Student Assistant III

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)•Boulder, CO

About The Position

The Computational and Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) seeks a curious, hands-on student to work with experienced engineers on experimental supercomputing systems, including GPU-based hardware. The position provides practical experience evaluating technologies that may shape future computing for NCAR’s scientific community. The student will work on real problems with mentor support and is expected to investigate, ask questions, and learn through hands-on work. This is a one-year term role supporting the deployment, maintenance, and optimization of high-performance computing (HPC), storage, networking, and software systems used in atmospheric and Earth science research. Working alongside senior project staff and High Performance Computing Division (HPCD) staff, the student may help maintain research and development lab environments; install, administer, benchmark, and troubleshoot HPC hardware, operating systems, and specialized software; tune storage and batch schedulers; run analytics; and port NCAR applications to experimental architectures such as GPU environments. Mentorship and training may also provide opportunities to collaborate with and guide junior HPC students and interns. The student must be enrolled and maintain student status for the entire term. Student Assistants may not work more than 1,000 hours in any 12-month period. The updated hourly rate is $24.32.

Requirements

Must be enrolled for the entire appointment, or intend to enroll in the next regular session, for credit in an accredited secondary or postsecondary school, college or university, or qualifying trade school.
Knowledge and understanding of computer, storage, and networking system components.
Ability to work with a team and convey technical concepts to management and senior engineers.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Skill in organizing and prioritizing assignments.
Must maintain student status for the entire one-year term.

Nice To Haves

Experience with fundamental software and systems engineering concepts and practices.
Experience with at least one portable scripting language, such as Python or Bash.
Experience with at least one GNU/Linux distribution.
Familiarity with scientific visualization.
Familiarity with open-source software development and distribution.
Familiarity with AI/ML/DL.
Familiarity with GPGPU programming.
Ability to mentor and train students and visitors.

Responsibilities

Gain experience with user application code on existing and new hardware and software technologies.
Learn to support software products, system administration tools, and monitoring utilities to maximize the availability and flexibility of experimental HPC systems.
Work with mentors to develop new tools and analytics, or enhance existing tools, analytics, and software subsystems for the experimental HPC environment.
Test and evaluate computing, storage, and networking technologies, associated software stacks, and potential applications for NCAR applications.
Develop knowledge of emerging technologies and how they might enhance the NCAR user experience.
Assist with preparing and delivering technical reports and presentations on research findings.
Assist with writing and presenting recommendations to HPCD management concerning HPC hardware and software products, configurations, functional enhancements, and upgrades.
May propose, research, design, and implement projects, tools, or process improvements for the team and environment.
Learn basic systems administration and maintenance of multi-vendor, open-source HPC systems.
Monitor experimental HPC systems periodically to help ensure proper and efficient operation for stakeholders.
Help plan and execute installations and upgrades to multi-vendor HPC software systems.
Depending on skills, collaborate with HPCD staff to support and maintain research and development lab environments, and assist with installing, administering, benchmarking, and troubleshooting HPC hardware, operating systems, and specialized software tools.
Potentially tune storage and batch schedulers, run analytics, port NCAR applications to experimental architectures such as GPU environments, and collaborate with or guide junior HPC students and interns.