Penn State Job Catalog

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Missing levels within the leveling matrix can be added based on business need.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Research Computing Project Management

The Research Computing Project Manager plans, coordinates, and manages complex research computing projects and programs that enable computational, data-intensive, and interdisciplinary research; partners with principal investigators, research teams, information technology professionals, research administration, and external sponsors to define project objectives, develop implementation plans, coordinate technical resources, monitor budgets and schedules, and ensure successful delivery of research computing services and project outcomes; serves as the primary liaison among faculty, research sponsors, and technical teams to support high-performance computing (HPC), cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data science, and advanced cyberinfrastructure initiatives; promotes best practices in project management, research collaboration, and stakeholder engagement, while ensuring compliance with sponsor, institutional, and regulatory requirements.

• Lead multiple concurrent research computing projects throughout the project lifecycle, including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, reporting, and project closeout
• Collaborate with principal investigators, faculty, researchers, sponsors, and technical staff to define project scope, objectives, deliverables, schedules, budgets, risks, and resource requirements
• Develop project charters, work plans, statements of work, schedules, communication plans, risk assessments, and performance metrics using project management best practices
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams consisting of research faculty, research computing specialists, data scientists, and external collaborators
• Monitor project scope, milestones, budgets, resource utilization, deliverables, and overall performance; identify risks and implement corrective actions to ensure successful project execution
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned projects by facilitating communication among investigators, research teams, sponsors, leadership, and other staff
• Coordinate research computing resources including high-performance computing clusters, cloud environments, storage, networking, visualization, and scientific software to support research objectives
• Partner with research administration and financial staff to establish project budgets, monitor expenditures, reconcile accounts, prepare financial reports, and ensure compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements
• Coordinate proposal development activities by assisting with project planning, resource estimates, computing requirements, budgets, schedules, technical documentation, and project management plans for sponsored research proposals
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and institutional regulations, including research administration requirements, data security, privacy, conflict of interest, export controls, and other applicable research compliance standards
• Prepare executive reports, project dashboards, presentations, technical documentation, sponsor reports, and project status updates for leadership, funding agencies, and research stakeholders
• Coordinate workshops, seminars, user forums, outreach events, advisory board meetings, and other engagement activities supporting research computing initiatives
• Develop and maintain relationships with faculty, researchers, industry partners, government agencies, and external organizations to expand research collaborations and identify new research computing opportunities
• Coordinate user engagement activities, training programs, and educational resources that promote effective utilization of research computing technologies, cyberinfrastructure, AI/ML, and data science capabilities
• Identify opportunities to improve project delivery processes, governance, workflows, documentation standards, and operational efficiency through continuous process improvement initiatives
• Monitor emerging technologies, project management methodologies, and research computing trends to recommend improvements that enhance research capabilities and organizational effectiveness
• May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management

Level:

– Senior Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates advanced knowledge of principles, practices, and procedures of a particular field. Works independently on moderately complex work assignments under limited oversight, reviews progress, and evaluates results. Monitors work and projects ensuring timeliness, quality, and efficiency. Identifies and mobilizes resources to achieve outcomes. Trains others and reviews progress with management. Presents ideas, concepts, and instructions in a clear and persuasive manner. Develops new techniques, concepts, and approaches and applies them to moderately complex and strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding

Problem Solving:

– Encounters moderately complex problems
– Applies specialized knowledge and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on moderately complex work assignments, reviews progress, and evaluates results
– May set priorities and organize work within general guidelines established by supervisor
– May review the work of others to verify accuracy and conformance to required procedures and special instructions

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and the University
– Communicates with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
– May communicate with external audiences for business purposes
– Coaches others in using appropriate strategies for resolving conflict; negotiating reasonable compromises; and proposing and evaluating possible solutions
– Give candid and constructive feedback to others to influence and persuade managers and employees to accept and implement findings and recommendations

• Comp Grade – 13
• Minimum – $91,488.00
• MidPoint – $114,384.00
• Maximum – $137,280.00

• Budget Management
• Change Management
• Cloud computing
• Collaboration
• Continuous Quality Improvement
• Machine learning
• Project Management
• Research administration
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder management
• Strategic Planning
• Technical Writing