Computational Science Specialist

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Retirement Programs

Paid Time Off and Holidays

Tuition and Academic Assistance

Job summary

NC State University seeks a Computational Science Specialist to accelerate scientific discovery through high-performance computing, bioinformatics, cloud technologies, and advanced data analysis. You will collaborate with faculty, researchers, and students to deploy scalable computational workloads on NC State’s HPC resources and cloud platforms.

The role focuses on building bioinformatics pipelines, software installation and management, and developing data visualization solutions.

Qualifications

• Post-baccalaureate credentials or a bachelor’s degree plus relevant training/experience.
• Experience with scripting in Shell, Python, or R and a strong Linux background.
• Experience deploying and maintaining software in HPC or cloud environments.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with faculty, researchers, and students to enable high‑performance computing and data analysis.
• Develop and optimize bioinformatics pipelines and computational workflows.
• Install, manage, and document scientific software and workflows in HPC environments.
• Provide reproducible research support and training to research teams.

Skills

Shell scripting

Python

R

HPC

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Tools

Docker

Apptainer/Singularity

SLURM

Job description

Posting Number:

PG194869EP

Internal Recruitment :

No

Working Title:

Computational Science Specialist

Anticipated Hiring Range:

$115,000 - $125,000

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday, 8am - 5pm

Job Location:

Raleigh, NC

Department :

COS - IT

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.
What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

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.

Essential Job Duties:

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

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:

Yes

Commercial Driver's License required:

No

Job Open Date:

09/11/2026

Anticipated Close Date:

9/24/2026

Position Number:

00112315

Position Type:

EPS/SAAO

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

1.0

Appointment:

12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather:

Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events:

Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID:

170109 - COS - IT

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.
If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail].
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.