Penn State Job Catalog

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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:

– 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 – 13
• Minimum – $86,300.00
• MidPoint – $107,900.00
• Maximum – $129,500.00