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 Software Engineering

Research Computing Software Engineers work within research and development and high-performance computing (HPC) environments to develop and maintain software solutions to support the computational and data analysis needs of the research community; design, code, test, and optimize software systems that enhance research capabilities and streamline computational workflows.

• Develop, deploy, enhance, and maintain software applications and tools to support research computing needs
• Implement efficient algorithms and data structures to handle large datasets and complex computations
• Write clean, well-documented, and maintainable code using modern programming languages
• Integrate software solutions with existing research computing infrastructure, including high-performance computing (HPC) systems and cloud platforms
• Collaborate with systems engineers and researchers to ensure seamless integration and functionality of software tools within the research environment
• Analyze and optimize the performance of software applications, ensuring they meet the high demands of computational research
• Identify and address performance bottlenecks, memory usage issues, and other technical challenges
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for software issues, assisting researchers in overcoming obstacles
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for software tools, including user guides, technical specifications, and troubleshooting procedures
• Stay up to date with advancements in software engineering and computational research technologies
• Propose and implement new features, improvements, and updates to enhance the functionality and usability of software tools
• Lead or participate in software development projects, including planning, development, testing, and deployment phases
• Manage project timelines, deliverables, and milestones to ensure successful and timely completion of software initiatives
• May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management

Level:

– Supervisor

Base Description:

– Supervises direct reports, but primarily completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates appropriate knowledge to perform own work; spends majority of time on tasks related to own job responsibilities. Demonstrates baseline planning, organizing, directing, and facilitating skills. Reviews completed work of others to verify accuracy and quality. Follows recommended approaches to assigned work. Supervises assigned staff and coordinates routine work activities. Monitors employee interactions and facilitates a productive working environment. Communicates instructions and policies in a consistent, effective and timely manner. Identifies and addresses concerns appropriately. Makes recommendations for possible solutions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Typically oversees at least 2 full–time direct reports or equivalent team of part–time and/or student workers (for Support track, performs work at Senior Support level or higher; for Professional track, performs work at the Advanced Professional level or higher)

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– May monitor/track budgets for specific area and/or grant(s)

Problem Solving:

– Encounters generally routine problems with progressively more complex and/or varied problems
– Typically follows standard operating procedures to resolve problems
– May apply specialized knowledge and skills to resolve complex and/or varied problems
– Applies proven and tries new approaches when solving problems

Independence of Action:

– Works with minimal supervision on difficult work assignments, conferring with manager on unusual matters
– Follows precedents and procedures
– Organizes work of direct reports and may set priorities within general guidelines established by manager
– Reviews the work of others to verify accuracy, quality, 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
– Collaborates closely with team members; may interact with other staff outside of area
– Utilizes a communication style that is appropriate for a given situation
– Interprets and communicates information, ideas and instructions clearly and accurately both verbally and in written materials

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