Research Technology Specialist

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, students and staff that make the university a great place to work.  

As a community of Dornsife College “we are committed to the creation, preservation, and communication of fundamental knowledge in all its forms…as well as a lifelong passion for learning and a commitment to the betterment of society.”  The academic mission of Dornsife College can only be realized to its fullest potential when we build and protect a representative, equitable, inclusive culture of scholarship for students, faculty, and staff.  This is not done through initiatives but by embedding these values into the everyday interactions, relationships, policies, and practices of the College.  What is required is a seamless integration of the tenets of equity and inclusivity into every facet of academic life.  If we want our scholars, staff, and students to be able to give their very best, we must create an academic environment that portends success.  

Success is possible when every member of the Dornsife community owns their role as a steward of the culture in which we learn, research, and work; when we believe that it is because of who we are that we are able to do what we do: achieve excellence, together. 

Achieving a robust and inclusive academic culture requires more than just the completion of a task, but includes that person’s capacity to contribute positively to the relationships and culture of their office or department.  Therefore, any applicant seeking to advance the mission of Dornsife College should also be assessed on their capacities beyond the technical elements of their work, and demonstrate an understanding of their impact on others, and to articulate how they contribute positively to those around them.

This newly created Research Technology Specialist position will report to the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Associate Dean, Chief Technology Officer/Chief Information Officer.  This position will create a critically needed research IT support service area in the Dornsife Technology Services (DTS) department. This full-time position serves as a technical point of contact, consultant, and project manager for Dornsife research groups in the area of specialized research computing. Provides analytical and technical expertise on systems integration, installations, troubleshooting, replacement and upgrades of servers and operating systems.  Designs, programs, and/or installs advanced tools to help manage systems and application environment. Guides researchers in the areas of IT security, data protection, and asset management. Assists with security patching and ensures researchers are maintaining compliance with USC security policies and procedures. 

Responsibilities: 

• Work with researchers to assess their instrument, software, hardware and networking needs.

• Connect researchers with existing Dornsife and/or USC IT resources.

• Expand research groups utilization of the university’s high performance computing facility.

• Assist researchers through troubleshooting hardware, software, instrument & network issues.

• Guide researchers in the areas of IT security, data protection and asset management.

Qualifications:

• Experience working directly with researchers in highly technical and complex environments.

• Proficient in: Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Cloud Storage, High Performance Computing.

Salary range: The annual base salary range for this position is $125,875 - $139,404. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

• Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.

• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.

• USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions after six months of employment; tuition benefits for staff and their family; free Professional Development classes; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer that Values Diversity.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 5 years Minimum Field of Expertise: Expert understanding and strong technical knowledge of and experience with systems administration, backups, operating systems programming languages and associated hardware platforms. Possesses the required knowledge to build, configure, load and restore a system from the ground up. Previous systems administration experience required.