Research User Computing Linux Specialist

About the Role

The Research User Computing Linux Specialist designs, operates, and continuously improves KAUST's Linux-based research end-user computing platforms, including Ubuntu and Rocky Linux endpoints, physical scientific workstations, and virtual scientific workstation services. This role enables secure, reliable, and high-performance access to scientific desktop environments for faculty, researchers, and students.

Responsibilities

• Administer, maintain, and improve Ubuntu and Rocky Linux end-user platforms to provide stable and secure scientific workstation services for KAUST's research and academic communities.
• Develop, standardize, and maintain Linux workstation builds and images for physical and virtual scientific desktops, ensuring consistency, reliability, and readiness for research use.
• Manage and support remote scientific workstation platforms, including NICE DCV and Kasm Workspaces, to enable secure, high-performance access to research desktop environments.
• Automate provisioning, configuration, patching, monitoring, and compliance activities using scripting, configuration management, Infrastructure as Code, and GitOps-aligned practices.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex Linux endpoint, workstation, remote desktop, GPU, driver, performance, identity, storage, and network-related issues, escalating where deeper platform or infrastructure support is required.
• Integrate Linux desktops and workstations with enterprise IAM, storage, network, monitoring, security, and endpoint management services to support compliant and reliable operations.
• Partner with faculty, researchers, students, research labs, HPC, storage, security, and advanced computing teams to understand scientific workflows and translate requirements into sustainable workstation solutions.
• Support installation, validation, and maintenance of scientific and research software on Linux workstation environments, considering compatibility, performance, reproducibility, and user needs.
• Implement and maintain security and compliance controls for Linux workstation environments, including patching, hardening, audit logging, endpoint security, and alignment with KAUST policies and relevant frameworks.
• Develop and maintain operational documentation, runbooks, user guidance, dashboards, and service metrics to improve supportability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate new Linux desktops, remote access, virtualization, automation, and scientific workstation technologies, and provide recommendations to improve service quality and platform capability.
• Perform other applicable tasks and duties assigned within the realm of the employee's knowledge, skills, and abilities in the field of the position.

Qualifications

• Essential: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Engineering, or a related field.
• Preferred: Relevant Linux certification such as Red Hat Certified Engineer, Linux Foundation Certified Engineer, LPIC, or equivalent.
• Certification or formal training in configuration management, automation, security, IT service management, NICE DCV, Kasm Workspaces, or related platforms is desirable.
• Security, cloud, networking, or endpoint management certifications such as Security+, CISSP, CCNA, ITIL, or equivalent are desirable.

Required Skills

• Strong Linux administration and troubleshooting skills across endpoint, workstation, and scientific desktop environments.
• Strong automation mindset, with the ability to reduce manual work through scripting, configuration management, Infrastructure as Code, and repeatable operational processes.
• Good understanding of research and scientific computing needs, including GPU-enabled workstations, specialized software, reproducibility, performance, and secure remote access.
• Ability to diagnose issues across operating systems, drivers, remote desktop platforms, identity, storage, network, security controls, and user-side configurations.
• Customer-centric approach, with the ability to work directly with faculty, researchers, students, and technical teams, communicate clearly, and set realistic expectations.
• Strong documentation and continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to create runbooks, standards, support materials, and operational metrics.
• Good collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with platform, network, security, IAM, storage, HPC, vendor, and research support teams.
• Awareness of security, compliance, auditability, and operational risk in enterprise and research computing environments.
• Ability to prioritize work in a deadline-driven research and teaching environment while maintaining service reliability and user trust.
• Willingness to learn and evaluate new Linux, remote workstation, automation, and scientific computing technologies.

Preferred Skills

• Hands-on experience with remote scientific workstation platforms such as NICE DCV, Kasm Workspaces, or similar technologies.
• Experience with GPU-enabled Linux workstations, NVIDIA/CUDA environments, scientific software stacks, or specialized research desktop environments.
• Exposure to security and compliance baselines such as NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, CIS Benchmarks, ISO standards, or institutional security requirements.
• Experience working directly with faculty, researchers, students, labs, vendors, and cross-functional IT teams to gather requirements and deliver sustainable technical solutions.