Research Computing Facilitator (HPC & Cloud)
Mailman School of Public Health Administration
Research Computing Facilitator (HPC & Cloud)
- 560019
- Columbia University Medical Center
- Mailman School of Public Health Administration
- Full Time
- Opening on: Oct 6 2026
- Grade 105
- Job Type: Officer of Administration
- Regular/Temporary: Regular
- Hours Per Week: 35
- Salary Range: $90,000 - $100,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Position Summary
The successful candidate will be responsible for understanding and addressing users’ research computing requirements and providing essential technical support. The role requires a blend of technical expertise, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to troubleshoot research computing issues. A key goal is to help foster a collaborative environment, allowing researchers to maximize the benefits of computing resources for groundbreaking research across diverse fields.
Responsibilities
- Work closely with the Director of HPC resources to ensure the school’s computing resources are used efficiently. This entails tracking and review of compute and storage allocation to ensure fair, efficient allocation of budget.
- Collaborate with researchers to understand their computing and research requirements, identify computing and data challenges, and share options/identify resources to address them whenever possible.
- Orient researchers on the computing resources supported by the school, both on-premises HPC clusters and cloud computing services; provide guidance on the best fit, based on their specific research demands.
- Manage access to School research computing resources -- set up user accounts, configure access controls, assist with software installations, and advise on resource allocation/utilization.
- Troubleshoot account issues, scripting errors, memory allocation errors, etc.
- Serve as an escalation point and liaison for researchers whose issues require vendor intervention.
- Assist the Director of HPC resources to develop and conduct training sessions and workshops on resource availability and best practices in HPC and cloud computing.
- Refer researchers with special data needs (ie HIPAA data, restrictive data use agreements, etc.) to appropriate resources.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- 4 years related experience.
- Unix skills.
- Experience with scripting and automation (e.g., R, Bash, Python)
- Understanding of the principles of computer clusters – parallel computing, resource allocation, multiple threads, etc.
- Proficiency in configuring jobs for a parallel environment, specifically allocating adequate memory and nodes to meet specific time/budget.
- In-depth knowledge of virtual HPC environments, such as AWS, Google, Azure; AWS experience a strong plus
- Hands-on experience working with various software and tools: Command line, multiple R versions and packages, FTP clients, data transfer tools, such as Snowball and Globus
- Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
- Eagerness to learn and adapt to new technologies.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
Similar Jobs
| Title | Location | Department | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineer, HPC/Storage | Columbia University Medical Center | CUIMC IT | Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), part of a premier Ivy League institution and home to nearly 100 Nobel laureates, advances world-class biomedical and computational research spanning cancer genetics, genomics, molecular biology, and AI-driven discovery. The CUIMC Central IT (CUIMCIT) High-Performance Computing (HPC) team supports this mission through a rapidly evolving research computing environment featuring advanced GPU platforms, large-scale parallel storage, hybrid cloud integration, and next-generation scientific software. We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineer, HPC & Storage to help modernize, operate, and support this mission-critical research infrastructure. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, a strong service orientation, and the ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and technical teams. This position participates in a 24x7 operational model and may require occasional off-hours support for critical incidents. |
| Senior Service Specialist | Columbia University Medical Center | CUIMC IT | The Senior Service Specialist provides advanced desktop, laptop, and network support for administrative departments across CUIMC, including executive-level (VIP) users. This position serves as a key escalation point and team lead, responsible for coordinating ticket workflows, mentoring staff, and managing project-based work. The role includes a mix of onsite and remote support for hardware, software, networking, and mobile device issues. The Senior Service Specialist will also assist with documentation, custom configurations, and coordination with vendors and IT peers. They are expected to stay current with technology trends and actively contribute to the improvement of systems, processes, and end-user support experiences. This role delivers IT services on behalf of CUIMC in coordination with external affiliates and institutional partners, supporting integrated technology operations across organizations. Subject to business needs, we may support flexible and remote work arrangements. Options will be discussed during the interview process. |
| Systems Administrator | New York | Department of Computer Science | Interested in learning about Data Centers and supporting AI research? The Department of Computer Science at Columbia University is looking for a Linux systems administrator whose primary role will be to support computing research infrastructure in the department’s data center, which is currently undergoing an upgrade which will allow it to host a new high-end research GPU cluster. The successful applicant will learn all aspects of running a research data center, including power, cooling, management, and monitoring. They will also learn how to manage and maintain a research compute cluster, including scheduler configuration, high speed network, high speed storage, and GPU technology. Finally the software stack used by the researchers will need to be installed, maintained, and upgraded. Other responsibilities will include all aspects of supporting the department, such as network security, desktop administration, and A/V support. We are looking for somebody with a solid foundation in Linux who has an eagerness to learn and the energy and enthusiasm to work in a challenging environment. Familiarity with any of the following will be considered a bonus but is not a requirement: DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, SNMP. |
