Assistant Director of Systems and Research Computing

Assistant Director of Systems and Research Computing

Apply for the Assistant Director of Systems and Research Computing role at Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement
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Reporting to the Director of Systems and Research Computing, this position is responsible for operational management of MSU’s server and storage infrastructure, with shared supervision responsibilities for MSU system administration staff and direct supervision of Windows and VDI admins. This position will take direction from the Director of Systems and Research Computing and the Associate CIO. It is located on the Montana State University campus five days a week, 8 am – 5 pm, and is not eligible for remote telework or sponsorship.

• Provide effective day‑to‑day management and supervision of systems administration staff.
• Ensure best‑practice Standard Operating Procedures are documented and adhered to for all aspects of enterprise server and storage infrastructure.
• Work closely across the enterprise to ensure stability, continuity, and security of all server and storage systems and services.
• Ensure timely handling of advanced customer support and stakeholder interactions and drive productivity across the system administration team.
• Support the consolidation and modernization of systems for MSU and its affiliates, including standardization, automation, and configuration management.
• Supervise technical teams in the ongoing development and enhancement of systems, storage, and cloud‑hosted service performance and monitoring methodologies, procedures, and processes.
• Support the maintenance and optimization of infrastructure‑related software licensing such as Microsoft 365 and VMware.
• Ensure proper configuration of server and storage hardware and solutions in accordance with standards and operational requirements.
• Support and efficiently process incident and change management procedures.

• Combination of education and/or applicable experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, or a related field, and advanced experience working with Linux or Windows technologies and related infrastructure services in an enterprise production environment.
• Experience with a broad range of systems infrastructure technology and best practices such as SAN/NAS technologies, Linux and Windows OS, security concepts including firewall and server hardening configurations, virtual technologies, identity and access management, enterprise‑scale server and network architectures, IT best practices to include change and incident management, and project management processes and methods.

• Advanced degree in computer science, science, engineering, math, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in higher education leadership at a large, complex research institution.
• Demonstrated experience managing information technology units and staff with a focus on server systems and related infrastructure technologies.
• Advanced hands‑on experience managing systems such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Windows OS/Active Directory, M365, VMware vSphere, SAN/NAS technologies, scripting and scheduling, access management components (SAML, LDAP, CAS, Shibboleth server), and cloud integrations and services.
• Hands‑on experience with Cisco UCS and Pure Storage hardware.

• Have strong interpersonal, teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Demonstrate initiative, sound judgment, and personal drive.
• Have an aptitude for problem solving and facilitating highly technical work of others.
• Excel at prioritizing competing demands while meeting deadlines and having strong attention to detail.
• Embrace and adapt quickly to changes in priorities.
• Exhibit the highest level of professional conduct, embracing standards for honest and ethical behavior.
• Have experience in working collaboratively across organizational borders.
• Represent UIT and the university in a professional and courteous manner with a commitment to delivering excellent…