The University of Texas at Austin needs to ensure that all research conducted at the University is in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and University policies, specifically focusing on research security to protect university personnel, programs, data, and intellectual property from risks of foreign influence, export control violations, and unauthorized access to controlled unclassified information.
Requirements
- 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.
- 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.
- Maintain expertise in export control regulations, NIST SP 800-171, and CMMC compliance.
- Develop technology control plans and system security plans.
- Provide restricted research compliance monitoring in collaboration with ET and ISO.
- Knowledge of grants and contracting policies, specifically as they relate to research and data security.
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.
- Develop and implement responsive policies and procedures.
- Lead the International Collaboration and Review Committee charged with assessing risks of international research collaborations.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Other
- 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.
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressive leadership responsibility and supervisory experience.
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a federal Secret Security Clearance.
- 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.
