world. NC State’s land grant mission of teaching, research and service is dedicated to the service of North Carolina and its people. Applicants are encouraged to review the institution’s mission, vision and strategic plan, and consider how their background, interest and experience would enable them to support the university.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership , and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.
Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Are you passionate about using advanced computing technologies to accelerate scientific discovery? Join the College of Sciences Information Technology ( COS IT) team and help power groundbreaking research across NC State University.

As a Computational Science Specialist, you will collaborate with faculty, researchers, and students to advance innovative research through high-performance computing, bioinformatics, cloud technologies, and advanced data analysis. This role offers a unique opportunity to bridge technology and science by enabling cutting-edge research projects while supporting the next generation of computational researchers.

From bioinformatics and data visualization to high-performance computing and cloud-based research environments, you will help researchers solve complex scientific challenges and contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.

The Computational Science Specialist plays a critical role in advancing cutting-edge research across NC State by helping researchers deploy, optimize, and scale computational workloads on NC State’s high-performance computing ( HPC ) resources, national supercomputing centers, and commercial cloud platforms. Working closely with faculty, researchers, and graduate students, this position provides ongoing scientific computing support while serving as a key member of the Sciences IT team, reporting to the Assistant Director of Information Technology.

The successful candidate will provide bioinformatics computing expertise to the research community, supporting the development and optimization of computational pipelines, software installation and management, database and website development, and scientific data analysis and visualization. Research projects may involve a broad range of biological and computational data types, including next-generation sequencing ( NGS ), genomic, and phenotypic datasets. Computing activities may take place on NC State HPC resources, College computing infrastructure, the Bioinformatics Research Center ( BRC ), national supercomputing facilities, or cloud-based environments.

This role will maintain and support scientific software, workflows, and containerized applications using technologies such as Docker and Apptainer (Singularity). Responsibilities include installing and maintaining software within HPC environments, developing and managing research databases, creating technical documentation, and helping research teams implement reproducible and scalable computational workflows.

The Computational Science Specialist will also collaborate with researchers to develop scientific analysis and visualization solutions for complex datasets, providing example code, templates, and best practices. Opportunities may include supporting the development of interactive data applications using frameworks such as Shiny.

This position develops and delivers customized training programs, workshops, and technical documentation to enhance computational skills among graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and research staff. A strong commitment to education and research enablement is essential.

In addition, the position assists faculty with developing budgets, proposals, and resource requests to support access to HPC infrastructure and advanced computing resources for research initiatives.

Other Responsibilities

N/A

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

Require post-baccalaureate credentials or a bachelor’s degree plus alternative or equivalent professional training and experience may be substituted for the advanced degree on an exceptional basis.

Other Required Qualifications

• Proven knowledge of scripting programming languages like Shell, Python, and/or R
• Familiarity with job schedulers (ie SLURM , LSF ) and job scheduling practices
• Experience working with Containers for Scientific Applications
• Comfortable administering the Linux Operating System
• Ability to identify capabilities and limitations of local scientific computing resources, be able to connect researchers with appropriate external resources, and identify cases where the use of commercial cloud platforms may be applicable
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a dynamic, collaborative environment with colleagues and build partnerships
• Strong communication and presentation skills, able to convey technical information in a clear and thorough manner

Preferred Qualifications

The following items are desirable, but not necessary for full consideration for this position:

• Master’s degree or PhD in a Computational Biology/Bioinformatics related field
• Experience working in a higher education or research environment
• 3+ years of relevant professional experience
• Experience in GPU computing
• Experience with Github for software management
• Experience with the usage of workflow languages (like Nextflow) for developing and maintaining bioinformatics analysis pipelines
• Ability to mentor and train others, including developing and running workshops

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

NC Driver’s License

Valid NC Driver's License required

Valid NC Driver's License required Yes

Commercial Driver's License required

Commercial Driver's License required No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date

Job Open Date 09/11/2026

Anticipated Close Date

Anticipated Close Date 9/24/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.

Position Number

Position Number 00112315

Position Type

Position Type EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.0

Appointment

Appointment 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.
NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

NC STATE UNIVERSITY
RALEIGH, NC 27695
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