UT Austin

Director of Controlled Research Support Program

AUSTIN, TX Full time

Job Posting Title:

Director of Controlled Research Support Program

----

Hiring Department:

Enterprise Technology - Campus Solutions

----

Position Open To:

All Applicants

----

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

----

FLSA Status:

Exempt

----

Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

----

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

----

Location:

AUSTIN, TX

----

Job Details:

General Notes

This position is security sensitive and subject to university guidelines and Texas Education Code §51.215, which authorizes background checks for security-sensitive positions.

Flexible work arrangements are available for this position, including the ability to work remotely. In person meetings will be required when applicable. We prefer a candidate located in the greater Austin area as travel to campus for occasional in-person events, training, team meetings, activities, etc., may be required.

This position provides a balance of life/work with typically a 40-hour work week, and travel limited to training (e.g., conferences/courses).

Enterprise Technology is dedicated to supporting the mission of the University of Texas at Austin of unlocking potential and preparing future leaders of the state.

Your skills will make a difference.

You’ll be working for a university that is internationally recognized for research and the work you do will make a difference in the lives of our students, faculty and staff. If you’re the type of person that wants to know your work has meaning and impact, you’ll like working for our campus.

The University of Texas at Austin and Enterprise Technology provide an outstanding benefits package to our staff. Those benefits include:

  • Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)

  • Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options

  • Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays

  • Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan) or the Optional Retirement Program (a defined contribution plan)

  • Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)

  • Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses

  • Training and conference opportunities

  • Tuition assistance

  • Athletic ticket discounts

  • Access to UT Austin's libraries and museums

  • Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Capital metro buses with staff ID card

For more details, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards

Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer without sponsorship.

This position requires you to maintain internet service and a mobile phone with voice and data plans to be used when required for work.

Purpose

The Director of the Controlled Research Support Program will lead the establishment, implementation, and ongoing management of the University of Texas at Austin’s controlled research compliance program and secure enclave environment, which specifically includes Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Operating from the Office of the Vice President of Technology and Chief Information Officer in Enterprise Technology (ET) and in partnership with the Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors (OVPR) and the Information Security Office (ISO), this role will ensure researchers, staff, and administrators are equipped with the infrastructure, policies, and training necessary to both protect sensitive research data and accelerate the time to research, while enabling innovation and collaboration. The position requires both strategic leadership and hands-on operational oversight of secure computing environments.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy: Program Development & Compliance

In coordination with the Office of Research Support and Compliance and the Information Security Office:

  • Contribute to developing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive CUI and controlled research program aligned with federal regulations (e.g., NIST SP 800-171, DFARS, CMMC) with a specific focus on implementing and maintaining controls in the secure enclave environment and ensuring compliance.
  • Working knowledge and understanding of CUI and other controlled data controls and requirements, assisting with advising leadership, faculty, and staff on obligations and best practices.
  • Working knowledge and understanding of policies, procedures, and governance structures that ensure compliance across all research activities involving controlled research.
  • Liaison with federal agencies, sponsors, and auditors regarding controlled research program compliance.
  • Monitor regulatory updates (NIST 800-171, DFARS, CMMC, ITAR/EAR), assess their implications, and inform and advise University stakeholders accordingly.

Enclave Operations & Infrastructure Management

  • Oversee the design, deployment, and ongoing operation of the secure enclave infrastructure that supports controlled data including CUI research.
  • Manage and/or coordinate the work of systems administrators and other technical personnel responsible for enclave operations.
  • Ensure enclave systems meet or exceed compliance baselines (e.g., access controls, logging, encryption, incident response).
  • Coordinate vulnerability management, patching, and continuous monitoring activities.
  • Partner with ET functional teams, ISO and other University technical teams to integrate enclave services into the broader institutional technology ecosystem.

Research Engagement & Support

  • Provide training and outreach to faculty, staff, and students conducting research in the enclave environment.
  • Assist in the preparation and review of technical compliance artifacts, including: System Security Plans (SSPs); Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms); Technology Control Plans (TCPs); SPRS Score Justifications
  • Collaborate with local college, school or unit IT, building managers, research administration, and department chairs to ensure physical access controls, network segmentation, and endpoint management are in place and well-understood.
  • Interface regularly with campus stakeholders to align physical, network, and cybersecurity controls within research spaces.
  • Develop onboarding processes that streamline researcher access while maintaining compliance requirements.
  • Act as a trusted partner to research teams, ensuring the enclave environment supports their scientific goals.
  • Maintain a centralized register of active secure research environments, tracking SSPs, POA&Ms, SPRS submissions, and enclave deployments.
  • Support proposal development by providing accurate descriptions of the controlled data program and secure infrastructure to sponsors.

Strategic Leadership

  • Build and lead a cross-functional team supporting controlled data (including CUI) compliance and secure enclave operations.
  • Collaborate with University leadership to align the controlled data program with the institution’s broader research security and compliance strategies.
  • Report regularly to senior leadership on program status, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Contribute to a culture of compliance and security awareness within the University research community.

Perform other related functions as assigned.

Required Qualifications

  • U.S. Citizen, resident, or officially recognized asylee - Applicant selected will be subject to government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to the project requirements of the position.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Information Security, Information Technology, Research Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
  • 10+ years of experience in architecting, managing and delivering large-scale, secure infrastructure that serves the unique needs of university researchers.
  • Strong understanding of federal requirements related to CUI (e.g., NIST SP 800-171, DFARS, CMMC).
  • Experience standing up or managing secure computing environments for research or compliance programs.
  • Hands-on technical experience with enclave infrastructure, cloud-based secure environments, and system administration.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, organizational and project management skills.
  • Ability to manage complex projects and coordinate across multiple departments.
  • Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Commitment to ethical conduct and confidentiality.

Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Information Security, Information Technology, Research Administration, or related field.
  • Experience working in higher education or research-intensive environments.
  • Familiarity with export controls, ITAR, and other regulated research areas.
  • CISSP, CISM, or similar security certification.

Salary Range

$150,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

  • Hybrid office/technical environment.
  • Regular interaction with researchers, IT staff, compliance officers, and external agencies.
  • May work around standard office conditions
  • Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
  • Use of manual dexterity

Work Shift

Monday – Friday, flexible between 7am-6pm. This role may require occasional after-hours response to security incidents or system maintenance windows.

Required Materials

  • Resume/CV
  • 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
  • Letter of Interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

----

Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

----

Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

----

Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

----

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

----

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

----

Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

----

E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

----

Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.