Executive Director, Research Computing Office

This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position based in Corvallis, with occasional travel to Bend, Newport, Portland, and beyond.

About the role

The Division of Research and Innovation is seeking an Executive Director for the Research Computing Office (RCO). This role provides operational leadership and strategic program management to advance Oregon State University’s research computing services in support of the research and innovation enterprise.

The Executive Director serves as the primary operational authority for the RCO, responsible for building, launching, and scaling programs, managing the service portfolio, driving sustainable business models, and coordinating across a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. The role translates institutional research computing priorities into programs, services, and partnerships that enable faculty and research teams to effectively leverage computing, data, and AI.

The Executive Director reports to the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI) and operates in close coordination with the Chief Information Officer (CIO), who provides oversight and guidance on IT strategy, infrastructure alignment, and institutional IT governance. This dual engagement reflects the position’s responsibility to bridge research-mission objectives with university-wide technology operations and policy.

The RCO is guided by a four-party leadership team that operates as a unified executive group with clearly differentiated, non-overlapping responsibilities. Within this model, the Executive Director serves as the enterprise integrator, ensuring alignment without ambiguity in decision-making. The role does not lead technical infrastructure (the responsibility of the Chief Technology Officer) but partners closely with technical teams to translate capabilities into services and programs.

The Executive Director represents Oregon State University in national research computing, AI, cyberinfrastructure, and advanced research collaborations, positioning the university as a recognized leader in computational research. Success will be measured by the number of researchers empowered, discoveries accelerated, students prepared for the future, and partnerships created.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational development, coordination, and delivery of RCO services:
  • Supervise staff and day-to-day operations.
  • Build and maintain the service portfolio and catalog aligned to faculty needs.
  • Develop trusted partnerships with faculty in collaboration with the Senior Faculty Advisor to identify emerging research needs and shape future services.
  • Manage operational budgets and shape cost-recovery and sustainability models, including long-term financial sustainability.
  • Grow Research Software Engineering (RSE) capabilities.
  • Embed governance, compliance, and security in coordination with the Chief Information Security Officer and the Associate Vice President for Research Integrity.
  • Renew and expand infrastructure through grants and national HPC partnerships.
• Develop partnerships, programs, and engagement that expand awareness and adoption of research computing:
  • Build collaborative relationships with colleges, centers, and administrative units.
  • Develop partnerships with industry, government, and peer institutions.
  • Support funding opportunities alongside faculty and research development teams.
  • Represent RCO in internal and external forums.
  • Align messaging and priorities with the VPRI, CIO, and Huang Complex leadership.
  • Promote inclusive participation, including outreach to groups underrepresented in STEM.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a relevant field — science, engineering, data science, public administration, business, or a related discipline — or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in a research-intensive, technical, or higher-education environment, including support for research programs, data-intensive work, or technology-enabled services.
• 10+ years in a leadership or supervisory role, including responsibility for coordinating staff, programs, or operational activities.
• Demonstrated executive leadership of a complex research computing, digital research, cyberinfrastructure, AI, or technology organization serving a large research enterprise.
• Experience leading organizational transformation across multiple organizational boundaries.
• Experience developing long-term strategic partnerships.
• Demonstrated experience managing programs, services, or projects — coordinating resources, timelines, and deliverables.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders (faculty, researchers, technical staff, administrators) and influence executive leaders, faculty governance, and external stakeholders.
• Experience supporting research activities, including familiarity with proposal development, research programs, or large-scale initiatives.
• Experience contributing to budget management, financial planning, or cost-recovery/service-based models within established guidelines.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to translate complex concepts for broad audiences and facilitate collaboration.
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing inclusive excellence in the workplace and/or through programmatic efforts.
• Experience working within or alongside governance structures — resource-allocation frameworks, committee-based decision processes, or shared-service governance models in a complex organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Masters or above) in a relevant field — science, engineering, data science, public administration, business, or a related discipline.
• Experience developing or managing service portfolios, service catalogs, or shared-service models in a complex organization.
• Experience working in or with research-intensive universities, national laboratories, or industry research organizations.
• Experience building or leading multi-organization partnerships, consortia, or networked initiatives across public, academic, or nonprofit sectors.
• Experience developing business models, cost-recovery frameworks, or fee-for-service programs.
• Experience supporting or coordinating large research proposals, center-level funding initiatives, or externally funded projects.
• Experience supporting Research Software Engineering (RSE) or similar research-support models.
• Experience contributing to organizational change, program development, or service scaling, and to economic development, innovation, or technology transfer.

Pay

$200,000 - $230,000

Schedule

Anticipated start date: November 2, 2026.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions, and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months. Final candidates must complete a sexual misconduct reference check, per University Policy 05-010. An offer of employment will be contingent upon satisfactory results from the sexual misconduct reference check.