Research Data Scientist

Job description

Research Data Scientist

**Dean of Research, Stanford, California, United States**

Research

Post Date Dec 13, 2024

Requisition # 105424

This is a 3-year fixed term appointment.

**Stanford Data Science**

This position is part of a new initiative incubated within Stanford Data Science, part of the Vice Provost for Research / Dean of Research.

Stanford Data Science (SDS) is a dynamic and rapidly growing unit within the VP/Dean of Research.

For more than five years, SDS has sought to advance data science and its application to all fields of study.

Our community ranges broadly across all seven schools on campus, consisting of esteemed alumni, world class faculty, post-doctoral fellows and PhD students, dynamic staff and administrators.

In realizing our mission, our staff are critical to supporting our organization’s goals and enabling Stanford faculty and students to accomplish their mission conducting cutting-edge research and innovation around how we learn from data, the tools we use, and the new methods needed to tackle the data-intensive future.

**POSITION SUMMARY**

Stanford University has made a strategic investment in Marlowe, a GPU-centric high-performance computing instrument designed to enable large-scale, data-intensive research.

Supporting a wide range of disciplines, Marlowe facilitates sophisticated machine learning applications, including large-language models.

The Research Data Scientist will play a critical role in this initiative, leveraging their expertise in computational research to develop and optimize workflows and applications that unlock Marlowe’s capabilities.

This role requires a deep understanding of computational and data science, machine learning, and the scientific process.

It also demands the ability to leverage high-performance GPU computing to efficiently process and analyze large datasets.

The successful candidate will collaborate closely with Stanford faculty and research groups to design, implement, and refine GPU-accelerated data processing pipelines.

They will also contribute to scientific codes using machine learning, statistical analysis, and computation to address complex research challenges.

Additionally, the data scientist will contribute to the development of novel computational methods ranging from biological data analysis to simulation of physical systems via digital twins.

Beyond technical expertise, the Research Data Scientist will act as a bridge between Marlowe and the broader research community.

They will guide researchers in adapting their applications to Marlowe’s GPU-powered infrastructure by providing technical consultation, creating training materials, and leading workshops.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in both data science and GPU-centric computational techniques, combined with a passion for fostering collaboration and pushing the boundaries of interdisciplinary research.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to drive transformational research and establish Marlowe as a cornerstone of Stanford’s efforts in pioneering discovery.

Remote work for the Research Data Scientist position will be considered.

The Research Data Scientist may be asked to attend certain in-person work events during the year regardless of remote status.

**CORE DUTIES** **:**

**Code Architecture for GPU Computation**

+ Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs) and research groups to architect and optimize GPU-accelerated pipelines.
+ Develop innovative computational methodologies
+ Co-author resulting research publications.

**Algorithm Development and Data Management**

+ Design advanced data movement strategies to minimize memory bottlenecks between CPU and GPU, including real-time data streaming methods for scientific applications.
+ Partner with research teams to design novel algorithms and develop high-quality, reusable software to accelerate complex research projects.

**Research Support and Software Infrastructure**

+ Assist PIs in applying for supercomputing resources at national centers once projects are scaled and workloads are appropriate.

Offer guidance on maximizing efficiency of large-scale computational experiments.
+ Install, configure, and maintain software stacks for core research functions.

**Training and Mentorship**

+ Design and lead hands-on workshops, and interdisciplinary courses focused on GPU-centric research in fields such as computational biology, NLP and image analysis.
+ Mentor graduate students, postdocs and early-career researchers in computational techniques and research methodologies.

**Open Science and Research Continuity**

+ Integrate open science principles into research workflows, including software for data and computational provenance.
+ Design systems to manage inputs, outputs, and provenance to meet NIH, NSF, and OSTP mandates.
+ Develop tools and workflows to ensure the long-term viability of code and tools used by students and postdocs for future research development.

*Other duties as assigned.

**DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS** **:**

+ Experience supervising technical staff including training, mentoring and coaching.
+ Experience developing and writing grant proposals.
+ A minimum of five years at an Academic Staff - Researcher rank or have equivalent experience
+ Extensive publication list including first author publications.

**Education & Experience (Required)** :

+ Ph.D. in a computational or data-intensive related field or equivalent
+ Comfortable running and troubleshooting jobs in a batch scheduled environment
+ Considerable experience with Linux

**Pay Range** **:**

This role is open to candidates anywhere in the United States.

Stanford University hasfive Regional Pay Structures.

The compensation for this position will be based on the location of the successful candidate.

The expected pay range for this position is $142,000 to $200,000 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position.

The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package.

The Cardinal at Work website (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees.

Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

_The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities.

Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility.

Employees may also perform other duties as assigned._

_Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form._

_Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law._

Additional Information

+ **Schedule: Full-time**
+ **Job Code: 6446**
+ **Employee Status: Fixed-Term**
+ **Grade: R99**
+ **Requisition ID: 105424**
+ **Work Arrangement : Hybrid Eligible, Remote Eligible, On Site**

Required Skill Profession

Other General