Senior HPC Systems Administrator, SAS Computing

University of Pennsylvania

4d • $84,961 - $105,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Linux Infrastructure Services (LIS) group at the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) is seeking a passionate and skilled Senior HPC Systems Administrator. Join our team and collaborate with world-renowned researchers tackling questions about the human brain, the upper atmosphere, ocean biogeochemistry, social program impacts, and more. Under the guidance of the HPC team leadership, you will ensure the smooth operation of our HPC research services using technologies like GPU’s, CPU’s, Slurm, conda, infiniband, and many other components of a modern, shared HPC environment. This position is hybrid-eligible. The School of Arts and Sciences is the heart of Penn’s academic enterprise, home to hundreds of faculty and thousands of students engaged in innovative research and teaching across the liberal arts and sciences. SAS Computing provides comprehensive IT support for Penn’s world-class research, teaching and learning, and administrative activities. Our team works closely with faculty and staff to deliver innovative, forward-looking technology solutions that meet a wide range of needs. With a dedicated group of professionals known for strong collaboration and teamwork, SAS Computing translates technical expertise into practical support that advances the academic mission of the School.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Proficiency in Linux OSes (Ubuntu preferred)
• Advanced Linux scripting skills (BASH, Python, etc.)
• A working knowledge of job scheduling systems (SLURM preferred)
• Expertise in managing high-performance computing resources
• Networking experience including Infiniband and TCP networks, and configuring and managing network architecture within an HPC environment
• Proficiency in managing storage solutions and backups
• Experience in using configuration management tools such as Salt, Ansible, and MAAS.
• Experience in working with git repositories
• Experience in deploying and managing HPC hardware systems, including CPU and GPU nodes, networks, and storage.
• Skilled in triaging complex problems and developing solutions
• Strong communication skills to maintain effective interactions with stakeholders and team members

Nice To Haves

• Experience deploying and managing cloud-based linux resources (AWS preferred)
• Ability to work collaboratively with SAS Computing colleagues, faculty, research staff, and other stakeholders
• Capable of managing and tracking multiple ongoing projects simultaneously
• Committed to the research and academic mission of SAS

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Sr. Systems Administrator managing complex Linux systems.
• Support research computing clusters, databases, and web servers.
• Support SAS researchers who use Penn’s new PARCC (Penn Advanced Research Computing Center) centralized HPC services, including both CPU and GPU cutting-edge technologies.
• Maintain, configure, and provide automation support for high-performance computing solutions in datacenters and the cloud.
• Engage with researchers to understand how HPC can enhance and transform their work.
• Proactively pursue efficient and collaborative solutions to requests, partnering with faculty and local computing support providers across the school.
• Deploy and manage Linux systems
• Develop shell and python scripts
• Configure, manage, and optimize job scheduling software (SLURM)
• Install and configure free and licensed software
• Monitor systems and services
• Perform routine systems maintenance
• Manage data and configuration backups
• Coordinate hardware repairs
• Oversee ordering and installation of hardware
• Recommend and track software and hardware changes
• Automate systems configuration tasks and deployments
• Provide technical consulting and end-user Linux support
• Support web services
• Assist first-tier support staff with end-users issues on our systems
• Maintain expert-level knowledge of HPC technologies
• Propose and implement improvements to our HPC services
• Provide support for SAS researchers using Penn’s PARCC central HPC cluster and partner with the PARCC team to meet the needs of SAS faculty
• Participate in the linux systems administration on-call rotations, which includes on-prem and cloud (AWS) services.

Benefits

• Excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families
• Generous retirement benefits
• A wide variety of professional development opportunities
• Supportive work and family benefits
• A wealth of health and wellness programs and resources
• Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits
• Flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars
• Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children
• Retirement plans (Basic, Matching, and Supplemental) with pre-tax or Roth basis options
• Wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard
• Substantial amount of time away from work
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Wellness and Work-life Resources
• Professional and Personal Development resources
• Access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities
• Discounts and Special Services (arts and entertainment, transportation, mortgages, new cars, cellular phone service, movie tickets, theme parks)
• Flexible Work Hours
• Penn Home Ownership Services (forgivable loan for eligible employees)
• Adoption Assistance

What This Job Offers

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