diff --git a/src/exabiome/run/cori.py b/src/exabiome/run/cori.py
index bb525b1..ca2835d 100644
--- a/src/exabiome/run/cori.py
+++ b/src/exabiome/run/cori.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class SlurmJob(AbstractJob):
 
     debug_queue = 'debug'
 
-    def __init__(self, queue='batch', project='m2865', time='1:00:00', nodes=1, jobname=None, output=None, error=None):
+    def __init__(self, queue='batch', project='m2865', time='1:00:00', nodes=1, jobname=None, output=None, error=None, arch='gpu'):
         super().__init__()
         self.queue = queue
         self.project = project
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def __init__(self, queue='batch', project='m2865', time='1:00:00', nodes=1, jobn
             self.output = f'{self.jobname}.%J'
             self.error = f'{self.jobname}.%J'
 
-        self.add_addl_jobflag('C', 'gpu')
+        self.add_addl_jobflag('C', arch)
 
     def write_run(self, f, command, command_options, options):
         print(f'srun -u {command}', file=f)
diff --git a/src/exabiome/run/run_job.py b/src/exabiome/run/run_job.py
index 933a1c0..8c48fc4 100644
--- a/src/exabiome/run/run_job.py
+++ b/src/exabiome/run/run_job.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def check_cori(args):
     if args.nodes is None:
         args.nodes = 1
     if args.outdir is None:
-        args.outdir = os.path.abspath("$CSCRATCH/exabiome/deep-index")
+        args.outdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.expandvars("$CSCRATCH/exabiome/deep-index"))
 
 
 def run_train(argv=None):
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ def run_train(argv=None):
     rsc_grp.add_argument('-N', '--jobname',    help="the name of the job", default=None)
     rsc_grp.add_argument('-q', '--queue',      help="the queue to submit to", default=None)
     rsc_grp.add_argument('-P', '--project',    help="the project/account to submit under", default=None)
+    rsc_grp.add_argument('-a', '--arch',       help="the architecture to use, e.g., gpu or haswell (cori only)", default='gpu')
 
     system_grp = parser.add_argument_group('Compute system')
     grp = system_grp.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
@@ -82,13 +83,14 @@ def run_train(argv=None):
     if args.summit:
         check_summit(args)
         job = LSFJob()
-        job.set_conda_env(args.conda_env)
         job.add_modules('open-ce')
         if not args.load:
             job.set_use_bb(True)
     else:
         check_cori(args)
-        job = SlurmJob()
+        job = SlurmJob(arch=args.arch)
+
+    job.set_conda_env(args.conda_env)
 
     job.nodes = args.nodes
     job.time = args.time