Department/Organization
750701 - UA Cyber Institute
Rank
Tenured Associate/Full Professor or Professor of Practice
Position Summary
The Office for Research & Economic Development invites applications for an accomplished and visionary leader to serve as the Executive Director of the High-Performance Computing and Data Center (HPC) at The University of Alabama (UA). The UA HPC will serve as a premier interdisciplinary intellectual nucleus that drives innovation and research excellence in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum initiatives, cybersecurity, and computational science across a range of application areas. The Executive Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the vision, fostering collaboration across academic departments and external collaborators, and positioning UA as a national leader in addressing complex challenges in AI, cybersecurity, and physics-based modeling for enhanced research, innovation, and collaboration.
Detailed Position Information
In this role, the Executive Director will lead the development of the University's new High-Performance Computing and Data Center (HPC), ensuring it meets the needs of a diverse range of research initiatives and supports cutting-edge computational science, including working with stakeholders across The University of Alabama System (i.e., The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama at Huntsville) to design and implement state-of-the-art infrastructure, foster collaboration across disciplines to maximize the center's impact, and establish the center as a resource for both the System and its external research collaborators. Scheduled to open in January 2027, the HPC will function as a critical component of UA's mission to advance computational capabilities and drive innovation across fields.
The Executive Director will oversee all aspects of the HPC, including strategic planning, operational management, and external relations, and must be capable of effectively working across disciplines, such as information technology, program management, business development, and facility operations. The role will be responsible for promoting and supporting interdisciplinary research initiatives, identifying and securing external funding, and facilitating impactful collaborations with industry, government agencies, and academic institutions. The role also includes advancing educational programs, ensuring the HPC contributes meaningfully to the development of the next generation of innovators and leaders.
The ideal candidate will bring a demonstrated record of leadership in higher education, industry, or government, with substantial experience managing large-scale projects, fostering partnerships, and securing research funding associated with high-performance computing. Due to the wide scope of responsibilities, UA invites strong candidates with various backgrounds and experiences from academia, government, non-profit, and/or industry to apply. Exceptional communication skills and a collaborative leadership style are essential. This role offers a unique opportunity to spearhead the start-up of a forward-thinking research center dedicated to advancing research, education, and innovation to impact both regional and global communities.
The Executive Director's primary responsibilities include:
High Performance Computing and Data Center Development. Lead the design, development, and implementation of the University's HPC to support research excellence across The University of Alabama System. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify and address evolving computational needs, ensuring the HPC remains state-of-the-art over time. Establish the HPC as a resource for interdisciplinary collaboration, driving innovation and supporting large-scale, high-impact research. Develop an enduring and sustainable financial model for the HPC that ensures long-term viability and resilience.
External Relations and Partnerships. Build and maintain relationships with industry, government agencies, and academic institutions to foster collaboration and funding opportunities, with a focus on partnerships involving the HPC. Represent ORED and the University's HPC capabilities at conferences, workshops, and public engagements to raise awareness and build connections.
Strategic Leadership and Vision. Develop and implement a strategic vision for the HPC, positioning it as a leading research resource for AI, cybersecurity, and advanced computational capabilities. Collaborate with faculty, students, and external partners to drive research, education, and innovation in AI, cybersecurity, and computational science.
Research and Development Oversight. Promote and support interdisciplinary research initiatives in AI, quantum, cybersecurity, and fields leveraging HPC resources. Lead and facilitate the acquisition of external funding through grants and partnerships for projects utilizing HPC infrastructure. Drive the adoption of HPC resources to enable groundbreaking research across academic disciplines.
Operational Oversight. Oversee and implement the HPC's daily operations, including budget management, staffing, and facility utilization. Collaborate with the Office for Information Technology (OIT) to ensure the HPC infrastructure is effectively maintained and aligned with the University's research goals. Establish a governance structure and operational policies and procedures for the HPC to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.
Minimum Qualifications
Professor of Practice
A professor of practice appointment is typically reserved for persons who have accumulated significant experience and have established a record of distinction in their profession in the private or public sector, outside of academia. These will be people at the pinnacle of their careers who are moving into a new or continuing career path at the University. Professors of practice should be able to provide effective, practice-oriented teaching, research, or clinical expertise in areas that supplement and enhance the efforts provided by other members of the faculty. Professors of practice will be evaluated on the specific duties stipulated in their letters of appointment. Professors of practice appointments are only offered at the full professor rank and do not have a promotion path.
Tenured (Full) Professor
Appointment to the position of tenured professor is based upon a candidate's instructional effectiveness and record of scholarly contributions appropriate to their discipline and field of specialization; however, candidates who have no prior record at the rank of associate professor may be appointed at the rank of professor provided they possess a combination of educational achievement, typically possessing a terminal degree, and professional contributions that give them the capabilities and competencies required for successful performance at the rank of professor and also the professional stature commensurate with that rank.
Tenured Associate Professor
Appointment to the position of tenured associate professor is based upon a candidate's instructional effectiveness and record of scholarly contributions appropriate to the candidate's discipline and field of specialization; however, candidates who have no prior record at the rank of assistant professor may be appointed at the rank of associate professor provided they possess a combination of educational achievement, typically possessing a terminal degree, and professional contributions that give them the capabilities and competencies required for successful performance at the associate professor rank and also the professional stature commensurate with that rank.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience launching or scaling a new research center or tech initiative. Established network in academia, industry, or government HPC communities.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Please include an updated CV and cover letter detailing a demonstrated record of working in HPC environments; significant experience collaborating with government, academic, and industry stakeholders; demonstrated record of working with information technology and research computing professionals; and leadership experience across multiple science and engineering disciplines. Materials must be submitted online at: https://careers.ua.edu.
About the Division/College/School
The University of Alabama High-Performance and Data Center (UA HPC) will host a large, connected computing system that will be the fastest in the state and on par with peer research institutions. The center will hold an estimated $25 million of computing power alongside additional space that will provide a cloud storage alternative for potential research partners.
The center will serve as a powerful computing and data center, supporting research across all campuses of The University of Alabama System and will foster collaboration with external partners through shared infrastructure for research and workforce development.
Its addition to UA will attract world-leading faculty members who strengthen educational experiences and recruit more high-achieving students. The HPC positions the UA System for more industrial, government and academic partnerships that enlarge economic development and intensify discovery, particularly in key research areas of water, materials, transportation, health, national security and quantum computing.
Most of the funding for the project comes from a disbursement from the United States Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology, and supplemental appropriation from the state's Education Trust Fund, as approved by the Alabama Legislature and signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in 2023.
The HPC will be a petascale computing system, meaning it will be capable of performing quadrillions of calculations per second. It will be the only system in Alabama to meet the benchmarks for the Top500 list, the ranking system for the nation's high-performance supercomputers.
The facility's 40,000 square feet will allow for a substantial increase in UA's computing power in a modern facility that also enables UA researchers to compete for and lead federal and private industry grants and contracts.
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure's 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation's premier universities, UA offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America's Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine's list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review's list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., "The Alabama Research Institutes"), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation's most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
University of Alabama
Mar 27, 2025