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Research computing and data (RCD) management jobs are more in demand than ever. However, the challenge is filling them with qualified staff. A group of RCD professionals has set out to collect more information in the field through a national study.
Funded by an NSF grant, the Research Computing Workforce Survey has received 160 responses since it was published in June. The goal is to collect 800 responses. The survey is part of an initiative with the Campus Research Computing Consortium (CaRCC) Professionalization Working Group to develop an RCD Resource and Career Center. Those who work in RCD positions as well as anyone supporting researchers using computational and data tools are welcome to participate. The survey results will support the following goals:
- Describe the current RCD professional’s workforce to provide a measure of equity across institutions and positions, which in turn can aid in effectively attracting, retaining, and diversifying RCD professionals
- Compare this workforce to related academic and technical workforces in terms of demographics and educational background
- Characterize the types of job positions present in the field and the work done by different job positions
- Generate data for use by individuals, hiring managers, and human resources professionals in the field on salary, job titles, job families, and job responsibilities
Share the Survey
If you would like to share the survey with a colleague, please copy and paste the following information in an e-mail or on social media:
RCD professionals—we’d like to hear from you. If you’re a Research Computing and Data (RCD) professional, or you support researchers in this capacity, we’d like your opinion. The survey will take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Take the Research Computing Workforce Survey: https://bit.ly/3eG8Cch
Birds of a Feather
For those attending the PEARC21 conference, there is an opportunity to get involved. Find out more at the Birds of a Feather panel on July 21 at 11 a.m. PDT. The panel is entitled, “Quantifying the Research Computing and Data Professional Community for Attracting, Retaining, and Diversifying RCD Professionals.” Speakers such as Timothy Middlekoop, Internet2 senior research engineer, will discuss staffing and sustaining a diverse workforce across the country in higher education. The main objective of the group is to facilitate the U.S. national survey of RCD professionals to capture specific information on their personal background, current position, and outlook on RCD.
Building a More Diverse and Inclusive Workforce
The Research and Computing Workforce Survey is funded by a $1.49M NSF award as part of a CoE Pilot to create a RCD Resource and Career Center. The survey collects information about staffing roles, position types, and pay grades from those working in educational and research institutions across the United States. The results of the survey will be used to identify recruiting and sustaining a more diverse workforce in RCD.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact the study Principal Investigator, Christina Maimone, at christina.maimone@northwestern.edu.