Executive Director, Research Technology & Infrastructure

Executive Director, Research Technology & Infrastructure

Associate Chief Information Officer, Health Sciences

Yale School of Medicine | Yale School of Medicine

Purpose of the Position

Yale School of Medicine (YSM) is looking for a highly collaborative and experienced Executive Director, Research Technology & Infrastructure to serve as the senior school lead for research infrastructure technology strategy and operations supporting world class faculty labs and research investigators. As a key member of Health Sciences Information Technology department, the Executive Director will provide strategic oversight to high-performance computing (HPC), Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud, research desktop and lab instrument support, secure data storage and sharing, and alignment with IRB, compliance, and sponsor requirements. Serving as trusted partner and subject matter expert to principal investigators, department chairs, IRBs, InfoSec, and research administration, the Executive Director will ensure that research computing platforms are scalable, faculty-aligned, and compliant with institutional and federal expectations.

With the support of a talented and dedicated team, the Executive Director will provide strategic oversight for research computing infrastructure strategies across YSM: bioinformatics, genomics, imaging, multi‑omics, and translational research pipelines. This includes HPC, cloud (AWS, Azure, Google), and compliant data environments for high‑risk research data along with platform alignment with compliance frameworks including NIST 800‑171, HIPAA, GDPR, CUI, FISMA, and NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. In this highly visible role, the Executive Director will oversee service model and operational coordination with central ITS, YCRC, YNHHS, and research administration. In addition, they will partner with IRBs, general counsel, and InfoSec to streamline complex data workflows. This leader must be highly accessible and nimble in approach, with the ability to balance competing priorities to ensure strong research computing support, effective stakeholder relations, and high levels of employee engagement.

Research at the medical school covers a broad spectrum, from fundamental studies in the life sciences, including cell biology, genetics, immunobiology, microbial pathogenesis, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, biophysics and biochemistry, to translational and clinical studies aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. Important research collaborations bring together scientists on the medical campus, Science Hill, and the West Campus. Total funding for research at YSM was $804.0 million in 2024. In 2022, the school advanced its commitment to data science by creating a section for Biomedical Informatics and Data Science as the academic home for faculty focused on clinical organization, analyses, and access, as well as developing the computational infrastructure needed to employ artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics in a secure and privacy‑protecting manner. In 2024, the section achieved department status. In 2023, a new biorepository service was formed to store, retrieve, and share biological samples such as blood, solid tissues, DNA, RNA, and proteins, for current and future research studies. Also in 2023, Yale became one of three partners to form the biomedical research hub, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York. The hub’s mission is to bioengineer immune cells to detect the earliest stages of diseases, potentially before they are detectable with current approaches or before symptoms appear. In 2025, YSM supported the creation of the Yale Biomedical Imaging Institute, bringing together renowned experts in imaging technology, clinical translation, and data science from across the university.

Essential Functions

• Building and executing strategy for research computing infrastructure across the enterprise.
• Serving as a trusted advisor to stakeholders, providing sound, practical guidance on HPC issues and emerging trends that impact organizational strategy and risk.
• Matching researchers to appropriate computing resources (on‑premises HPC, VDI, national computing, commercial cloud).
• Partnering with the Associate CIO to enable large‑scale research computing support across multiple domains.
• Engaging in university research and technology governance, advocating for investments and reporting on service impact.
• Operating effectively in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment, consistently meeting tight deadlines and adapting to shifting priorities.
• Upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethics, modeling integrity, accountability, and excellence in all interactions.
• Overseeing HPC, cloud, and secure data platforms managed or co‑managed by HSIT, ITS, YCRC, or YNHHS.
• Designing and implementing cloud computing strategies for data‑driven science, evaluating cloud offerings and building solutions for scientific workloads.
• Developing capabilities for managing restricted research data under compliance standards (CUI, FISMA, HIPAA) in on‑premises and cloud environments.
• Providing consultation to faculty on specialized research technology needs including storage, HPC, virtual environments, and new infrastructure.
• Communicating clearly and effectively, delivering concise, actionable guidance while fostering productive stakeholder engagement.
• Partnering with ISO, Compliance, IRBs, and general counsel to design highly effective security and role‑based authorization standards.
• Building strategic plans to strengthen research cybersecurity and compliance measures.
• Ensuring platforms meet institutional and federal compliance expectations and regulations.
• Building and leading a world‑class HPC team through talent development, strategic recruitment, and succession planning.
• Coordinating deployment of staff to support lab equipment connections, scientific software, research data storage, and research desktop support.
• Collaborating with senior leadership across schools and departments on workforce planning and program goals.
• Building strong relationships with technology providers and colleagues at peer academic research institutions.

Requirements and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in related field and 10 years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Relevant experience in an academic medical center or academic health system with specialized research computing needs.
• A credible leader with the ability to inspire confidence and represent YSM on all research computing matters along with the ability to translate research faculty needs into comprehensive technology solutions.
• An unwavering commitment to end user satisfaction along with the ability to be creative and flexible in driving research computing solutions.
• Exceptional analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to think strategically and provide sound business and practical research computing advice.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Expert ability to run meetings with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Superb leadership skill coupled with the ability to effectively manage, lead, and supervise large teams.
• Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects while meeting deadlines and budget constraints.
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop and maintain good relationships with a variety of stakeholders.

Salary and Benefits

The compensation for this role will include a highly competitive salary along with a comprehensive benefits package including relocation assistance.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

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