HPC Linux System Administrator

Barrios Technology • Houston, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Barrios Technology is hiring an HPC Linux System Administrator to support NASA’s human spaceflight missions at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, under the Amentum JETS contract. The role supports the Flight Sciences Laboratory (FSL), a high-performance computing environment serving more than 1,000 users and comprising over 700 computing systems, 26,000 processing cores, and more than 10 petabytes of storage. Its resources support engineering analyses for the International Space Station, Orion, Space Launch System, Commercial Crew, Human Landing System, and future space exploration missions.

The administrator will join the FSL System Administration Team and build, maintain, secure, optimize, and support large-scale Linux and HPC infrastructure. Work includes container-based HPC workflows, configuration management, CI/CD processes, job scheduling, high-speed networking, parallel file systems, system monitoring, troubleshooting, and technical documentation. The position involves collaborating with engineers, researchers, and laboratory users to keep computing services reliable and effective for NASA’s mission.

The position is generally based in an office environment, though work may also take place inside or outside depending on the task. It may involve commuting or travel to other installations, schedule adjustments during peak or surge periods, sitting for extended periods, lifting and carrying up to 25 pounds, and entering test-facility areas when necessary. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and successfully complete a U.S. government background investigation; the selected applicant may also need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. A post-offer, pre-employment drug test is required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related technical discipline and five years of relevant experience.
• Experience administering large-scale computing environments, including at least two years of HPC system administration experience.
• Strong Linux system administration experience in enterprise or large-scale computing environments.
• Experience with system configuration management.
• Experience supporting container-based HPC workflows.
• Experience with complex CI/CD workflows.
• Experience administering HPC job schedulers and resource management systems.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities, including investigating and resolving complex technical issues.
• Demonstrated planning, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented technical environment.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and successfully complete a U.S. government background investigation.
• Must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information if required for the selected applicant.
• Ability to work outside the normal schedule and adjust schedules for peak periods and surge requirements when required.
• Ability to work in a team atmosphere and maintain professional behavior that promotes productivity, teamwork, and cooperation.
• Must maintain grooming and dress appropriate to the position and avoid creating a safety risk or hazard.
• Regular attendance in accordance with the established work schedule is critical.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and other Red Hat-based systems.
• Experience with Docker, Podman, and Apptainer container technologies.
• Experience with Lustre high-speed parallel file systems.
• Experience with InfiniBand and related high-speed networking technologies.
• Experience with Ansible and Foreman configuration management.
• Experience with SLURM workload and resource management.
• Experience with the SPACK software package manager.
• Experience with log consolidation, centralized monitoring, and system health analysis.
• Experience with Git, GitLab, software development workflows, and automated CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with the Johnson Space Center campus network.
• Experience with security plans, Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), Authority to Operate (ATO) documentation, and risk assessments.

Responsibilities

• Administer, maintain, and optimize large-scale Linux systems supporting NASA’s High Performance Computing environment.
• Build, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain HPC infrastructure and high-end Linux workstations.
• Develop, implement, and support container-based HPC workflows using modern container technologies.
• Manage system configuration processes and tools to maintain consistent, reliable computing environments.
• Support complex CI/CD workflows and associated software development processes.
• Administer and maintain HPC job scheduling and resource management systems.
• Support high-speed networking technologies and high-speed parallel file systems.
• Monitor system performance, availability, and infrastructure health; identify and resolve potential issues proactively.
• Investigate complex system problems, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement solutions.
• Collaborate with engineers, researchers, and laboratory users to resolve technical issues and improve their ability to use HPC resources.
• Support system security requirements, technical documentation, and compliance activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve performance, automation, reliability, and operational efficiency.
• Work with the FSL System Administration Team to ensure computing services support NASA’s human spaceflight mission.

Benefits

• Excellent personal and professional career growth opportunities.
• A 9/80 work schedule, providing every other Friday off when applicable.
• Onsite NASA cafeteria offering breakfast and lunch.
• Opportunities to work with advanced computing technologies and large-scale HPC infrastructure.
• Collaborative team environment supporting NASA’s human spaceflight mission.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior