Job Opportunity: Pacific Research Platform (PRP) Development Specialist

Job Opportunity: Specialist to support development of Pacific Research Platform (PRP)

Job Title: Specialist – CITRIS – College of Engineering
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Open Date: August 11, 2016
Next review date: September 23, 2016. Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final Date: September 30, 2016. Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Apply on the AP Recruit Portal

Job Summary

The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) creates information technology solutions for society’s most pressing challenges. CITRIS leverages the research strengths of University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz, and operates within the greater ecosystem of the University and the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley. The institute was created to “shorten the pipeline” between world-class laboratory research and the development of applications, platforms, companies, and even new industries. CITRIS facilitates multi-disciplinary partnerships and collaborations among more than 400 faculty members, thousands of students, and researchers from over 60 corporations and institutions.

CITRIS is collaborating with investigators at Calit2 and UC San Diego to establish the Pacific Research Platform (PRP), a science-driven high-capacity data-centric “freeway system” on a large regional-scale. Within a few years, the PRP will enable participating universities and other research institutions to move data 1,000 times faster compared to speeds on today’s inter-campus shared Internet. PRP’s data-sharing architecture, with connections of 10-100 gigabits per second, will enable region-wide virtual co-location of data with computing resources and enhanced security options. PRP links most of the research universities on the West Coast (the 10 campuses of the University of California, San Diego State University, Caltech, USC, Stanford, University of Washington) via the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC)/Pacific Wave infrastructure.

Appointment Length

This is a full-time, 1-year position with possibility of renewal. Anticipated start date is as soon as possible.

Responsibilities

CITRIS seeks a Specialist to participate as a member of CITRIS’s Pacific Research Platform team charged with developing, testing, and implementing the PRP with faculty conducting data-intensive research throughout the UC system and the broader Pacific region. The Specialist will support the science engagement activities, to help scientists understand and effectively utilize networks and data transfer technologies to accelerate their scientific research. The individual in this role will help develop and deliver new educational and training programs aimed at promoting the diffusion of networking and computing resources to the various scientific domains supported by the PRP.

The incumbent will work with faculty, research staff, and IT professionals participating in the PRP, to facilitate implementation of the Pacific Research Platform, document success stories and case studies for presentation at conferences or publication, and help design workshops bringing together researchers in data-intensive science domains and the networking and IT staff that support these efforts.

  • Help design and coordinate development of Science Engagement activities for the Pacific
    Research Platform
  • Monitor industry and research activity for developments to provide input to the PRP
  • Help advise faculty, research scientists, ITS and campus management with regard to technology with potential impact on collaborative research
  • Contribute to monthly reporting on PRP activities to funding agency
  • Prepare research results for publication in academic journals, professional publications, or in the general media (blogs, press releases)
  • Plan and manage public events, as well as educational and training programs
  • Research funding opportunities and draft grant proposals
  • Monitor new technologies, participate in the evaluation and assessment of their potential use as research cyberinfrastructure related to the PRP
  • Work with research groups to understand their workflows and cyberinfrastructure {Cl)
    needs, conveying those back to PRP leadership

Basic Qualifications

At Time of Application

  • Masters or equivalent degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Informatics or related field

Additional Qualifications:

By start date

  • Understanding of computer operating systems and computer architecture, especially those aspects related to system performance. Unix/Linux system administration experience a plus.
  • Familiarity with emerging technologies (e.g., Software Defined Networking), and the impact they will have on the research networking community
  • Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
  • Interpersonal skills sufficient to work with both technical and nontechnical personnel at various levels in the organization.
  • Ability to elicit and communicate technical and nontechnical information in a clear and concise manner.
  • Demonstrated ability to disseminate knowledge through papers and presentations.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Understanding of the mission, goals and objectives of a major research university including how information technology supports and enhances teaching, research and academic support operations and the ability to vision the effective use of technology in a rapidly changing campus environment.
  • Experience with the challenges of research IT across a range of domains, including Astronomy/Astrophysics, Biomedical Science, Geography (Climate Research), Computer Science, Data Visualization/Virtual Reality, and Social Sciences.
  • Familiarity with Science DMZ and perfSONAR concepts.

Application procedure:

To apply go to https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/JPF01113. Please direct all questions for this position to Camille Crittenden at ccrittenden@berkeley.edu with the subject line: CITRIS – Postdoc.

Requirements:

  • Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated CV
  • Statement of research and interest in the position
  • Writing sample

References:

Letters of reference may be requested of finalists. 3 references required (contact information only)

All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California Policy and California State law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality: (http://apo.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html) prior to submitting their letters.

We are interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their research.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see:http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.