Research Computing Facilitator: National Institute for Computational Sciences - UTK

University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Knoxville (TN); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Institute for Computational Sciences (NICS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) seeks a Research Computing Facilitator I for its Scientific Computing Group. The role supports HPC resources, collaborates with partners, and guides computational science workflows.

You will contribute to planning and delivering solutions, provide training, and help with grant writing, aiming to advance research across UTK and national collaborations.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in science, engineering, computer science, or related discipline.
• Three years of experience with HPC resources (Linux clusters, schedulers, applications).
• Proficiency in Fortran, C/C++, and Python.
• Experience with MPI, OpenMP, CUDA, and OpenACC.
• Understanding of scientific workflows and associated frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, analyze, and implement solutions meeting project needs.
• Lead and manage high-impact projects and coordinate with team members.
• Provide customer service and training on research computing tools.
• Author conference papers, journal papers, white papers, or posters.
• Contribute to grant proposals as PI/Co-PI or senior personnel.

Skills

Fortran, C/C++, Python

MPI

OpenMP

CUDA

OpenACC

Scientific workflows

Cloud providers (AWS, Google, Azure)

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Docker

Apptainer

Kubernetes

Education

Master’s degree in science, engineering, computer science, or related discipline

Ph.D. preferred

Tools

Docker

Apptainer

Kubernetes

Job description

The National Institute for Computational Sciences (NICS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) is seeking a Research Computing Facilitator I for its Scientific Computing Group (SCG). NICS is a part of the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science within the Tickle College of Engineering at UTK. NICS operates computing resources and supports the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and national science and engineering communities enhancing their capability to address computationally challenging research problems. A critical component of this support includes research computing support for computational science workflows within the SCG. This position reports to the NICS Scientific Computing Group Leader.

Responsibilities

• Research Computing Facilitation (Intermediate) - Collaborate with NICS projects, partners, and stakeholders to plan, design, analyze, and implement solutions that meet the needs and challenges of their respective projects. Uses innovative solutions to solve problems and modifies solutions to address policy, cybersecurity, or deployment needs.
• Solution Architect and Project Lead (Entry Level) – Leads, modifies, deploys, implements, designs, tests, and manages critical, high impact, or urgent projects. Provides work direction to project co-workers and researches emerging technologies, methodologies, and solutions for incorporation into existing or developing projects.
• Customer Service and Training - Provides excellent customer service. Develops and presents customer, end-user, and stakeholder training at the project level and at applicable local, regional, and national venues to promote advances in research computing, increase the visibility and applicability of solutions, and enable solution utilization.
• Community Education and Outreach – Author, co-author, and/or present work including conference papers,journal papers, white papers, conference posters, brown bag sessions, classroom presentations, etc.
• Grant Proposal Writing - Contribute to University related grants either as PI, Co-PI, or Senior Personnel

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Master’s degree in science, engineering, computer science, or related discipline.
• Experience:
  • Three years of experience in performing and/or supporting computational research with high-performance computing (HPC) resources and technologies (e.g., Linux clusters, batch job schedulers, and application installation)
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Broad knowledge and expertise in programming and scripting languages (e.g., Fortran, C/C++ and Python).
  • Broad knowledge and expertise in parallel computing paradigms (e.g., MPI, OpenMP, CUDA, and OpenACC).
  • Broad knowledge of scientific workflows and associated frameworks.

Preferredqualifications

• Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in science, engineering, computer science, or related discipline is preferred.
• Experience:
  • Five years of experience in multidisciplinary research activities and projects.
  • Experience with AI model frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow.
  • Experience with container technologies and container orchestration frameworks (e.g., Docker, Apptainer, and Kubernetes)
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Knowledge and experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning methodologies including training and evaluating AI models, evaluating model architecture, or implementing agentic AI workflows.
  • Knowledge and experience managing and utilizing cloud providers including AWS, Google, or Azure.
  • Ability to develop and acquire funding for an independent research program.

Other Requirements

• Ability to communicate effectively, build rapport, and cultivate functional working relationships with students, faculty, researchers, co-workers, and other staff.
• Ability to think critically and creatively about technical and nontechnical challenges utilizing technical documentation and other resources as necessary to increase understanding and/or identify solutions.
• Ability to adapt quickly to rapidly changing technologies and requirements.
• Ability to self-organize and effectively manage time commitments between projects, meet critical project deadlines, and proactively communicate status and issues with project stakeholders and supervisors.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Hybrid

Compensation And Benefits

• UT market range: MR14
• Anticipated hiring range: $90,000 - $110,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

About Us

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.