High Performance Computing Administrator, SimCenter

High Performance Computing Administrator (Information Technology Administrator/Analyst 3 - MR13 )
SimCenter
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga

The High Performance Computing Administrator is responsible for ensuring efficient operation of the SimCenter's research computing center and facilities. The position is highly technical in nature, and duties include maintaining the research computing center environment, ensuring all server hardware is properly maintained, and installing and patching operating systems. This position also supports applications that have an impact at the departmental, campus, and enterprise levels. The duties of this position also include installing and upgrading software, resolving system problems, maintaining systems security, and planning and provisioning recommendations for system upgrades. The individual in this position will be required to keep abreast of various hardware/software technologies to plan for system/software improvements, upgrades, and additions to improve overall function of the SimCenter research computing center. Knowledge of the security aspects of the aforementioned systems and software is of utmost importance. System duties are performed on a variety of operating systems including Linux, Microsoft’s server products, and a variety of cloud-based hosting environments. Additionally, advanced collaboration with faculty and students to help them utilize SimCenter's research computing facilities will be part of the job assignment. Duties include:

Research System and Software Implementation
Ensures the proper design of the research computing systems and software; installs, configures, and implements new enterprise systems and software; ensures that overall architecture of new systems and software integrates with the current environment; provides direction and guidance for existing and emerging technologies and participate in complex and mission-critical technical analysis

Research System and Software Support and Maintenance
Maintains and manages large systems, networks, software, and/or databases independently; resolves high-impact or high-urgency problems and incident management issues; coordinates with partner IT to support departmental systems and access across campus to support research; fulfills service requests for systems, networks, software, and/or databases under position responsibility; monitors security of systems, networks, software, and/or databases under position responsibility, including maintaining awareness of current and changing security threats and taking steps to mitigate/patch systems accordingly; provides support for cloud-based platforms and/or services; is accountable for the performance of systems, networks, software, and/or databases; performs routine, complex, and emergency system, network, software, and/or database administration tasks to ensure and maximize service availability; monitors system performance and proposes software updates or parameter changes to enhance system performance; develops a plan for testing, implementing, and measuring the results of system performance; supports users who request/require assistance using/implementing research computing hardware and/or software; updates ticket tracking database with pertinent information

Project Management
Leads project teams to implement new hardware, operating systems, software, and infrastructure to support the research computing center; leads projects, including planning, managing resources, and delivering final products; responsible for overall work efforts in the implementation of new hardware, operating systems, software, and infrastructure to support the research computing center; directs and supervises project team members' efforts; researches and trains individuals on new systems, networks, software, and/or database technologies

Work, engagement, and collaboration with faculty and students on performing research with research computing infrastructure
Establishing plans for conducting research including using of HPC resources and cloud resources; in-service training and guidance to faculty and students, where needed on computing resources; support problem resolution and systematic issues when problems arise for researchers; document best practices, where appropriate for systems, tools, and computing resources; help faculty and students where appropriate, to map their research questions onto appropriate software and hardware systems as part of experimental design collaboration

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Knowledge of data center systems and procedures
• Knowledge of research application development and support procedures
• Knowledge of cloud computing
• Effective skills in research and analysis, project planning and implementation
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, and vendors
• Effective customer service skills to engage the customer, resolve issues with a sense of urgency, and communicate in a timely manner
• Excellent decision-making, time-management, and planning skills
• Customer-centric approach to problem-solving
• Ability to be a self-starter and remain motivated to move projects forward
• Ability to coach and mentor staff and develop the human capital of the organization
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a highly demanding environment

Review of applications will begin July 11, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration.

Minimum Qualifications : Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field; 3 years of System Administrator experience; Experience in a higher education setting; 2 years of the deployment of high performance computing runtimes, systems, and services

Preferred Qualifications : Doctoral degree; 5 years of System Administrator experience; strong knowledge of full system virtualization

Qualifications :

The University of Tennessee Chattanooga is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.