Head of IT Services (Research Infrastructure)

Location: Hamburg, Germany

Salary: Starting from EUR 5,408.54 net per month, excluding 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions. The contract is for 3 years and may be renewed up to a maximum of 9 years.

Company

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory is an international intergovernmental life sciences research organisation with sites across Europe, including a structural and molecular biology research site on the DESY campus in Hamburg.

What you will do

• Lead and develop the Hamburg IT team while remaining hands-on in daily operations.
• Coordinate data storage, computing, networking, security, backup, and disaster recovery.
• Manage projects for implementing and upgrading IT infrastructure.
• Oversee desktop systems and user support across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Work with scientific, administrative, and external users to understand needs and provide responsive support.
• Contribute to cross-site IT infrastructure planning, digital strategy, innovation, and organisation-wide initiatives.

Requirements

• Degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Several years of experience managing IT services in a complex environment, ideally in research or higher education.
• Technical expertise in Linux system administration, heterogeneous networks, storage systems, and IT security.
• Strong communication and organisational skills with a collaborative, service-oriented approach.
• Fluency in English is required; German is advantageous.

Nice to have

• Experience leading and managing individuals or teams.
• Experience running or developing IT systems at synchrotrons or similar research infrastructures.
• Experience managing Windows and macOS systems and hardware.
• Programming or scripting experience.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing or large-scale data environments.

Culture & Benefits

• International, inclusive, curiosity-driven, and community-oriented research environment.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Salary free of income tax, annual salary review, pension scheme, and multiple insurance benefits.
• Private medical insurance for the employee and immediate family.
• 30 days of annual leave in addition to public holidays.
• Relocation package, family allowances, parental benefits, and support for international newcomers, including visa exemptions.

Hiring process

• Submit a cover letter and CV through the online application system.
• Applications close at 23:59 CET on 22 October 2026.
• A response is targeted within two weeks after the closing date.