Virginia Tech® home

Job Architecture Search

Technical Director, Computational Science

Classification Information

Computational Science
Computational Science uses advanced computing capabilities to develop and optimize computer hardware, firmware, networking, and data management components needed to solve computationally demanding problems.
Management / Leadership
Manager: The positions work is achieved through the direction of others. Managers have direct accountability for setting goals and using resources. They are responsible for administrative oversight of individuals, including conducting recommendations for hiring and termination, writing evaluations, disciplinary actions, day-to-day oversight as well as long-term goal setting and accountability for the performance and productivity of the employees. Managerial positions are reflected in the M1-M3 career track levels in the management/leadership track.
Level 3
Director: Directs and controls the activities of multiple university units or leads a team of professionals with significant university wide impact. Typically has indirect reports. In charge of overall control of planning, staffing, budgeting, etc. for the unit. Collaborates with executive leadership on establishing strategic goals across the function.
T - Technical/STEM
Technical roles, including technology and research.

Position Summary

The Technical Director within Computational Science provides strategic and operational leadership in the development and deployment of advanced computing capabilities to support research across the university. This role directs initiatives in high-performance computing (HPC), large-scale data processing, and emerging computational technologies, ensuring that infrastructure and services align with the evolving needs of faculty, researchers, and institutional priorities. The director leverages expertise in scientific computing, systems engineering, and data-intensive research to shape and sustain a robust computational ecosystem. In this capacity, the director oversees a multidisciplinary team of technical professionals engaged in architecting, implementing, and maintaining computational platforms and services. This includes guiding the development of customized computing solutions, optimizing hardware and software resources, and integrating scalable storage and networking components. The position plays a key role in evaluating new technologies, defining system architecture standards, and establishing best practices for secure, efficient, and reliable computing environments. The director also collaborates with faculty and research leadership to ensure technology investments and project outcomes support long-term institutional research goals. The Technical Director is responsible for planning, budgeting, and resource management within the computational science area, with accountability for staffing, performance, and operational effectiveness. This leadership role fosters a culture of innovation, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration, empowering teams to deliver high-impact solutions that enable data-driven discovery and scientific advancement. Through strategic planning and technical stewardship, the director ensures that the university remains at the forefront of computational research excellence.