Director of Computer and Network Resource Group; CNRG - Carl R. Woese Institute Genomic Biology

Director of Computer and Network Resource Group (CNRG)

Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB)

The IGB is an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, built on a team‑science approach. Its mission is to advance life sciences research, engage the public in understanding the impact of genomic discoveries, and foster bioeconomic development across Illinois. IGB researchers lead groundbreaking genomic studies that tackle critical societal challenges in food security, energy, health, technology, and environmental sustainability.

IGB faculty, staff, and researchers address complex scientific grand challenges in a robust team science environment, where each member contributes directly towards the mission of the institute.

The Director of the Computer and Network Resource Group (CNRG) at the IGB serves as a senior advisor and solutions architect, working collaboratively and proactively with IGB leadership, faculty, researchers, and campus partners to plan, develop, and maintain IT systems and services that advance the institute's research mission.

The Director provides strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for a diverse team of IT professionals who deliver advanced services including research computing, IT help desk operations, development of research and administrative IT solutions, and audiovisual support for the institute.

• Provide operational leadership for CNRG by overseeing service delivery and research support.
• Supervise team leads across three integrated functional areas: IT Help Desk, IT Solutions, and Research Computing.
• Assess and manage staffing needs across CNRG, including workload planning, recruitment, hiring, and retention of highly skilled technical professionals.
• Lead regular CNRG group meetings and leadership team meetings to ensure effective communication of IGB operational priorities, guidance from the Office of the CIO, research computing infrastructure updates, and address timely operational needs.
• Direct annual staff performance evaluation and goal setting processes, aligning individual and team objectives with IGB strategic priorities and research operations requirements.
• In partnership with team leads, proactively support staff professional growth by identifying training, skill development, and career advancement opportunities that strengthen CNRG's research support capabilities.
• Serve as a mentor and coach to CNRG staff, fostering a culture of open communication, shared accountability, continuous improvement, and high standards of individual and team performance.
• Represent CNRG in IGB‑level operational and administrative activities, working closely with administrative office directors and contributing to institute‑wide planning and coordination efforts.
• Provide technical hands‑on leadership and work closely with the team to employ the technical development lifecycle for software and HPC environments.

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the delivery of advanced technical solutions that support the IGB's research themes and institutional IT needs.
• Partner closely with the Director of Computational Genomics and IGB leadership to shape and execute a technology vision that addresses current and emerging research priorities; serve as solutions architect to guide the design, development, and deployment of research computing platforms.
• Engage regularly with IGB theme leaders and principal investigators, particularly those leading large, complex grants, to understand evolving research directions and ensure CNRG services are aligned to support scientific innovation and funding success.
• Develop, implement, and maintain IT operational policies and service frameworks, ensuring comprehensive documentation and periodic evaluation of services to meet researcher needs with effective and scalable technology solutions.
• Stay current with rapidly evolving research technologies—artificial intelligence, computing infrastructure, and workflow platforms—to advise IGB leadership and the CNRG team; establish and maintain productive relationships with industry vendors, peer…