Overview Job Posting Title : Technical Director, Texas Open-Source Initiative (TOSI)
Hiring Department : Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs
Position Open To : All Applicants
Weekly Scheduled Hours : 40
FLSA Status : Exempt
Earliest Start Date : Immediately
Position Duration : Expected to Continue
Location : UT MAIN CAMPUS
About the University The University of Texas at Austin is a major research university with a mission to foster positive social change, technological advancement, and economic progress. This posting is for the Technical Director role within the Texas Open-Source Initiative (TOSI), a component of the Clements-Strauss Intelligence Studies Project.
Responsibilities Technical Leadership & Operations
Ability to translate complex technical concepts for variable audiences, think strategically about technology adoption and implementation and able to project manage for multi-stakeholder initiatives
Oversee and maintain the initiative's technical infrastructure, including secure research environments, data storage systems, and specialized OSINT tools
Develop, implement, and socialize technical standards and best practices for research and digital investigations
Ensure compliance with university data governance, privacy, and security policies
Manage relationships with open-source communities and government partners
Research & Project Management
Ability to translate complex technical concepts for variable audiences, strategic thinking about technology adoption and implementation, project management skills for multi-stakeholder initiatives
Collaborate with faculty on complex technical investigations requiring advanced OSINT methodologies
Provide technical guidance and support for student research projects across disciplines
Develop methodologies for reproducible, ethically conducted digital research
Coordinate with the broader UT community and external partners including NGOs, academic institutions, and government agencies
Educational & Training Leadership
Teach two courses in the Masters of National Security curriculum, such as Intelligence Analysis and Digital Investigations, Emerging Technologies and National Security
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, experience presenting to academic, governmental, and public audiences and ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary teams
Design and deliver technical workshops and training programs for students and faculty
Mentor graduate students and postdocs conducting technical research
Organize public engagement events
Create educational resources and SOPs
Strategic Development
Strong commitment to research ethics and responsible disclosure practices, understanding of academic integrity and publication standards, awareness of legal and ethical constraints in digital investigations
Contribute to grant writing and fundraising efforts for initiative expansion
Identify emerging technologies and methodologies relevant to open-source intelligence
Build partnerships with industry, government, and academic institutions
Represent the initiative at conferences and professional meetings
Advise on ethical frameworks for digital investigations
Required Qualifications
PhD in Computer Science, Information Science, Digital Forensics, Political Science with heavy quantitative background, or related technical field, OR Master\'s degree with 5+ years of relevant professional experience
Demonstrated experience with open-source intelligence tools and methodologies
Preferred Qualifications
Proficiency in Python, R, or similar languages for data analysis and tool development
Experience with forensic analysis tools and methodologies for digital evidence
Knowledge of GIS software, satellite imagery analysis, location intelligence
Advanced skills in statistical analysis, data visualization, metadata analysis, and large dataset manipulation
Understanding of web scraping, API development, and database management
Knowledge of operational security, anonymization techniques, and secure research practices
Deep understanding of social media platforms, their APIs, and data collection methodologies, experience with image and video analysis tools for verification and forensic analysis, knowledge of network analysis and relationship mapping techniques, understanding of information warfare, disinformation, and content manipulation detection
Salary Range
$100,000 + depending on qualifications
Working Conditions Hybrid work arrangement with flexibility for remote work
Occasional travel for conferences, training, and collaborative projects
Typical office environment.
Repetitive use of keyboard
Required Materials Resume / CV
3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
Letter of interest
Optional : Portfolio of OSINT-related projects or tools developed
Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers : You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.
Important for Current university employees and contingent workers : As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above
Legal & Compliance Employment Eligibility : Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion / transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.
Retirement Plan Eligibility : The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.
Background Checks : A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.
Equal Opportunity Employer : The University of Texas at Austin is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
Pay Transparency : UT Austin will not discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about pay; employees with access to compensation information must follow applicable policies.
E-Verify : The University uses E-Verify to check work authorization. The university’s program details and required posters are provided here for reference.
Compliance : Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Clery Act; resources are provided for reporting and compliance information is available.
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Technical Director • Austin, TX, United States