Research Data Infrastructure Technician

Flexible scheduling 30 hours per week / Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Flexible work location hours with a minimum of 3 in-office days per week and additional in-office days as work duties require.

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.

The Research Data Management Core ( RDMC) is a campus unit that was established by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research ( OVCR) in response to scientific data management and sharing policies issued by federal funding agencies and other critical stakeholders in the scientific enterprise at UNC. These policies demand development and implementation of a campus-wide research data management strategy that supports compliance with those policies.

Authorized and financially supported by the OVCR, the RDMC has been charged with providing overall direction and oversight of operations and activities that prioritize research data management and sharing leadership, support, and innovation. The Director of the Research Data Management Core provides reporting of operations, finances, and program outcomes to the OVCR for program evaluation and unit accountability.

The Research Data Infrastructure Technician is a temporary position in the Research Data Management Core ( RDMC) unit that performs technical infrastructure support functions. Reporting to the Senior Infrastructure Engineer, this position follows established protocols to deploy, configure, and maintain research data management infrastructure in support of RDMC services. These activities contribute to a unified, campus-wide ecosystem of research data management and sharing infrastructure and services that promote compliance with funding agency policies and support the goals of open and reproducible research.

The Research Data Infrastructure Technician has experience in systems administration, scripting, and cloud infrastructure, with a working knowledge of tools such as Azure, Ansible, and Terraform. They are familiar with research data platforms such as Dataverse, REDCap, Globus, and iRODS, and are capable of supporting deployments and integrations involving APIs, databases, and storage systems. The technician is also expected to work collaboratively with IT professionals and data architects to support infrastructure needs across a variety of research projects.

The primary purpose of the Research Data Infrastructure Technician position is to:
1. deploy and configure infrastructure to support research data platforms and services;
2. develop and maintain automation scripts and CI/CD pipelines;
3. document infrastructure configurations and deployment procedures; and
4. collaborate with RDMC and campus IT staff to support infrastructure operations and project-specific needs.

High School or General Educational Development diploma and six months of experience. Equivalent coursework in computer operations or information technology from a technical school or community college may be substituted for the required experience.
- Journey level requires an additional 6 months of education or experience.
- Advanced level requires an additional one year of education or experience

- Demonstrated experience with Linux/ UNIX system administration and scripting (e.g., Bash, Python) for infrastructure deployment and automation.
- Hands-on experience with cloud infrastructure (preferably Azure), including provisioning, configuration, and monitoring.
- Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Ansible and Terraform.
- Experience supporting or deploying research data platforms such as Dataverse, REDCap, Globus, and iRODS.
- Working knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
- Ability to work with APIs, databases, and storage systems in a research or enterprise environment.
- Strong technical documentation skills and a commitment to reproducible infrastructure practices.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across interdisciplinary teams.

- Course work in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience deploying or supporting research data platforms (e.g., Dataverse, REDCap, Globus, iRODS) in academic or research settings.
- Familiarity with research computing environments such as HPC clusters, container orchestration (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes), or hybrid cloud deployments.
- Understanding of infrastructure security, identity and access management, and compliance frameworks relevant to research data.
- Demonstrated ability to write and maintain clear, reproducible technical documentation for infrastructure and automation.
- Awareness of emerging trends in research data infrastructure, DevOps practices, and institutional IT governance.
- Flexibility to work across diverse technical projects and adapt to shifting priorities.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.