Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Research Computing Systems Engineering

The Research Computing Systems Engineer is responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of advanced computing systems used in research environments; develops and/or maintains advanced knowledge of high performance computing (HPC) clusters and clouds; makes recommendations on operational projects and configuration of HPC resources in support of research; participates on projects and initiatives to increase performance of HPC systems; works with vendors to develop and streamline process for hardware and software issues; requires a deep understanding of HPC, cloud infrastructure, and computational workflows to support the research community's diverse and evolving needs.

• Design and deploy scalable, high-performance computing (HPC) systems tailored to the needs of research projects
• Configure and optimize HPC clusters, cloud-based resources, and other computational infrastructure
• Develop and implement system architectures that support complex computational workflows and data analysis
• Manage and maintain research computing systems, including installation, configuration, and upgrades
• Monitor system performance and availability, identifying and addressing issues; develop and deploy tests to verify system functionality and performance
• Provide solutions to generate alerts and monitoring dashboards to allow for the observation of system status to detect performance issues before users experience problems
• Implement and manage security protocols to protect research data and computational resources
• Provide expert technical support for researchers encountering issues with computing systems and resources
• Develop and maintain documentation related to system configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting guidelines
• Work closely with research teams to understand their computing needs and recommend system enhancements or upgrades
• Collaborate with IT departments and external vendors to integrate new technologies and optimize existing systems
• Evaluate and incorporate emerging technologies and best practices to continuously improve research computing capabilities
• Lead and participate in research computing projects, including system upgrades, migrations, and new system deployments
• Develop project plans, timelines, and resource requirements, ensuring successful and timely project execution
• Provide regular updates and reports on project status, system performance, and resource utilization
• May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management

Level:

– Senior Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates advanced knowledge of principles, practices, and procedures of a particular field. Works independently on moderately complex work assignments under limited oversight, reviews progress, and evaluates results. Monitors work and projects ensuring timeliness, quality, and efficiency. Identifies and mobilizes resources to achieve outcomes. Trains others and reviews progress with management. Presents ideas, concepts, and instructions in a clear and persuasive manner. Develops new techniques, concepts, and approaches and applies them to moderately complex and strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding

Problem Solving:

– Encounters moderately complex problems
– Applies specialized knowledge and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on moderately complex work assignments, reviews progress, and evaluates results
– May set priorities and organize work within general guidelines established by supervisor
– May review the work of others to verify accuracy and conformance to required procedures and special instructions

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and the University
– Communicates with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
– May communicate with external audiences for business purposes
– Coaches others in using appropriate strategies for resolving conflict; negotiating reasonable compromises; and proposing and evaluating possible solutions
– Give candid and constructive feedback to others to influence and persuade managers and employees to accept and implement findings and recommendations

• Comp Grade – 14
• Minimum – $97,100.00
• MidPoint – $121,400.00
• Maximum – $145,700.00