Senior Director, Research Security, Office Of Research Support And Compliance

Senior Director, Research Security, Office of Research Support and Compliance

The Office of Research Support and Compliance (ORSC) at The University of Texas at Austin functions to ensure that all research conducted at the University is in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and University policies. The ORSC educates and supports the University research community with regulatory guidance concerning human subjects research (Institutional Review Board), animal research (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee), use of biohazardous agents and use of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids (Institutional Biosafety Committee), financial conflict of interest in research (FCOI), and research integrity education

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
• Retirement contributions
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays

Purpose

The Senior Director, Research Security, reporting to the Associate Vice President for Research Support and Compliance, is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of research security at UT Austin. This includes oversight of export control, mitigation of undue foreign influence, and compliance with controlled unclassified information management. The role ensures alignment with federal and state requirements, advises senior leadership on policy development, and implements risk mitigation strategies to protect university personnel, programs, data, and intellectual property.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a robust research security program designed to identify and mitigate risks of foreign influence to the university's intellectual property and reputation, and which meets the requirements of NSPM-33, CHIPS and Science Act, and other federal and state requirements.
• Advise senior leadership on evolving research security regulations, best practices, and risk tolerance. Develop and implement responsive policies and procedures.
• Lead the International Collaboration and Review Committee charged with assessing risks of international research collaborations.
• Provide guidance to faculty, staff, and trainees on research security, international collaborations, and high-risk outside professional activities.
• Conduct investigations into research-related activities that pose security risks, and communicate findings to relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, research sponsors, researchers, and senior leadership.
• Serve on the International Oversight Committee to assess and mitigate risks related to international travel.
• Oversee risk assessments for research collaborations, visiting scholars, exchange programs, licensing agreements, and contracts.
• Collaborate with stakeholder units to implement employee screening processes for data and intellectual property protection.
• Partner with the Office of Sponsored Projects to ensure institutional compliance with research security requirements and certifications.
• Oversee training, outreach, and guidance related to research security, export control, and restricted research.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and regularly report on research security program effectiveness to senior leadership.
• Serve as point of contact with external sponsors and regulators related to matters of research security and restricted research.
• Maintain expertise in export control regulations, NIST SP 800-171, and CMMC compliance.
• Supervise the export control officer and ensure effective compliance policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with Enterprise Technology (ET) and Information Security (ISO) to develop and implement a restricted research program.
• Identify and assess research projects requiring compliance with CMMC or NIST SP 800-171. Implement procedures to support research teams as they undertake restricted research projects.
• Develop technology control plans and system security plans. Provide restricted research compliance monitoring in collaboration with ET and ISO.

Leadership

• Mentor and supervise staff, fostering engagement and professional development.
• Facilitate regular team communication and provide constructive feedback.

External engagement and professional development

• Actively participate in UT System, regional, and national organizations to stay current on regulations and best practices.
• Attend conferences and educational events to maintain expertise.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree and five (5) years of related experience in research security or national security within a university, military organization, government agency or similarly complex organization; OR bachelor's degree and seven (7) years of related experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of foreign counterintelligence and experience investigating and analyzing threat information.
• Working knowledge of export control and CMMC restricted research requirements. Ability to develop a deep understanding and apply the requirements to a university environment.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive leadership responsibility and supervisory experience.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a federal Secret Security Clearance.
• Ability to apply national security risk assessment, foreign counterintelligence strategies, and complex data protection compliance requirements within a university environment based on collaboration and fundamental research.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships and foster trust with a wide range of stakeholders, including university leadership, faculty, staff and students.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of grants and contracting policies, specifically as they relate to research and data security.
• Prior experience working with federal research sponsors (e.g., DoD, NSF, NIH)
• Experience managing change and continuous quality improvement.
• Understanding of risk and reputational considerations in a large research enterprise.

Salary Range

OPEN

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Occasional weekend, overtime and evening work to meet deadlines
• Occasional interstate, intrastate and international travel

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.
• Letter of interest