Senior Director of Research Services

The University of Iowa seeks applications and nominations for the position of senior director of research services. The senior director will spearhead a mission-critical unit within Information Technology Services (ITS) and champion the computing needs of the University of Iowa’s vibrant research community.

Research Services (RS) offers services for research and analysis in high-performance computing (HPC) environments and interactive analysis environments. RS also provides user consultations and assistance navigating research compliance, Institutional Review Board (IRB), and other researcher-facing processes. RS provides grant support outlining institutional computational and storage resources, and helps facilitate use of ACCESS resources. RS provides storage services specified for high availability, HPC, sharing and collaboration, and University of Iowa Health Care for research data storage and computation. Workshops taught by RS staff help researchers discover and use the services.

The senior director will work hand-in-hand with ITS and OneIT leadership to craft and execute the vision for campus cyber infrastructure, ensuring that HPC, specialized applications, and storage services not only meet, but anticipate the evolving demands of scholars, scientists, and creative innovators. By providing strategic oversight of RS, this role will ensure the University of Iowa remains at the forefront of discovery. In this role, the ability to cultivate strategic relationships is as important as technical expertise. The senior director will serve as the key liaison to ITS leadership, research-intensive units, and national organizations, building partnerships that drive collaborative initiatives and secure funding for future growth. This role will mentor a high- performing team, set organizational goals, and manage budgets to maximize the impact of every dollar spent on research infrastructure. The senior director will oversee a budget of approximately $2.8 million.

This position is eligible for hybrid work within Iowa, with the expectation that the senior director will be onsite at least 1-2 times per week, and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in a field relevant to the position OR an equivalent combination of education and additional related experience.
• Technology experience (typically 10 years or more), including management education or management experience.
• Experience successfully leading a technology team or organization.
• Working knowledge of academic research and research computing environments, including HPC, research storage, and collaboration tools.
• A strong customer service orientation and enthusiasm for the application of technology across a broad range of disciplines.
• Demonstrated and considerable experience successfully managing, developing, and retaining staff.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously within given timeframes.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with technical and non-technical staff from a variety of backgrounds.
• Experience managing budgets.
• Demonstrated job-related experience with and commitment to promoting a welcoming and respectful workplace environment.
• U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or protected person status is required for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliance.

Desirable Qualifications:

• An advanced degree.
• Experience with grant submissions to academic research funding organizations such as National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE), MacArthur Foundation, Mellon Foundation, etc.
• Understanding of new computing, software and storage practices for university research efforts. For example, areas of mastery could include current large-cluster computing practices, advanced visualization and analytics, or data and informatics practices.
• Experience in a specific research discipline.
• Experience working in a healthcare setting and/or with clinical or medical research.
• Experience working with regulatory regimes such as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and ITAR.
• Experience supporting technology in a higher education setting
• In-depth knowledge of academic research and research computing environments, including working knowledge of HPC, research storage, high-performance networking, research applications, and collaboration tools.

Application Details:

AGB Search is pleased to assist the University of Iowa with this leadership search. To apply for the senior director of research services position, candidates are requested to visit this site: https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/senior-director-of-research-services-university-of-iowa and submit the following:

·         A Resume;

• a letter of interest that addresses how the candidate’s experiences and qualifications connect with the required/preferred characteristics and priorities as expressed in this position profile;
• and contact information for five references (to be contacted with candidate’s permission at a later date), with an indication of your relation to each reference.

For best consideration, applications should be submitted by Oct. 31, 2025 to the AGB search portal. The search will remain open until an appointment is made.

Nominations and expressions of interest in the position are encouraged. Please direct them to IowaResearchServices@agbsearch.com or the AGB Search consultants listed below:

• Margaret Plympton, Ed.D. Principal, margaret.plympton@agbsearch.com / 484.554.4542
• Kimberly Templeton, JD Principal, kimberly.templeton@agbsearch.com / 540.761.9494
• Anne Hoffman, Executive Search Associate, anne.hoffman@agbsearch.com / 805.490.9161

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification.  Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.

Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, where your work directly impacts education, research, and student success.

Enjoy exceptional health coverage, university-paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well-being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance.

Iowa City offers a great quality of life with world-class performances at Hancher Auditorium, Big Ten athletics, top-ranked public schools, and outdoor recreation.

Join us in making a difference at a leading Big Ten university and premier public research institution.