Job Description

The University is a global institution known for innovation and world firsts, with 25 Nobel Prize winners. The computer revolution started here in 1948 when a machine known affectionately as \'The Baby\', ran its first stored program. The celebrated wartime codebreaker Alan Turing worked on this computer during his time at Manchester.

The University has committed to becoming one of the world\'s leading research institutions through one of the largest investments in facilities ever seen at a UK university, with \xc2\xa3750 million spent so far and another \xc2\xa31 billion to follow.

Research IT (RIT) and the Research Platforms Team

The research community at the University carries out world-leading research in many areas - beacons include advanced materials, industrial biotechnology and cancer treatments. RIT is a fast growing, can-do group within IT Services (ITS) which delivers specialist, e-research capabilities which are critical to the success of that research.

This role is within the Research Platforms Team, around 25 technical IT specialists - and growing - many with a research background themselves. We develop and support e-infrastructure platforms for the University research community including: computationally intensive (e.g., HPC) and data storage; edge computing; and highly-secure platforms for hosting/ processing sensitive data. Provision is via both on-site hardware and use of off-site, commercial cloud resources.

This Role

The successful candidate will lead the development and support of one or more RIT platforms and be responsible for:

• the support of the infrastructure, installed software applications and users of the service;
• operational management of staff focused on the platforms;
• ensuring that all processes and procedures required to maintain the integrity of the platform(s) are followed;
• development in accordance with ITS strategy;
• and ensuring the research community is apprised of the platforms and is able to make effective use of them.

It is expected that the role will be approximately 50% leadership and 50% technical.

Benefits of working at the University are outlined on our website.

You will have - Essential:

• Previous relevant work experience.
• An in-depth knowledge of the Linux operating system or MS Windows - preferably both - including administration and support.
• A good working knowledge of: data storage protocols (e.g., NFS, SMB); networking (TCP/ IP, firewalls, routing); VMs and containers.
• Experience of using at least one high-level programming language (e.g., BASH, Perl or Python).
• The ability to work as an effective part of a team and to establish productive relationships with academics, researchers, technical and non-technical IT staff and research support staff.
• Enthusiasm and initiative: the capacity to anticipate problems and find solutions; the ability to see opportunities and take advantage of them; a desire to learn new skills - both technical and non-technical; and a can-do approach to work as it arises.
• Experience in stakeholder management and engagement in providing services - both internally and externally.
• Good communication and presentation skills.

You will have - Desirable:

• A higher, preferably research, degree.
• Experience working within an academic research environment.
• An understanding of the storage and computational infrastructure and capability of at least one major cloud provider.
• Line management experience of technical staff.
• An understanding of the research data lifecycle and the use of data in research.

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

University of Manchester