TECHNICAL LEAD, DATA SERVICES AND INTEROPERABILITY (CONTRACT)

ABOUT DRAC The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (DRAC) serves Canadian researchers, with the objective of advancing Canada’s position as a leader in the knowledge economy on the international stage. By integrating, championing and funding the infrastructure and activities required for advanced research computing (ARC), research data management (RDM) and research software (RS), we provide the platform for the research community to access tools and services faster than ever before.

We have an ambitious mandate – to transform how research across all academic disciplines is organized, managed, stored and used. We work with other ecosystem partners and stakeholders across the country to help provide Canadian researchers with the support they need for leading-edge research excellence, research, innovation and advancement across all disciplines.

POSITION SUMMARY The Technical Lead, Data Services and Interoperability is responsible for delivering the interoperability capabilities that connect DRAC’s data services with each other and with national Advanced Research Computing infrastructure. Working within the broader architecture and technical direction of DRAC’s data platform, the position leads the technical design and implementation of integrations that enable researchers to securely move, access, process, and return data across storage, computing, identity, repository, and research workflow environments.

The role provides technical leadership for integration specifications, data movement, authentication and authorization, distributed research workflows, and operational integration across independently operated infrastructure. It works closely with national research data services teams, Advanced Research Computing teams, regional infrastructure providers, storage and networking specialists, cybersecurity and identity teams, and service partners to establish reusable and scalable integration approaches.

The position exists to reduce technical barriers between research data and the computing infrastructure used to analyze it, and to ensure that DRAC services can operate as part of a connected national research computing ecosystem. The Technical Lead reports to the Director, Architecture.

This is a contract position with a term until March 31, 2028. A secondment from a Canadian higher education institution or research organization is an option for the successful candidate.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Architecture and Integration Design

- Lead the technical design and implementation of integrations that connect DRAC data services with national Advanced Research Computing environments.
- Define integration specifications, interface contracts, data flows, and reusable implementation patterns based on interoperability standards that minimize site-specific customization and proprietary dependencies.
- Design integrations with shared computing clusters, batch scheduling systems, high-performance storage, object storage, container platforms, and other research computing infrastructure.
- Define functional and technical integration requirements in consultation with researchers, research computing specialists, service leads, and infrastructure partners.

Data Movement and Distributed Research Workflows

- Coordinate integration delivery with Advanced Research Computing operations,



the Distributed Storage and Compute Grid Operations Lead, regional infrastructure providers, and cluster, storage, networking, identity, cybersecurity, and service teams to ensure performance, scalability, reliability, and supportability across independently operated environments.
- Design, optimize, and troubleshoot data-transfer and workflow integrations for large-scale and data-intensive research, addressing barriers involving networks, storage protocols, scheduler integration, identity federation, and differing infrastructure capabilities across sites.
- Design and validate end-to-end data and workflow patterns between storage and compute environments, including data staging, processing, output management, and movement of results to managed storage or repository systems.

Security, Interoperability, and Operational Readiness

- Support secure cross-system access by implementing appropriate authentication, authorization, auditing, encryption, and data-handling requirements in collaboration with cybersecurity and identity teams.
- Conduct end-to-end workflow validation, interoperability testing, performance assessment, and operational-readiness testing for integrations spanning data and computing services.
- Apply interoperability approaches, open standards, interface design principles, and integration patterns that support scalable and sustainable integration across independently operated infrastructure.
- Identify and address technical issues and dependencies spanning applications, networks, identity, storage, security, and computing environments to support reliable operation of integrated services.

Technical Leadership and Service Development

- Contribute integration-specific technical requirements and assessments to procurement and vendor-evaluation activities.
- Monitor emerging research computing, distributed systems, data-transfer, storage, and interoperability technologies and recommend appropriate enhancements.
- Provide technical direction and review for developers, contractors, and contributors assigned to integration initiatives, and coordinate implementation priorities and deliverables within approved project roadmaps, platform architecture, governance, and technical standards.
- Act as a technical contact for assigned research computing integration initiatives and represent DRAC in selected national and international working groups related to research computing interoperability.

QUALIFICATIONS

- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, information systems, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. A master’s-level degree in a relevant field is considered an asset.
- Seven to ten years of progressive experience in distributed infrastructure, systems integration, research computing, high-performance computing, cloud infrastructure, or related technical environments.
- Proven experience leading complex technical integration initiatives across large-scale or independently operated distributed environments.




- Experience designing and implementing workflows involving Research Data Management and Advanced Research Computing, including shared computing clusters and batch scheduling systems such as Slurm.
- Strong knowledge of Linux-based infrastructure, distributed systems, networking, storage systems, application programming interfaces, and systems integration approaches.
- Experience with high-performance and distributed storage technologies, including parallel file systems, object storage, and data-transfer mechanisms used for large scientific datasets.
- Experience integrating computing environments with authentication and authorization systems, including federated identity and cross-system access controls.
- Experience with container and orchestration technologies such as Kubernetes and with cloud-native infrastructure is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated understanding of data movement and workflow patterns between storage and compute environments, including staging, processing, output management, and movement of results to managed storage or repository systems.
- Strong understanding of interoperability approaches, open standards, interface design, and integration patterns across independently operated infrastructure.
- Experience diagnosing complex technical issues spanning applications, networks, identity, storage, security, and computing environments.
- Strong knowledge of security, access control, auditing, and data-handling requirements in distributed research infrastructure.
- Demonstrated ability to provide technical direction to developers and infrastructure specialists and to coordinate integration delivery within approved architecture and project roadmaps.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills, with demonstrated ability to coordinate technical decisions across multiple organizations and teams without a single point of operational control.
- Experience in the Canadian Digital Research Infrastructure, Research Data Management, and Advanced Research Computing ecosystem is strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with Research Data Management practices, FAIR principles, metadata, and research repositories is considered an asset.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a distributed and matrixed environment.
- Bilingualism in English and French is considered a solid asset.
- Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the design and delivery of digital research infrastructure.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally three to eight times per year.

DRAC is strongly committed to equity and inclusion within the community and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, members of racialized groups, people of colour, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ identified people.

The expected salary range for this position for candidates residing in Canada is between $118,400 CAD - $177,600 CAD. Placement within this range will be determined based on several factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, experience, demonstrated performance, and overall alignment with the requirements of the role. The range reflects DRAC’s commitment to equitable pay practices and to ensuring fair compensation for all employees.

Please apply here: Careers at DRAC!

📌 Technical Lead, Data Services and Interoperability (Canada)
🏢 Digital Research Alliance of Canada | Alliance de recherche numérique du Canada
📍 Canada