Information Technology Group Leader

Argonne; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 135,000 - 211,000; Full time

Job summary

Argonne National Laboratory seeks an experienced Information Technology Group Leader to guide the delivery of mission-critical digital infrastructure supporting the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The role leads HPC, networking, Linux scientific platforms, and Windows services to enable accelerator operations, beamline experiments, data workflows, and enterprise collaboration.

The position requires a 10+ year track record in IT leadership within complex scientific facilities, expertise in AI

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a comparable field.
• 10+ years of professional experience managing IT or engineering projects and staff in complex, state-of-the-art facilities.
• Experience in high-performance computing, AI infrastructure operations, cybersecurity engineering, data pipeline orchestration, and AIOps.
• Experience establishing and delivering reliability metrics within IT operations.
• Experience with high-performance digital platforms supporting AI-enabled science, digital twins, and large-scale data pipelines.
• Experience with container platforms, infrastructure automation, and configuration-managed environments.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and project schedules for large IT projects.
• Proven track record as a project manager for multimillion-dollar software, database, hardware, and network projects.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to interact with all organizational levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the IT group that plans, designs, develops, supports, integrates, and operates enterprise-wide computer systems and networks.
• Implement policies to ensure efficient IT planning, acquisition, and management in support of APS goals.
• Develop strategy for digitizing APS IT infrastructure supporting accelerator, beamline, and computing environments.
• Collaborate to ensure APS systems meet DOE security standards.
• Act as CIO for the APS and drive goals set by APS management.
• Mentor and develop IT staff with career progression plans.
• Analyze IT infrastructure costs and develop budgets for projects.
• Develop business continuity protocols to minimize operational disruption.
• Oversee security of hardware, networks, and server infrastructure at APS.
• Promote cross-divisional IT operations and optimize processes before major IT investments.
• Establish and maintain cyber security program to protect APS information assets.
• Manage external connections to APS network and relationships with vendors and service providers.
• Identify emerging technologies and standards to integrate into IT organization.

Skills

HPC operations

AI infrastructure

cybersecurity engineering

data pipelines

AIOps

project management

budgeting & scheduling

communication

leadership & mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS/EE

Tools

Container platforms

Infrastructure automation

Configuration management

Job description

Argonne National Laboratory is a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center where talented scientists and engineers work together to answer the biggest questions facing humanity, from how to obtain affordable clean energy to how to protect ourselves and our environment. Within Argonne is the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a large User facility operated for the Department of Energy. The Advanced Photon Source provides ultra‑bright, high‑energy X‑ray beams generated by a storage ring for research in almost all scientific disciplines. These X‑rays allow scientists to gain new knowledge about the structure and function of materials at the center of the Earth, in outer space, and at all points in between. The Advanced Photon Source Engineering Support Division (AES) is seeking an experienced Information Technology Group Leader to lead the delivery of mission‑critical digital infrastructure supporting one of the world’s premier x‑ray user facilities. The IT Group Leader provides strategic and operational leadership across high‑performance computing (HPC), networking, Linux scientific platforms, and Windows enterprise services, enabling accelerator operations, beamline experiments, scientific and engineering data workflows, and enterprise collaboration environments. This position plays a key role in advancing the Photon Sciences Directorate’s (PSC) computing capabilities to support the APS facility and initiatives, including high‑throughput detector data pipelines, AI‑enabled scientific workflows, and digital‑twin‑supported facility operations. The role collaborates closely with scientific computing, science, operations, engineering, controls, and information systems organizations across PSC and Argonne.

Responsibilities

• Managing the IT group that plans, designs, develops, supports, integrates, implements, and/or operates enterprise‑wide computer systems and networks (including high‑performance systems and networks), and associated computer software and computer security technologies.
• Implement policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure efficient, economical, and effective Information Technology (IT) planning, acquisition, and management in support of APS mission and objectives.
• Collaborate on the development of a strategy for the digitization of the APS IT infrastructure supporting accelerator, beamline, and scientific computing environments.
• Work with Laboratory Information Technology and Argonne Cyber Security Office to ensure the APS systems operate within the standards and requirements of Laboratory and DOE/DHS Security.
• Acts as the Chief Information Officer for the APS.
• Respond to and further the goals set by the APS management.
• Manage the career growth and development of staff through appropriate mentoring and career progression frameworks.
• Analyzes IT infrastructure costs & develops effort and budget estimates for projects.
• Submits annual operational budgets and staffing estimates for the IT group.
• Develop and implement business continuity protocols to minimize disruption to business operations in the event of emergency situations or data loss.
• Oversee physical security of all hardware systems, networks, and server infrastructure at the APS.
• Promote effective interdivisional IT operations by encouraging performance‑based management and, where appropriate, facilitating the restructure of mission‑related processes before making significant IT investments to improve the performance and cost‑effectiveness of the APS information management activities.
• Establishes, implements, and maintains a comprehensive and effective cyber/computer security program to protect the APS information and information technology assets.
• Oversee all external connections to the APS network, including Web Services, file transfer, high‑performance computing, and Telepresence.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external IT vendors and service providers.
• Identify emerging technologies & industry standards to be analyzed and integrated within the IT organization.

Position Requirements

• A bachelor’s or a master’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a comparable field is required.
• A minimum of 10+ years of professional experience, including managing information technology or engineering projects and staff in complex, state‑of‑the‑art scientific/technical facilities.
• Experience in high‑performance computing, AI infrastructure operations, cybersecurity engineering, data pipeline orchestration, AIOps (AI‑driven IT operations), and computer networking hardware.
• Experience establishing and delivering reliability metrics within the context of IT operations.
• Experience with high‑performance digital platform organization supporting AI‑enabled science, digital twins, and large‑scale scientific data pipelines.
• Experience with container platforms, infrastructure automation, and configuration‑managed infrastructure environments.
• Knowledge and skill in managing and presenting budgets and project schedules for large computer and network systems.
• Proven track record as a project manager in multimillion‑dollar, computer software, database, hardware, and computer network projects.
• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork.
• Interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and ability to interact with people at all levels both within and outside the laboratory.

Job Family

Professional Technical (PT) – Job Profile Systems Integration Admin/Support Ldr 2 – Worker Type Regular Time Type Full time

Salary

The expected hiring range for this position is $135,458.00 - $211,313.70. Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

Equal Employment Opportunity

As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.

Background & Security

Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department. All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case‑by‑case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.

About Argonne

Interested in translating science into innovation? Build your career at Argonne. At Argonne, we view the world from a different perspective. Our scientists and engineers conduct world‑class research in clean energy, the environment, technology, national security and more. We’re finding creative ways to prepare the world for a better future. To learn more about Argonne's benefits programs, amenities, and other employee programs, visit our main Careers site. To learn more about the exciting science going on at Argonne, visit our Science and Technology page.