Cybersecurity, Digital Engineering & AI Innovation Lab & Facility Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Cybersecurity, Digital Engineering & AI Innovation Lab & Facility Manager provides operational leadership for the lab and facility. This role is the primary technical and administrative lead for the facility and serves as the essential link between the University, Division of Research, and the North Tryon Tech Hub. The position focuses on managing sophisticated research environments, overseeing building operations, and facilitating technical engagement with industry partners and regional initiatives. The manager has direct responsibility for the facility, including the digital infrastructure required for modern engineering workflows, and holds master key access to secure areas.

• Research Lab Facility & Building Operations – 50%
• Technical Innovation & Support – 20%
• Planning and Organizing Work – 10%
• Administrative & Fiscal Management – 20%

Research Lab Facility & Building Operations

• Operational Oversight: Manage daily activities of all classrooms, labs, and specialized structures, ensuring 24/7 operational readiness for sensitive data, AI workloads, and Digital Engineering simulations.
• Building Liaison: Act as the lead coordinator and liaison to University Facilities Management for all building/lab infrastructure needs, including high-capacity power, specialized cooling for AI clusters, and high-bandwidth data networking.
• Space & Access Management: Oversee all lab and office assignments; manage advanced security protocols and building access for faculty and industry collaborators using systems like Archibus.
• Inventory & Security: Serve as the primary inventory manager for all equipment; maintain records for both physical devices and virtualized assets/software licenses required for Digital Engineering.
• Outreach: Organize and direct outreach activities, including tours and demonstrations of Digital Twin models and AI-driven research for industry partners and research sponsors.

Technical Innovation & Support

• Digital Engineering Integration: Oversee the deployment and maintenance of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and collaborative digital environments that allow for the virtual design, testing, and validation of complex systems.
• Expert Troubleshooting: Oversee the maintenance and repair of complex electronic, mechanical, and data systems; provide tier-one support for Digital Engineering software suites and high-performance computing (HPC) interfaces.
• Safety & Compliance: Establish and enforce rigorous safety standards tailored to the unique risks of the lab (e.g., technical systems, high-voltage data centers, and cyber-physical security).

Planning and Organizing Work

• Strategic Planning: Assist leadership in determining long-range plans for core facilities based on strategic assessments of growth opportunities in digital transformation and AI, in alignment with the Division of Research strategic plan.
• Modernization Planning: Develop 3-year rolling plans for equipment staging, facility retrofitting, and digital toolchain upgrades to keep the Innovation Lab at the forefront of the Tech Hub's requirements.