Classified HPC Systems Engineer (Hybrid Eligible)

About the role

We are hiring a HPC Systems Engineer to design, operate, and maintain clusters, servers, and workstations supporting scientific research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This position resides in the Emerging Technologies & Computing team within the Research Computing group in the Information Technology Services Directorate. The team facilitates ORNL goals through HPC systems engineering, integration, and support for the research community, enabling Lab-wide R&D projects across clustered infrastructures ranging from a handful of nodes to over fifty-thousand cores.

Responsibilities

• Advocate and promote HPC and clustered computing services to researchers processing large data sets or developing code.
• Ensure the availability, performance, scalability, and security of production systems.
• Leverage automation and monitoring solutions to minimize maintenance and optimize system management practices or performance.
• Collaborate with technical points of contact to install and tune the performance of scientific toolsets.
• Align behaviors, priorities, and interactions with ORNL’s core values: Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service.
• Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace.

Requirements

• BS degree in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, information systems, science, engineering, business, or a related discipline with a minimum of 5 years of aligned professional experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 2 or more years managing UNIX/Linux systems.
• 2 or more years of experience with configuration management and automation tools such as Git, Ansible, or Puppet.
• Moderate proficiency in at least one scripting language such as Bash or Python.
• Experience performing advanced troubleshooting and system administration with Linux servers.

Qualifications

• Active DOE Q, DOD Top Secret, or DOD TS/SCI clearance is heavily preferred.
• Solid understanding of multiple operating systems and cluster technologies.
• Experience with Rocky/CentOS/RHEL, Ubuntu, or VMware.
• Understanding of HPC platforms to support users with SLURM job submissions and troubleshooting.
• Experience building and running containerized applications in an HPC environment.
• Experience with deployment mechanisms like Diskless, Warewulf, and traditional deployment (Cobbler, PXEboot, and/or Bright).
• Experience managing systems utilizing GPU (NVIDIA and AMD) clusters for AI/ML and/or image processing.
• Knowledge of networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, traffic analysis, common protocols, and network diagnostics.
• Experience with Infiniband networks and diagnostics.
• Experience with performance and diagnostic tools for benchmarking, analysis, and tuning of systems, networking, and storage.
• Experience with monitoring systems such as Grafana, CheckMK, Nagios, Zabbix, SolarWinds, or Ganglia.
• Previous experience working in a government, scientific, or highly technical environment.
• Strong documentation skills, including ability to prepare simple documentation web pages.
• Desire to innovate, identify new technologies, and communicate their benefits to the team and research partners.
• Collaborative and upbeat approach to build trust and credibility with research teams.

Special Requirements

• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy Q clearance, including passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program.
• Hybrid/onsite working arrangement may be available.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan and Contributory Pension Plan.
• Life insurance and disability benefits.
• Generous vacation, holidays, and parental leave.
• Legal insurance with identity theft protection.
• Employee Assistance Plan.
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts.
• Wellness programs and educational assistance.
• Relocation assistance and employee discounts.
• On-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities.