Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Assistant Director, IT Infrastructure

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory$154K — $174K *
Information Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in IT, computer science, or a related field.
  • 10+ years' experience managing IT infrastructure operations, preferably in research/academic settings.
  • Deep knowledge of IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, and storage.
  • Proven track record in service desk management and incident handling.
  • Solid experience in backup and disaster recovery strategies.
  • Vendor management expertise, including contract negotiation and performance oversight.
  • Strong analytical skills for resolving complex infrastructure issues.

Responsibilities

  • Oversee daily IT infrastructure operations including servers, networks, and storage.
  • Ensure reliable performance of infrastructure services to support business needs.
  • Monitor incidents and service requests for timely resolutions.
  • Develop proactive maintenance and monitoring procedures for infrastructure.
  • Lead the service desk team to ensure efficient handling of user requests.
  • Implement comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plans for infrastructure continuity.
  • Manage vendor relationships and ensure performance meets service agreements.

Benefits

  • Competitive pay and exceptional health benefits.
  • Retirement plans to support future financial security.
  • Time off policies for work-life balance.
  • A range of recognition and wellness programs.
Full Job Description
Salary: $154,500.00 - $174,500.00 Annually
Location : 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor- Main Campus
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 02145
Process Level: Information Technology
Department: Information Technology
Opening Date: 05/15/2026

Position Description

The Assistant Director, IT Infrastructure oversees key IT operations at CSHL including server/storage/data operations, network and telecommunications operations, and service desk management. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, the Assistant Director, IT Infrastructure leads a multi-disciplinary technical team to assure information technology services and operations. As a key leader in the organization, this role is additionally responsible for defining hardware and software standards in conjunction with stakeholders, enabling external partnerships, drafting and executing the IT Infrastructure budget, and supporting procurement and grant reporting. The Assistant Director, IT Infrastructure maintains standards and SOPs, guides both short and long-term planning of the on-premises and cloud environment at CSHL including roadmap development and actively pursues development of the team and resources to support computationally-driven science. The person in this role keeps abreast of trends and emerging technologies that may benefit infrastructure services at CSHL.
Position Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

IT Infrastructure Operations Management:
• Oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization's IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, phone, storage, workstations (incl. lab PCs) and other critical infrastructure components.
• Ensures high availability, reliability, and performance of infrastructure services to meet business requirements.
• Monitors and manages infrastructure incidents, problems, and service requests, ensuring timely resolution and minimal disruption to operations.
• Develops and implements proactive maintenance and monitoring procedures to identify and address potential infrastructure issues.
• Provides guidance and support during internal and external audits related to IT infrastructure operations.

Service Desk Management:
• Provides leadership and guidance to the service desk team, ensuring efficient and effective handling of user requests, incidents, and problems.
• Defines and enforces service desk processes and procedures to ensure consistent and high-quality customer service.
• Collaborates with the service desk team to establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure service desk performance and identify areas for improvement.

Backups and Disaster Recovery (DR) Management:
• Develops and implements comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plans for the site's infrastructure, ensuring business continuity in the event of system failures or disasters.
• Regularly tests and validates backup and DR procedures to ensure their effectiveness and reliability.
• Collaborates with vendors and other organizations/teams to align DR strategies with established standards and architectures.

Infrastructure Security:
• Ensures the implementation and maintenance of comprehensive IT security measures within the infrastructure, including network security, access controls, and data protection.
• Collaborates with the Information Security team to address vulnerabilities, monitor security incidents, and implement security best practices.
• Stays updated with emerging security threats and technologies, proactively identifying risks and recommending appropriate countermeasures.
• Provides access management services with responsiveness and adherence to policy.

Vendor Management:
• Takes ownership of day-to-day vendor relationships and manage vendor performance in accordance with established contracts and service level agreements.
• Coordinates with vendors and/or other CSHL teams to procure necessary hardware, software, and services, ensuring cost-effective solutions that align with business needs.
• Makes recommendations to management regarding vendor selection and ongoing partnerships.

Projects:
• Leads the IT teams to deliver capital and other projects, including systems refresh, technology implementations, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Designs long-term refresh schedules and builds these into budgets (operational and capital). Participates in the annual budget process and adjusts work and team objectives to align to the budget allocated.

Position Requirements
JOB REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION:
• Bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and work experience).

EXPERIENCE:
• 10+ years' experience in IT managing infrastructure operations, preferably in a research and/or

academic organization
• Deep experience and personal history of managing IT infrastructure components, including servers,

networks, storage, and data centers.
• Proven experience in service desk management, including incident, problem, and request

management processes.
• Solid understanding of and ability to spearhead backup and disaster recovery strategies and

technologies.
• Experience in vendor management, including contract negotiation, performance management, and

relationship building.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve complex

infrastructure issues.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders. • Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate to all levels of the organization. • Advanced proficiency with Microsoft operating systems, Active Directory Administration and Group Policy Management.

SKILLS:
• Motivated, committed, and energetic self-starter, dedicated to providing high quality and responsive IT

services.
• Excellent organization, time management and prioritization skills to manage multiple projects,

locations, and technology needs.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with the ability to motivate and guide a team toward achieving

operational objectives.
• Ability to manage user expectations, provide oversight and manage project tasks.
• Ability to prioritize initiatives across functional work areas for effective resource planning.
• Establishes a practical and working knowledge of business processes, interacts with key business

partners to recommend solutions that best meet the strategic needs.
• Has a mindset to improve standards, simplify, enhance functionality and/or transition to solutions to

improve supportability.
• Can motivate, lead and develop a team of diverse individuals with a variety of experience levels and

skill set

Supplemental Information
How to Apply:

If you are a candidate with a proven track record in leading multi-disciplinary technical teams and managing complex server, network, and cloud operations, we encourage you to apply for this opportunity. Please submit an online application here: AssistantDirectorITInfrastructure

Position ID: 02145

Compensation and Benefits:

Our employees are compensated in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our CSHL Benefits sites to learn more. The salary range for this role is $154,500-$174,500.00annually. The salary range and/or hourly rate listed is a good faith determination of potential base compensation that may be offered to a successful applicant for this position at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future. When determining a base salary and/or rate, several factors may be considered as applicable (e.g., years of relevant experience, education, credentials, and internal equity).

About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is a private, non-profit institution with research programs focusing on cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, genomics, and quantitative biology. It is one of 68 institutions supported by the Cancer Centers Program of the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) and has been an NCI-designated Cancer Center since 1987. CSHL has been home to eight Nobel laureates in physiology or medicine. The laboratory is situated in the midst of a 110-acre nature preserve on the North Shore of Long Island, New York.
Learn more about Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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